DSL Git Synchronization

5 minute readReferenceDeveloper productivity

As of CloudBees CD/RO v2024.03.0, DSL Git Synchronization is installed as part of the standard CloudBees CD/RO Tools. For installation instructions, refer to the CloudBees Tools installation

The DSL Git Synchronization CLI utility extends the functionality of the generateDsl and evalDsl APIs to help manage and promote DSL across multiple files and directories in a GitOps and IDE friendly manner. This feature applies intelligence to the DSL evaluation based upon Git logs, delete or modify actions and apply only changes. Additionally, unlike EC-DslDeploy, dslsync commands are run directly from a CLI without requiring a CloudBees CD/RO agent.

DSL Git Synchronization configurations

Use the information in these sections to configure the DSL Git Synchronization CLI.

Enable bash-completion for dslsync

Use the generate-completion command parameter to enable Bash-completion.

  1. Generate the bash-completion script file by running the following command. Replace <dslsync_completion_script_dir> with the directory where the bash completion script will be generated.

    dslsync generate-completion > <dslsync_completion_script_dir>/dslsync_completion.sh
  2. Copy the bash-completion script.

    • If bash-completion is installed, copy the bash-completion script file into one of the following directories:

      • /etc/bash_completion.d

      • /usr/local/etc/bash_completion.d

    • If bash-completion is not installed.

      1. Create directory bash_completion.d in your home directory.

        mkdir ~/bash_completion.d
      2. Copy the bash-completion script file into the new directory.

      3. Enter the command below into the ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc file.

        for bcfile in ~/bash_completion.d/* ; do . $bcfile done
  3. Start using bash-completion in one of the following ways.

    • Source the ~/.bash_profile or ~/.zshrc file.

    • Launch a new terminal.

Generate DSL Git Synchronization configuration file

Use the information in this section to generate the dslsync.yml configuration file. This file enables DSL code synchronization between the CloudBees CD/RO servers and Git repositories.

  1. Check out the Git repository <initial-source> branch where the CloudBees CD/RO DSL files will be generated.

    • If the <initial-source> branch exists. e.g. dev

      cd <git-repo-directory> git checkout <initial-source>
    • If the <initial-source> branch does not exist.

      cd <git-repo-directory> git branch <initial-source> git push -u origin <initial-source> git checkout <initial-source>
  2. Generate DSL for a project object from the CloudBees CD/RO initial-source instance into the dsls sub-directory of the Git repository.

    dslsync generate \ --target-directory=dsls \ --server=<cdro-initial-source-instance> \ --object-type=project \ --object-name="<project-name>" \ --overwrite-object-directory --user=<admin> --password
  3. Commit and push the generated DSL to the

    git add dsls git commit -m "DSLs from initial source instance" git push
  4. Run the git log command to get the latest commit SHA.

    git log -1 --stat # to get <latest-commit-SHA-for-repo-branch>
  5. Locate and copy the commit SHA for use in the next step.

  6. Run the command to create a configuration file in the directory specified by --path with the SHA content file path specified by --commit-hash-property.

    If --path=dsls and --commit-hash-property=/server/dslsync/<file-name>, following files will be created:

    • System-generated configuration file: <git-repo-directory>/dsls/.cloudbees/dslsync.yml

    • SHA content: "/server/dslsync/<file-name>"

      dslsync apply \ --path=dsls \ --server=<cdro-initial-source-instance> \ --commit-hash=<latest-commit-SHA-for-repo-branch> \ --commit-hash-property=/server/dslsync/<file-name>
  7. Commit the dslsync.yml file into the Git repository <initial-source> branch.

    git add dsls/.cloudbees/dslsync.yml git commit -m "dslsync config with tracker" git push
  8. Promote DSL configuration file from <initial-source> branch to Git branches and CloudBees CD/RO instances. e.g., production or QA

    Repeat this step for all environment branches and CloudBees CD/RO instances to be used as target or source of dslsync commands.
    cd <git-repo-directory> git checkout <initial-source> git pull git checkout <target-branch> git merge <initial-source> git push dslsync apply --path=dsls --server=<cdro-target-branch-instance>

DSL Git Synchronization commands

dslsync generate command

Use dslsync generate command with the parameters listed below to generate DSL scripts for CloudBees CD/RO objects.

Table 1. generate command
Command parameters Description

 — h — help

Show this message and exit.

 — object-name

The name of the CloudBees CD/RO object to be DSL generated.

 — object-type

The type of CloudBees CD/RO object.

 — overwrite-object-directory

Deletes the parent directory of the object before generating the DSL. If this option is not used and the parent directory is not empty, the DSL will return an error.

 — password

The authentication password for CloudBees CD/RO.

 — port

Port number to use when connecting to the agent. The default is 8443.

 — server

The domain name or IP address of the CloudBees CD/RO server. Enclose the IPV6 address in square brackets. Example: [<IPv6-ADDRESS>]

 — target-directory

The directory where the generated DSL files will be created in a nested file structure.

 — timeout

The maximum duration of the command execution in seconds.

 — token

The authentication access token for CloudBees CD/RO.

 — user

The authentication username for CloudBees CD/RO.

 — v — verbose

Include verbose output.

dslsync apply command

Use dslsync apply to apply DSL scripts from a git repository to a CloudBees CD/RO server.

Table 2. apply command
Command parameters Description

 — dryrun

Prints the evaluated dsl without sending it to the server.

 — force

Applies the changes to the CloudBees CD/RO server without prompting or utilizing the contents of the dslsync_pre.dsl file.

 — generate-prerun-dsl

Generates the dslsync_pre.dsl file containing changes in the current working directory. These changes are not applied to the server.

 — h — help

Show this message and exit.

 — password

The authentication password for CloudBees CD/RO.

 — path

The git repository directory containing scripts. The default is the current directory.

 — resume-from

Apply DSL starting with the selected script. DSL scripts run prior to this one are ignored. Use this option if the previous run stopped due to an unexpected error.

 — timeout

The maximum duration of the command execution in seconds.

 — token

The authentication access token for CloudBees CD/RO.

 — user

The authentication username for CloudBees CD/RO.

 — v — verbose

Include verbose output.

Usage examples

Use the following usage examples to:

Add DSL from CloudBees CD/RO instance to Git repository

Use generate to create DSL of a top-level CloudBees CD/RO object in a Git branch.

  1. Check out the Git repository <target> branch where the CloudBees CD/RO DSL files will be generated.

    • If the <target-branch> exists. e.g. dev

      cd <git-repo-directory> git checkout <target-branch>
    • If the <target> branch does not exist.

      cd <git-repo-directory> git branch <target-branch> git push -u origin <target-branch> git checkout <target-branch>
  2. Generate DSL for a CloudBees CD/RO object into the dsls sub-directory of the Git repository.

    dslsync generate \ --target-directory=dsls \ --server=<cdro-source-instance> \ --object-type=<top-level-object-type> \ --object-name="<object-name>" \ --user=<admin> --password

Apply DSL from GIT repository to CloudBees CD/RO instance

Use these steps to apply committed DSL file changes from the Git repository branch to a CloudBees CD/RO instance.

  1. Checkout Git repository <source> branch containing the CloudBees CD/RO DSL to be applied.

    cd <git-repo-directory> git checkout <source> git pull
  2. Apply DSL to CloudBees CD/RO instance.

    dslsync apply --path=dsls \ --server=<cdro-target-branch-instance>

Promote DSL changes from Git to CloudBees CD/RO instances and Git repository

  1. Check out the Git repository <source> branch containing the CloudBees CD/RO DSL to be promoted.

    cd <git-repo-directory> git checkout <source> git pull git checkout <target-branch> git merge <source> git push dslsync apply --path=dsls --server=<cdro-target-branch-instance>
  2. Appy DSL to target CloudBees CD/RO instance

    dslsync apply --path=dsls \ --server=<cdro-target-branch-instance>