AWS CodeBuild is a fully managed continuous integration service that compiles source code, runs tests, and produces software packages that are ready to deploy. One critical aspect of AWS CodeBuild is artifact configuration, which refers to the output files produced by the build process. These artifacts can be used in subsequent stages of the software development lifecycle, such as deployment or integration testing. This knowledge base provides an in-depth overview of configuring artifacts in AWS CodeBuild, including best practices, common scenarios, and troubleshooting tips.

Overview of CodeBuild Artifacts

What are Build Artifacts?

Build artifacts are the output files generated by the build process in AWS CodeBuild. These can include:

• Compiled binaries
• Executable files
• Docker images
• Zip files containing application code
• Test results
• Any other files necessary for deployment

Artifacts are critical for CI/CD workflows as they represent the outcome of the build process and can be consumed by other AWS services like AWS CodeDeploy, AWS Lambda, or Amazon ECS.

Importance of Artifact Configuration

Proper artifact configuration in AWS CodeBuild is essential for:

• Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD): Artifacts are used in subsequent stages of the CI/CD pipeline, ensuring that the correct version of the code is deployed.
• Traceability: Configuring artifacts allows teams to track which version of the code corresponds to which build, facilitating easier debugging and accountability.
• Integration with Other Services: Artifacts are often consumed by other AWS services. Proper configuration ensures smooth transitions between build and deployment processes.

Setting Up CodeBuild Artifacts

Prerequisites

Before configuring artifacts in AWS CodeBuild, ensure you have the following:

• An AWS account with permissions to create and manage CodeBuild projects.
• A source code repository with your build configuration is typically hosted on platforms like AWS CodeCommit, GitHub, or Bitbucket.

Creating a CodeBuild Project

To set up artifacts in AWS CodeBuild, you first need to create a build project.

1. Log in to the AWS Management Console and navigate to the AWS CodeBuild service.
2. Click on Create build project.
3. Configure Project Settings:
   • Project Name: Enter a unique name for your build project.
   • Description: Optionally, describe the project.
4. Source Provider: Select your source code repository (e.g., AWS CodeCommit, GitHub) and specify the branch to build.

Configuring Build Environment

1. Environment Image: Choose the build environment. You can select an AWS-managed image or provide a custom Docker image.
2. Compute Type: Specify the compute resources for the build.
3. Service Role: Ensure that the CodeBuild service role has permission to read from the source repository and write to the output artifact location.

 Configuring Artifacts

Artifacts can be configured in two main ways: S3 (recommended for most use cases) and no artifacts.

Configuring S3 Artifacts

To configure your build artifacts to be stored in Amazon S3:

1. In the Artifacts section of the project configuration, select Amazon S3 as the artifact type.
2. Specify the S3 Bucket where the artifacts will be stored. If the bucket does not exist, you will need to create it beforehand.
3. Provide the Path in the bucket where the artifacts should be stored (e.g., build-artifacts/${CODEBUILD_RESOLVED_SOURCE_VERSION}/).
4. You can also specify an Artifact Name. By default, the name will be derived from the build project name.

 No Artifacts Configuration

If your build does not produce artifacts that need to be stored or passed to subsequent stages, you can choose the option No artifacts. However, this is less common in CI/CD workflows.

Build spec File and Artifacts

Overview of Buildspec File

The buildspec.yml file is a YAML file that defines the build commands and settings for AWS CodeBuild. It allows you to customize various aspects of the build process, including artifact configuration.

Configuring Artifacts in buildspec.yml

You can also define your artifacts directly within the buildspec.yml file. This can be useful if you want to specify artifacts on a per-build basis rather than globally in the project configuration.

 Important Sections

• files: Specify the files or directories to include in the artifacts.
• base-directory: Defines the directory that contains the files to be archived. If omitted, the root of the built environment is used.
• discard-paths: If set to, the original file paths are discarded, and the files are stored at the root level of the artifact in S3.

Common Use Cases for Artifacts

 Docker Images

If you are building Docker images, you can configure AWS CodeBuild to push the images to Amazon ECR (Elastic Container Registry) as part of the build process.

1. Build the Docker Image: Use the docker build command in your buildspec.yml.
2. Authenticate to ECR: Use the AWS CLI to authenticate to your ECR repository.
3. Push the Image: Use the docker push command to push the image to ECR.

   Application Packages

   You may want to create application packages (e.g., JAR files for Java applications) and store them as artifacts.

   1. Build the Application: Use the appropriate build tool (e.g., Maven, Gradle) to compile and package your application.
   2. Store the Package: Configure the artifact section to include the generated package file.

       Test Results

      Storing test results as artifacts can help in monitoring build quality over time.

      1. Run Tests: Execute your tests during the build phase.
         • Permissions: Ensure that the CodeBuild service role has the necessary permissions to write to the S3 bucket. The role should have at least s3:PutObject permissions.
         • S3 Bucket Configuration: Verify that the S3 bucket exists and is correctly configured (e.g., correct region, public access settings).Store Results: Specify the location of the test reports in the artifacts section.

           Best Practices for Artifacts Configuration

            Use S3 for Artifact Storage

           Using Amazon S3 for artifact storage is recommended due to its durability, availability, and integration with other AWS services.

           Keep Artifacts Organized

           Organize your artifacts in S3 by using meaningful prefixes in the S3 bucket. This practice helps in managing and retrieving artifacts efficiently.

           Set Lifecycle Policies

           Consider setting up S3 lifecycle policies to manage the storage of artifacts over time. For example, you can automatically transition older artifacts to cheaper storage classes or delete them after a specific period.

           Enable Versioning

           Enabling versioning on your S3 bucket can help maintain a history of your artifacts, making it easier to revert to previous versions if needed.

           Monitor Artifacts

           Use Amazon CloudWatch to monitor the status and health of your builds, including the artifact upload process. Set up alerts for failed builds or high error rates.

           Troubleshooting Common Issues

           Artifact Upload Failures

           If your artifacts are not uploading to S3 as expected, consider the following:

           • Permissions: Ensure that the CodeBuild service role has the necessary permissions to write to the S3 bucket. The role should have at least s3:PutObject permissions.
           • S3 Bucket Configuration: Verify that the S3 bucket exists and is correctly configured (e.g., correct region, public access settings).