About Build Tasks

CodeArts Build gives you two build task setups so you can pick which fits your needs: a graphical user interface (GUI) or a code-centric YAML.

Build on GUI

In this mode, you simply assemble tools, set parameters, and then start a build on the GUI.

Advantages:

Ease of use: For those who value a low barrier to kick off, this mode allows them to configure builds with clicks and drags rather than hand-crafting scripts.
Clear visuals: The GUI shows your execution graph and dependencies, so you can watch each step unfold, pinpoint faults, and squash bugs on the spot.
Rapid onboarding: For starters, the GUI mode is the fast lane to a working build without wrestling with scripting languages and build tools.

Build with Code

CodeArts Build allows you to define your build as code using YAML. Your configurations, such as build environments, parameters, commands, and actions, reside in a YAML file named build.yml. After creating this file, add it along with the source code to a code repository. The file will be used as a script by the system to run a build.

Advantages:

Flexibility
- By designing complex logic and conditions in a YAML file, you have granular controls on your build process.
- You can implement dynamic config, conditional branching, and loops as your needs evolve.
Maintainability
- YAML versioning benefits collaboration and management.
- With everything versioned, you get control over tweaks to your build config and roll back changes to sidestep risk from rogue edits.
Reusability
- Once a script is created, you can spin up multiple builds across projects in one go without duplicating configurations.
- Codify your common build steps as modules or functions, so you can plug identical components every time you need.
Automation
- To achieve automated build-and-deploy flows, plug code-based builds into the CI/CD system with less ceremony.
- Scripting your way to automation makes complex builds faster and rock-solid.