Multiple files

Errand loads all .ern files in the target directory and merges them into one playbook. You can use this to split a large playbook into focused files.

How it works

When you run errand run, Errand reads every .ern file in the directory (non-recursively) and merges their blocks as if they were written in a single file. Variables, computed values, and tasks from different files can reference each other without any imports.

Example

Organize a project by concern, one file per area:

project

variables.ern

test.ern

build.ern

deploy.ern

variables.ern: shared inputs and computed values used by all other files:

variable "app" {
  type    = string
  default = "api"
}

variable "version" {
  type = string
}

computed "image" {
  expression = "${env("CI_REGISTRY", "registry.example.com")}/${var.app}:${var.version}"
}

test.ern

task "test" {
  description = "Run the test suite"
  commands    = ["go test ./..."]
}

build.ern: references task.test from test.ern and computed.image from variables.ern:

task "build" {
  description = "Build and push the Docker image"
  depends_on  = [task.test]
  commands = [
    "docker build -t ${computed.image} .",
    "docker push ${computed.image}",
  ]
}

deploy.ern

task "deploy" {
  description = "Deploy to the cluster"
  depends_on  = [task.build]
  commands    = ["kubectl set image deployment/${var.app} ${var.app}=${computed.image}"]
}

task "default" {
  depends_on = [task.deploy]
  commands   = []
}

Run from the project directory:

errand run --var version=1.4.2

Pointing to a specific directory

By default, Errand loads from the current directory. Use --dir to specify another:

errand run --dir ./ops deploy --var version=1.4.2

Notes

Block names must be unique across all files. Declaring task "build" in two files is an error.
You can have at most one errand block across all files in the directory.
Files in subdirectories are ignored. Only .ern files in the target directory are loaded.
Errand does not sort or prioritize files by name. All files are merged before any block is evaluated.

Getting started

Playbook

Syntax

CLI

Multiple files

How it works

Example

Pointing to a specific directory

Notes

​How it works

​Example

​Pointing to a specific directory

​Notes

How it works

Example

Pointing to a specific directory

Notes