gitlabci-local 12.0.0

Launch .gitlab-ci.yml jobs locally

gcil

Launch .gitlab-ci.yml jobs locally, wrapped inside the specific images,
with inplace project volume mounts and adaptive user selections

Documentation: https://radiandevcore.gitlab.io/tools/gcil
Package: https://pypi.org/project/gitlabci-local/

---

Purpose

The main purpose of this project is to unify and enhance reliability
of builds, tests or releases running on GitLab CI in a similar local context,
by providing the simplicity of an interactive and automated terminal tool
and avoiding code duplication (Makefile, Shell scripts, docker run, ...).

Rather than creating yet another standard, the .gitlab-ci.yml specification
is the common and unique interface between GitLab CI and gcil.

---

Preview

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Examples

gcil                   # Launch the jobs choices interactive menu
gcil -p                # Launch the jobs pipeline automatically
gcil -l                # Launch the job selection interactive menu
gcil 'Dev'             # Launch jobs where the name contains a given string
gcil 'Job 1' --debug   # Hold a finishing specific job for debugging
gcil 'Job 1' --bash    # Prepare a bash environment for a specific job
gitlabci-local         # Shortcut alias to gcil

---

Usage

usage: gcil [-h] [--version] [--no-color] [--update-check] [--settings] [--set GROUP KEY VAL] [-p] [-q]
            [-c CONFIGURATION] [-B] [-A] [-C COMMANDS] [-n NETWORK] [-e ENV] [-E ENGINE] [-H] [--notify]
            [--privileged [BOOL]] [--random-paths] [-r] [-S] [--ssh [SSH_USER]] [-v VOLUME] [-w WORKDIR]
            [--bash | --debug] [--display] [--shell SHELL] [--all] [--configure] [--defaults] [-f] [-i] [-m]
            [--no-console] [--no-git-safeties] [--no-script-fail] [-R] [--no-verbose] [--scripts] [-t TAGS]
            [-d | -s | -l | --pull | --rmi] [--]
            [names ...]

gcil: Launch .gitlab-ci.yml jobs locally (aliases: gitlabci-local)

internal arguments:
  -h, --help           # Show this help message
  --version            # Show the current version
  --no-color           # Disable colors outputs with 'NO_COLOR=1'
                       # (or default settings: [themes] > no_color)
  --update-check       # Check for newer package updates
  --settings           # Show the current settings path and contents
  --set GROUP KEY VAL  # Set settings specific 'VAL' value to [GROUP] > KEY
                       # or unset by using 'UNSET' as 'VAL'

pipeline arguments:
  -p, --pipeline       # Automatically run pipeline stages rather than jobs
  -q, --quiet          # Hide jobs execution context
  -c CONFIGURATION     # Path to the .gitlab-ci.yml configuration file or folder
  -B, --no-before      # Disable before_script executions
  -A, --no-after       # Disable after_script executions
  -C COMMANDS          # Run specific commands instead of "scripts" commands
  -n NETWORK           # Configure the network mode used (or define CI_LOCAL_NETWORK)
                       # Choices: bridge, host, none. Default: bridge
  -e ENV               # Define VARIABLE=value, pass VARIABLE or ENV file
  -E ENGINE            # Force a specific engine (or define CI_LOCAL_ENGINE)
                       # Default list: auto,docker,podman
  -H, --host           # Run all jobs on the host rather than containers
  --notify             # Enable host notifications of pipeline and jobs results
  --privileged [BOOL]  # Give extended privileges to the containers
                       # (Defaults to 'true', or define CI_LOCAL_PRIVILEGED)
  --random-paths       # Mount random folder paths in the container
  -r, --real-paths     # Mount real folder paths in the container (Linux / macOS only)
  -S, --sockets        # Mount engine sockets for nested containers
                       # (Enabled by default with services: docker:*dind)
  --ssh [SSH_USER]     # Bind SSH credentials to a container's user
  -v VOLUME            # Mount VOLUME or HOST:TARGET in containers
  -w WORKDIR           # Override the container's working path

debugging arguments:
  --bash               # Prepare runners for manual bash purposes
  --debug              # Keep runners active for debugging purposes
  --display            # Enable host DISPLAY forwarding features
  --shell SHELL        # Configure the default bash/debug shell entrypoint

jobs arguments:
  --all                # Enable all jobs by default in selections
  --configure          # Show interactive configurations for CI/CD inputs
  --defaults           # Use default variables for .local:configurations
  -f, --force          # Force the action (use with --pull)
  -i, --ignore-case    # Ignore case when searching for names
  -m, --manual         # Allow manual jobs to be used
  --no-console         # Disable console launch in bash/debug modes
                       # (or default settings: [runner] > no_console)
  --no-git-safeties    # Disable automated Git safeties configuration
                       # (or default settings: [runner] > no_git_safeties)
  --no-script-fail     # Fail on missing 'script' nodes of jobs
                       # (or default settings: [runner] > no_script_fail)
  -R, --no-regex       # Disable regex search of names
  --no-verbose         # Hide jobs verbose outputs
  --scripts            # Dump parsed jobs entrypoint scripts
  -t TAGS              # Handle listed tags as manual jobs
                       # Default list: deploy,local,publish

features arguments:
  -d, --dump           # Dump parsed .gitlab-ci.yml configuration
  -s, --select         # Force jobs selection from enumerated names
  -l, --list           # Select one job to run (implies --manual)
  --pull               # Pull container images from all jobs
  --rmi                # Delete container images from all jobs

positional arguments:
  --                   # Positional arguments separator (recommended)
  names                # Names of specific jobs (or stages with --pipeline)
                       # Regex names is supported unless --no-regex is used

---

User configurations with '.local:configurations'

gcil implements support for specific user configurations
allowing simple and interactive local pipeline configurations.

Supported user configurations include boolean, choice, input, yaml and json.

Examples for each of these can be found in the configurations unit tests: tests/configurations

---

Additional features in 'variables'

gcil implements further support of most command-line parameters
using variables: values, either globally or specifically for each job:

variables:
  CI_LOCAL_AFTER: bool                # Enable or disable `after_script` executions (see `-A`)
  CI_LOCAL_BASH: bool                 # Prepare runners for manual bash purposes (see `--bash`)
  CI_LOCAL_BEFORE: bool               # Enable or disable `before_script` executions (see `-B`)
  CI_LOCAL_DEBUG: bool                # Keep runners active for debugging purposes (see `--debug`)
  CI_LOCAL_DISPLAY: bool              # Enable host `DISPLAY` forwarding features (see `--display`)
  CI_LOCAL_ENGINE: str                # Force a specific engine (see `-E`)
  CI_LOCAL_EXTENDS_INCOMPLETE: bool   # Accept incomplete `extends:` jobs for local use
  CI_LOCAL_MANUAL: bool               # Allow manual jobs to be used (see `--manual`)
  CI_LOCAL_NETWORK: str               # Configure the network mode used (see `--network`)
  CI_LOCAL_NO_CONSOLE: bool           # Disable console launch in bash/debug modes (see `--no-console`)
  CI_LOCAL_NO_VERBOSE: bool           # Hide jobs verbose outputs (see `--no-verbose`)
  CI_LOCAL_NOTIFY: bool               # Enable host notifications of pipeline and jobs results (see `--notify`)
  CI_LOCAL_PRIVILEGED: bool           # Configure the privileged mode used (see `--privileged`)
  CI_LOCAL_QUIET: bool                # Hide jobs execution context (see `-q`)
  CI_LOCAL_RANDOM_PATHS: bool         # Mount random folder paths in the container (see `--random-paths`)
  CI_LOCAL_REAL_PATHS: bool           # Mount real folder paths in the container (see `-r`)
  CI_LOCAL_SHELL: str                 # Configure the default bash/debug shell entrypoint (see `--shell`)
  CI_LOCAL_SOCKETS: bool              # Mount engine sockets for nested containers (see `-S`)
  CI_LOCAL_SSH: bool|str              # Bind SSH credentials to a container's user (see `--ssh`)
  CI_LOCAL_WORKDIR: str               # Override the container's working path (see `-w`)

Additional features in '.local'

gcil implements further support of most command-line parameters
inside a .local: node to ease default parameters definitions.

Supported local values for a .local node are:

.local:
  all: bool              # Enable all jobs by default in selections (see `--all`)
  configurations: dict   # See [User configurations with '.local:configurations'](#user-configurations-with-localconfigurations)
  defaults: bool         # Use default variables for `.local:configurations` (see `--defaults`)
  env: list[str]         # Define `VARIABLE=value`, pass `VARIABLE` or `ENV` file (see `-e`)
  image: dict|str        # Override container image's `name` and/or `entrypoint
  include: dict          # Map `include: project:` names to local paths
  names: list[str]       # Names of specific jobs (or stages with `--pipeline`) (see `names`)
  no_regex: bool         # Disable regex search of names (see `--no-regex`)
  pipeline: bool         # Automatically run pipeline stages rather than jobs (see `-p`)
  tags: list[str]        # Handle listed tags as manual jobs (see `--tags`)
  variables: dict[str]   # Define `KEY: VALUE` variables for local jobs
  version: str           # Define a minimum version for `gcil` recommended for this file
  volumes: dict[str]     # Mount `VOLUME` or `HOST:TARGET` in containers (see `-v`)

Examples for each of these can be found in the local unit tests: tests/local and tests/includes

---

Job execution in native context

gcil runs every jobs in the specified container image.

For specific local purposes where the native host context is wished,
where the host tools, folders or credentials are required,
image: local can be used to run the scripts natively.

For specific purposes, the image: local:quiet variant
can be used to enable the quiet option for specific jobs.

The image: local:silent variant extends the quiet option
by also disabling the verbose script set -x line entry.

An example usage can be found in the local Changelog job: .gitlab-ci.yml

---

Environment variables

Expand environment variables documentation

gcil uses the variables defined in .gitlab-ci.yml,
parses the simple environment variables file named .env
and the configurations selected through .local:configurations.

If specific environment variables are to be used in the job's container:

• -e VARIABLE: pass an environment variable
• -e VARIABLE=value: set a variable to a specific value
• -e ENVIRONMENT_FILE: parse a file as default variables

For example, -e TERM=ansi may enable colored terminal outputs.

The variable CI_LOCAL is automatically defined to true by gcil
to allow specific conditions for local purposes in jobs' scripts.

The variable CI_LOCAL_HOST is automatically defined to true by gcil
if running the job natively on the host (for example wiht --host)

The following variables are also defined by gcil:

• CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME: The branch or tag name for which project is built (GitLab CI)

• CI_COMMIT_REF_SLUG: CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME in lowercase, shortened to 63 bytes,
  and with everything except 0-9 and a-z replaced with -. No leading / trailing - (GitLab CI)

• CI_COMMIT_SHA: The commit revision for which project is built (GitLab CI)

• CI_COMMIT_SHORT_SHA: The first eight characters of CI_COMMIT_SHA (GitLab CI)

• CI_PROJECT_NAME: The name of the directory for the project (GitLab CI)

• CI_PROJECT_NAMESPACE: The project namespace (username or group name) of the job (GitLab CI)

• CI_LOCAL_USER_HOST_GID: The host user's group ID value

• CI_LOCAL_USER_HOST_UID: The host user's user ID value

• CI_LOCAL_USER_HOST_USERNAME: The host user's username value

---

Supported container engines

gcil currently supports these container engines:

• Docker : https://docs.docker.com/get-docker/ (root daemon, as user or sudoer)
• Podman : https://podman.io/getting-started/ (rootless or root CLI)

---

Supported systems

Supported Linux systems

Engines	Linux Mint, Ubuntu	CentOS	Others
Native (shell)	✓	✓	?
Docker (as user)	✓	✓	?
Docker (as root)	✓	✓	?
Podman (as user)	~	~	?
Podman (as root)	✓	✓	?

Supported macOS systems

Engines	macOS (10.14, 10.15, 11.0, ...)
Native (shell)	✓
Docker (as user)	?

Supported Windows systems

Engines	Windows 10 (1909, 2004, 20H2)	Others
Native (Command Prompt)	~	?
Native (Git Bash)	✓	?
Docker (Hyper‑V)	✓	?
Docker (WSL 2)	✓	?

Supported Android systems

Engines	Android (7.0, 7.1, 8.0, 8.1, 9.0, 10, 11, ...)
Native (Termux)	✓

---

Compatible projects

Most GitLab CI projects should work with gcil without any local-specific changes.
However, if specific configurations like credentials, caches or user rights are needed, the CI_LOCAL variable and the .local: configurations can be used.

Projects compatible with gcil can use this badge to ease things for developers, both as an indicator and a documentation shortcut button :

[![gcil](https://img.shields.io/badge/gcil-enabled-brightgreen?logo=gitlab)](https://radiandevcore.gitlab.io/tools/gcil)

<a href="https://radiandevcore.gitlab.io/tools/gcil"><img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/gcil-enabled-brightgreen?logo=gitlab" alt="gcil" style="max-width:100%;"></a>

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Userspace available settings

gcil creates a settings.ini configuration file in a userspace folder.

For example, it allows to change the default engines priority ([engines] > engine),
or to disable the automated updates daily check ([updates] > enabled)

The settings.ini file location and contents can be shown with the following command:

gcil --settings

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Environment available configurations

gcil uses colored for colors outputs and questionary for interactive menus.

If colors of both outputs types do not match the terminal's theme,
an environment variable NO_COLOR=1 can be defined to disable colors.

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Dependencies

• colored: Terminal colors and styles
• docker: Docker Engine API
• python-dotenv: Support for .env files parsing
• PyYAML: YAML parser and emitter for Python
• questionary: Interactive terminal user interfaces
• setuptools: Build and manage Python packages
• update-checker: Check for package updates on PyPI

---

References

• .gitlab-ci.yml: GitLab CI/CD Pipeline Configuration Reference
• commitizen: Simple commit conventions for internet citizens
• git-cliff: CHANGELOG generator
• gitlab-release: Utility for publishing on GitLab
• OCI: Open Container Initiative
• mkdocs: Project documentation with Markdown
• mkdocs-exporter: Exporter plugin for mkdocs documentation
• mkdocs-material: Material theme for mkdocs documentation
• mypy: Optional static typing for Python
• pexpect-executor: Automate interactive CLI tools actions
• pre-commit: A framework for managing and maintaining pre-commit hooks
• pre-commit-crocodile: Git hooks intended for developers using pre-commit
• PyPI: The Python Package Index
• termtosvg: Record terminal sessions as SVG animations
• Termux: Linux terminal emulator on Android
• twine: Utility for publishing on PyPI
• winpty: Windows PTY interface wrapper