Introduction

AWS CodeBuild is a fully managed build service that compiles source code, runs tests, and produces software packages that are ready to deploy. One of the key components of configuring AWS CodeBuild is the buildspec.yml file, which defines the build commands and settings. In this article, we will focus on how to use the buildspec.yml to get all files and subfolders recursively in a build environment.

Overview of buildspec.yml

The buildspec.yml is a YAML file used in AWS CodeBuild to specify the build actions. It consists of several runtime-configuration sections:

• version : The version of the build spec.
• phases : Defines the phases in the build lifecycle such as install , pre_build , build , and post_build .
• artifacts : Specifies the files to be stored at the end of the build.
• cache : Defines the caching behavior.

For our purposes, the phases and artifacts sections are particularly relevant.

Retrieving All Files and Subfolders Recursively

Often, you'll need to retrieve and work with all files and directories within a source directory. This can be done efficiently using shell commands within the buildspec.yml file.

Example BuildSpec File

• echo "Preparing to list all files and directories"
• echo "Listing all files and directories recursively:"
• find . -type f
• echo "Completed listing all files and directories."
• find . : This command starts the searching process from the current directory.
• -type f : This flag ensures that only files (not directories) are listed.
• -type d : To list directories only.
• -name "*.ext" : To list only files with a specific extension.
• -exec : To execute a command on each file found (e.g., moving or copying).
  • '**/*'
• files : The **/* pattern captures all files and folders recursively under the current directory.
• discard-paths : When set to yes , it ensures that only the file names are stored in the artifact, without the directory structure.
• Efficient File Selection: Use patterns in the artifacts section to minimize the number of files processed.
• Environment Variables: Define environment variables in the buildspec.yml for paths and other configurations to make the file reusable and easy to maintain.
• Parallel Processing: If applicable, use AWS CodeBuild's managed scaling to handle builds in parallel to decrease build times.