GitLab Pipeline Insights Group, 30 Mar 2023

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From YouTube: 2023-03-30 Dov/Jocelyn Variables Deep Dive

Description

Brain dump on variables from Dov as part of the category transition.

A

B

All right, uh it is uh March 30th. uh This is myself and Dove uh digging into um variables as part of the secrets, management, Handover.

A

Do you have questions, or do you want me to just like brain dump,.

B

Yeah breakdown would be perfect.

A

A

um I would like to start by saying that, like a festival like volleyball variables is one of the most popular features that we have in gitlab many users, if not all you'll see our users are using it, and but it also carry a lot of I, would say like long designs and a lot of bugs a lot of technical that that we or you eventually may end up fixing or or we thinking about so, let's, let's start in a high level, and first of all there are say, generally speaking, there are like two types of variable and we have it's not big screen, it's actually predefined.

A

This is like your own onboarding, so we have like predefined variables. If you go to our.

A

If you go to our documentation, there is a list of predefined variables right. This is the this is. This is the list and they always have like the same value again depends on what this variable is, for instance, like commit CR commit, who is the author, the commit branch, and so there are like a there is a lot as you can see right, and there are always like requests for. Like can you add another predefined variable uh that contain this version, this this value on that value and I?

A

Think that, like predefined variable is like uh it's, it's basically stand up. It was on CI Pipelines. The second type is custom variables and custom variables are variables that the user will set by themselves, and also here they are like. uh There are I would say two main ways to inject variables. One is the yaml variable. Okay, when you just like, if you, if you go to like any any pipeline, okay, it doesn't matter which one.

A

um You will always say like variable, and this is how you define the variable. This is one way of defining a variable, like the top level variable that is commonly used and has like a lot a lot of problems because of the fact that it's like a top level variable and we'll we'll discuss that.

A

But this is like very I would say one of the most common ways and to set up to set up variables just like top level and a variable and a value, a variable and one uh and then like once defined they actually it's it's actually kind of like a global variable. It actually applies to all your pipeline. Okay, all the all the things that are all the jobs uh Downstream pipeline. Also and again, there are. There are some neurons where you can override, and this is where the the challenge becomes.

A

But basically this is like the second way: users Define them in the in the code, but they also can they. They can also be defined. If you go to the settings, the ICD settings and.

A

There is like the variable you expand it, and there are also variables that you can Define here. You see, there are like many many variables, oh yeah, a lot of variables and each variable they have like different different settings. There could be like a file variable and then there are two types of variables like a file: it's actually a file that contain a value, and when you reference that file, uh you actually reference the path and not the value.

A

Usually usually, this is where they store like keys, and so then you can use it with scripts. Basically, you can create like a file, and the key is if I remember correctly is the path and the value is. The key is the name of the variable, the name of the file, and then the value is the content of the file of the file, and there are. There is like a variable which is like a variable.

A

You can scope variable for different environments, so it means that this variable can work on specific environments that you define in your yaml so like you can define an environment in the name of the environment, and it means that this variable will be scoping to that um protected environment, a protected variable fibers that runs only on protected branch and tags. Okay, a mask variable: it is available that this is where users normally use this use Secrets. They are using it with with.

B

The mask variable.

A

The Mask variable. It means that you cannot Echo that variable normally, when you want to test something, you just Echo the variable, and it is echoing the value. But if you go to escape then, like you Echo the variable value, it will not be presented, um it's not I would say it's not it's not a very secure method, because basically, what we do is I think we are just looking for the regular expression of the value and just we don't, and we just don't display tons of way you can override.

A

You can override that, like you can just like Echo the variable and just add the DOT and like in the middle of of the variable like with the with also with with the with regular expression, and then you actually see the value, but like dots or spaces. Basically, if you, if you manipulate the value just a little bit, you'll be able to to expose it, and the third thing here is expand. Variable reference.

A

There are many many uh I would say there are many variables that actually, when you define the key, you actually Define like another variable, the way to to define a bubble is with with the dollar sign. So if I'm doing like the key is I, don't know my wrong.

A

um How is it the value? I, don't remember, that's the value, I think it's the value so like I, I'll call this like my wall and and the value is actually starts with a dollar sign, and you see there is like this warning.

A

My second one, so what I'm doing here, I'm actually referencing another variable, so the value that is in this variable is the value of of that Bible. So I'm referencing the variable within a variable.

A

This is we call it like variable, expansion, okay and but if I uncheck, that and and and and one of the things that our users used to tell us hey like we are using mass variable, okay and and many times like we have like some sort of a password and the password is like you know it's something: that's you know it's not like human readable and it has like special characters, for instance, and dollar sign means viable reference, and that's like a problem like if I want to.

B

A

A password I'm, storing like it with with the dollar sign and now cannot do that because we actually tell them that it's a variable reference. This is why we have this checkbox, okay and when you, when you uncheck it, it means use it as low variable. So, even if I'm doing, if I'm.

B

Doing like wow.

A

Okay, now, if I will Echo, this could be must if I will Echo. That variable is is without this. This will be the value. If I'll do like this, then the value will be the value of Used to Be My Vow too.

A

My dog is doing like weird noises behind us, and so this is like uh this is like a way telling like use, use the variable as is or use the special characters as the way we actually intend them to be like yeah, either with a variable electrons, and there is a way also to set this flag in the armor. So you can you can Define and expand or expandable variable in yield to the UI, and there is also a way to do it.

A

um Why users, some users like to do it from here, and why other users do it like? So most of the time users will referred to those variables. Those will be you see. Those are like keys tokens uh which you don't want to store in your yaml because you'll store it is, and it is plain text, so you don't want anyone that have access to your yaml to actually see your tokens and password.

A

But one of the problems that we have is that when someone has access to the UI you're clicking here- and you can actually see the button okay, so this is by the way one of the things that we said that we want to hide like a variable, so you won't be able to see it.

B

Yeah, does this area make sense, I guess I'm, thinking like it's in settings is.

A

This area doesn't make sense. No the area doesn't make sense. uh Users always said that we need to move that, but now moving things around to the left navigation is it's very difficult, probably put it somewhere here, maybe somewhere here, maybe within that or maybe I don't know. But okay, we were thinking about it, but but basically, as you can see, most users are actually most of the neighbors that you have here are actually secret and when you clone a project, you won't clone the settings.

A

Okay, and if you have an access to your pipeline, you won't be. You won't see those variables because they are not here. Okay, like.

B

A

Have like I would say: palmatives, maybe not not not secrets, you don't want to see like password here, but the password exists and then it's the setting, and so that's uh that's the yaml and cicd setting and schedule pipeline. When you go to schedule um go to schedule, you do like a new schedule.

A

You can add variables to a pipeline. Okay, then you, you do some scheduling, so you can schedule the way like one of the ways to inject variable is through schedule, but it also put the UI and, as you can see, we don't have all those checkbooks that we have. That previously show you like. Can you expand it? Can you protect it?

A

Can you mask it and so on and so forth? And so this is scheduling schedule pipeline run pipeline, page okay, this is something that we've implemented. Actually, we have like a the project.

A

So when I go to Pipelines, actually every time that I do like on Pipeline manually, okay I can inject I can eject variables, okay, so and when I'm running that pipeline, this variable will be created, be attached to the will be injected to the pipeline. It's very popular I would say that the Run pipeline is very popular when you want to like manually, run pipelines, for instance, for deployment, and then you want to add your keys to deploy your your targets.

A

I would say, instance, and the environment that you want to deploy and so like running like a manual thing that you need to configure now, you want to run like Pipeline on staging, but then you want to run the same pipeline now on production of it. So normally this is where users are doing, and here we also have like a feature, a new feature, which is the preferred variable.

A

This is a setting that you configure in the in the yaml, where you actually see that there is like a pre-filled variable, so this variable appears with this value and this variable appeals with this drop down. So all of this is actually configurable in in in in I. Can I can show you how to configure it? It's not like a uh it's, not like a pixels. You can you actually configure like the, and you can also configure the the description. Okay, you do that you do everything in the in the oven.

A

Yeah um I want to say another thing on that um yeah again, this is okay, so so the use case will then is actually like.

A

Normally the users that configure the pipeline and use the data running the pipeline of our separate themes, and sometimes they don't know what are the variables because, like if you run the python without like, let's run something with name so before you don't have anything here, so you actually need to know you need to guess you need to ask you need to go to some sort of a Wiki, and but if you go to the principle variable the type configure, then you can say: okay, I have like a default value.

A

I can just run it or there are like multiple options, as I can run it. It's also very convenient. So we won't have any typos because, like like one typo, you want to pipeline, the pipeline could take like I.

B

A

Hour, just to realize, oh, like I, just like added the wrong value to like I, miss like one character, so it's very popular picture and capability and yeah a run manual pipeline.

A

This is pretty much the same that to what I've showed you, but if what I've showed you is on Pipeline, this is for jobs for individual jobs and I. Think I've showed you that this is before. Maybe we can try finding like one one manual job, but basically it is also a very popular feature that we implement. We implemented those two features almost together simultaneously and but now there is a there is an ask to extend it to all jobs, because right now only manual jobs, okay,.

B

A

Talked about that, it will have time remind me we can. Maybe, if you just look for like a manual job you'll, be able to sleep, they want to extend it to all jobs, not only manual um API, so there are like, if you go to outbox.

B

A

A

Okay, so you have like there are many apis that get the list of projects. Variable single variable create a variable to an API update.

A

The variable delete the variable um so they'll handful of ways to do all some of those actions with variables in the API and they're, always like more more requirements for for basically everything that, in everything that you can do through the UI, there's probably like an us to do it from there from the API I would actually um consider that whenever you, if you decide to add like I, don't know like a new, a new functionality to to the valuable think about an API first and and then and then do the UI, because it would be just it would be simpler.

A

Sometimes it would be, will be the shortest pass to to success. So you can have like something. Do you say to yourself? Okay, you could use an API for now and then we can think about the UI, because just the UI takes it takes more part. Okay and Mass valuable will discuss that from the cicd settings and we want to extend it to like hide the variables. So users won't be able to reveal the value um protected variables. We also discussed and.

A

That are alarming, only a protected Branch. This is like the checkbox um passing valuable to a downstream pipeline. That's a that's. uh I think that we have an epic for that and.

A

B

A

So there is a whole Epic we've discussed about what I just mentioned about the top level variable keyword, okay and this actually, this is who can actually elaborate? That's really well, there are several problems.

A

So if we take like a very typical, very simple scenario, where we are adding like a variable uh with the name of bar one with the value of hello at the top level, okay, and then we have several jobs, the host clip.

A

What really happened here happens here is that this section actually gets copy into each and every job. Okay and and it's it's super super confusing. Okay.

A

It feels that you consider that before script is necessed underneath before so everything that is nestled underneath the fault gets like behind the scene actually gets copy into into all the jobs. So this gets copy here and in here volleyball is the same with developers. So actually, if we had like, we were thinking about a better design, this section would would need to Nest underneath the default keyword, okay, but it's not and, as you can see like the result, is that, like, like variables, also get copy underneath each job?

A

Okay about one, is copy and merge into a job just like before sleep before, like just like everything that is here and.

A

So it's a lot of confusion, because it's in the top level, when people think that, what's ever in the top level, doesn't get merged into like all all get copied into each job, and- and this is how okay, so this is the political future that I don't think it's like really a problem now, because, basically maybe it is a problem because variable that I just showed you in the Run pipeline. You also Define it as a top level keyword the variable, my vowel, but you also need to specify a value and then a description.

A

Okay, so you have like features. Okay, one is the yaml variable it could copy into each job, and one is the prefill variable that we just covered that you can see in the Run Pipeline and both of them. Those syntax is very, very similar. Okay, so very similar- and this is the this is the this is those two lines are the difference now we have like now we have even more it's. uh We have more things to. uh We have more more ways to configure it using the.

A

Let me show you I, think it's easier to say than than to describe.

A

So we discussed the perfect variables and when you, when you are running a pipeline, okay,.

A

So that's the perfect okay I want to actually show you how it is configured. So if we go to click in.

A

So this is how it's completed. Okay, so you have like the viable top level keyword and then you have the name. Then you have the value and description. The value here is empty. If you remember, environment was empty and there was another keyword, another variable with this value and that description just open it side by side. So it will be easier for.

A

A

um Not pipeline.

A

See so you can see we have like environment no value of this description, it's here, environment, no value. This is the description, and then you have the app that this value, this description and you can see it here. Okay, that's the second way do that failed way, and this is the name of the variable. This is the value and those are the options.

A

Okay, which is exactly what you see here. Okay, those are the options like staging online and production appeals here. So on top of that, you have a way to define the variable like this. So it's it's a bit confusing like. Ideally, we feel valuable would get used by a different keyword and not the same keyword as we defined like the yaml variables. So it's basically different features and we Define it with the same top level keyword but different sub keywords, which is a bit confusing right now, I think it's it's like.

A

It is a problem, but it's like you know, maybe it's the I would say. Maybe it's the list of all problems.

B

A

Bigger problem, your questions.

B

um No I'm just like thinking about it. It feels a little bit like.

B

Like overloaded.

B

Like overloaded, like keyword.

B

uh See we have like overloaded functions where, like you, can either take it like one or you could take like four uh different uh info parameters, and this just kind of like reminds me of of that right, like you, can have variables in the yaml file. Let's define one way uh and then you have the predefined ones, but they all use variables. I.

A

I I I again, I think, fundamentally fundamentally, we we have a problem with our with the design, because it's it is a very common feature that users ask for, like you, know, additional capabilities and additional functionalities, and we just build it in a way that you know with layers and layers of functionalities and and feature that now, it's basically impossible to like any changes is is almost impossible.

A

We are just like over complicating like adding additional features like over complicating, and we kind of think thinking that we need to like similar to how we do like refactoring like Engineers. How do they factor into the code? We need to do refactoring for this feature, and I would have to say that we are doing that with with inputs, which is something that a pipeline authoring is working on.

A

um We can also discuss this a little bit so and I think that we'll see more users that are using that will move from variables to inputs in some scenarios, but still variables will be, will still be very popular and I. Don't think the idea is to clone all the features that we have for variables. Do it called inputs, because, basically we will just we will we'll do the same. We learn to do the same challenges that we have today, so we we need to I.

A

Think we need to distinction, distinguish between the different scenarios, for instance when users are using. This is why Secrets, by the way, is super important to separate, because now users are mixing volleyballs with secrets with predefined variables uh and I. Think that start starting to separate that into separate buckets and say: okay secrets are actually secrets and I know the variables, for instance, if we had it from day one we probably won't have like mask variables. We won't have maybe protected variables.

A

We won't have a even um the the height variables that we want to that. We want to introduce, so all of that functionality will probably probably wouldn't need that we just say: okay, like a secret variable of a secret, is you can say that it's like a variable? But you say it's a secret and it's it's must by default. It is protected by these people. It is all by default because, like a mask like a mask, variable or Secret is actually the key, so it does not reference to another.

A

So there are like many I, think we. We really need to think about uh separating the scenarios and use cases and understand when users are using even pre-filled variables. We can maybe think about when users are using paper, so maybe take it. It's a different is.

B

A

Totally different picture, and not not as valuable okay, that's the problem that we loaded variables with too much functionality.

A

um The I think the third and the biggest problem that we have with Barbers is then is that when we are passing variables to a downstream pipeline, okay, we have and again also here we, we established some sort of a design on how to pass variable, and then users start asking okay I want to pass this variable, but I want to block that variable and I want to and I want to pass like variable expansion and I, don't and in this section, I don't want to pass variable expansion.

A

So there were like a lot of a lot of ask on that, and this is where we also also feels like that. We overloaded this this functionality basically and the way to trigger a downstream pipeline using the trigger keyword. Okay. So when you do a job and you add the trigger, then it actually triggers another Pipeline and there is like there is also like trigger include, which is like multi-project, Pipeline and Trigger, which is a parent child.

A

And when you add that variable here, when you Nest that variable keyword underneath the deploy, it means that this variable gets transmitted to the downstream pipeline.

A

And so, if I'm in my my deadline- and this understand pipeline echoing this variable here, which actually is not defined anywhere here, it is it we. It was inherited from the Upstream variable and then we will see the value hello, which is I. Think it's fine because, like you explicitly mentioned that you want to pass this variable, but if you remember, um when you define a top level variable: okay, okay, we are actually copying this section, this part under each job.

A

It means that if you have like some sort of a job that is triggering a downstream pipeline in reality, what happened is that this configuration is actually turns into that configuration this section. This is this. This gets copied into the into into the trigger job, which means that any variable that you're defined in a top level on your pipeline will get copied into any Downstream pipeline, and that's one of the biggest problems that we have because, like when users are looking at.

A

Start starting to debug the pipeline and try to understand why a variable has this value and not another value. So, for instance, they look at the trigger job and they don't see any variable defined here. Okay, there's nothing here, because this actually is really up at the top level. So maybe this could be like the deployed. Job can be like I, don't know, maybe job number 50., so it's very very like maybe it's in line I, don't know 200 300 and it's impossible for you to okay, I need to know.

A

If there is a variable at the top level, then it actually it it is actually being transmitted to a downstream pipeline, and it's even worse, if you're, including, if you are including a yaml configuration with with different variables, then there is no way there is no way for you to know that this variable even Define, and we don't understand why the downstream pipeline are using variables that you did not Define.

A

um There are more examples here. I don't want to like over complicate, but you can I would say that like they're, like more more problems with rules and more and but I would say that- and this is actually a very I would say- this is a very, very nice.

A

Example on one of the problems that we have with variables: I just want to recap this this one, so they say: okay, I have a project. A and I have a tiger and I give it like the the valuable and- and then there is also like the valve end- is also a is an artifact that contains variables.

A

A

So they are adding like the variable kit.

B

A

To that environment and then.

A

Finish there is fish, also I, see okay and then what they are doing they are, they are triggering a downstream pipeline. Okay, they are clearing a downstream Pipeline and they are defining the variables that they want. They want the variable to uh to get passed to a downstream pipeline, so they say: okay, the the viable dog with the uh with the value of wolf, that's transmitted into into a downstream pipeline.

A

This is like a valuable reference. Okay, so this is. This is a predefined variable, okay, this CI underscore so so they are saying that fish, the viable fish will get the value of the predefined variable and Cat will get the value of the cat. The value of the cat is meow and tiger will get the value of tiger and where tiger Define tiger is defined here, okay and basically, what they're saying is in the downstream so pipeline, we are just echoing.

A

We are, echoing all all the variables values and the question is like okay, what will be the result? And basically the result is that dog wolf, which is great okay, fish push, because this is like the pipeline Source. This is also okay, get meow and tiger.

A

This is how tiger was uh was passed. Okay and it has like you kind of think. Okay, it needs to be low. It's not a bug. This is like this is. This is the behavior that it needs to be, but it's very confusing. I can also explained why?

A

uh Because, if you remember when we said that this variable, when you, when you add this variable in the top level, it's actually you actually copy it to each and every job.

A

So what happened is that a tiger with the name wall was created in every job, but also a tiger with the value of tiger, with a value of no tiger with the with this value also got created, but it's the same name. So what happened is that the job level variable overrides this variable? Okay, because those are actually the same variables and the user. He thought okay, I'm, defining this variable somewhere at the top level.

A

This variable got created, and here I'm referencing, the variable value, but in reality what happened is that this thing actually got copied into here somewhere here, but then, when every time you have like a job level, it doesn't matter if it's rules doesn't matter if it's whatever it will always get like.

A

There is like a precedence like who who is more important than what so the job level takes precedence on the on the top level and basically, what happened is that this and this this this value, overwrited and if they would actually do the same, if they will actually do the same configuration but delete. If they would delete this line completely, then this thing will actually.

A

Basically, but this is not like what they wanted, they wanted. Actually they wanted the variable expansion they wanted, like they have valuable electrons, that's what they want. Okay in purpose. This is what they want, because this is a very common that you are defining a variable, and then you want someone like some some reference to to a variable. You don't know the value of the variable. Sometimes the value of the variable gets calculated in some I.

A

Don't know in some in some of the jobs and then maybe you you, you put it in an artifact or whatever, but it's very common to have like a variable reference, and you can see that it's clearly does not work and that's mainly because of the flow that we have anyway.

A

This is just like one example, but I think it's really Illustrated the problem that we have with the with passing Downstream pipeline, like it's not a bug, but- and there is always always issues like that- I didn't close it like all thoughts, um I told him. It's like another confusion and Pokemon said we can close it and Market the duplicate. I didn't close it because I think it's very, very nice way to exemplify one of the problems that we have with workers um yeah and with that said.

A

I also like mentioned that, like what could be like a short term goals, I think we've discussed this, adding the mask and hidden to the settings and I think you have this on the road map Yep.

A

This is number one, and the second thing is like exposing the variable I think it's also like it will help alleviate some of the problems that I just showed. You musers always ask outcome. This variable now has this value, although I did set the value to be something else, it's very hard for them to understand why, okay and but if we will expose those variables in the UI, okay and show them and there's the design that vitica moved it to the set to the topic, but if we we actually show them.

A

What is the value of the variable? Then at least at least some of the confusion? Will uh we alleviate I'm I'm, hoping okay, and so this is why I think it's? It would be nice if we'll be able to actually Implement that and long-term goal.

A

We need to think about they're all in this epic, that I just show you the last 10 and proposals on how we can maybe fix some of the problems that we have with the top level and and passing variables to a downstream pipeline, which is just like what we've discussed and okay. So this is also an epic that basically explains and yeah the problem with passing viable to a downstream pipeline.

A

Okay I think there is an overlap between what we've discussing and what we have here, but I think like at a certain point of time, when you feel that you have like a kind of like understand the viable domain, go back to that, um go back to those epics and lead them to and.

A

In terms of like unified experience, which needs some validation, because you saw there are many ways to Define variables, right: okay from the settings from the scheduling from the line pipeline from the manual jobs, maybe we can think about like a unified experience like Define a variable at one place, at least in the UI like in the UI there are.

A

There is the cicd settings, the non-valuable pipeline schedule, pipeline manual manual jobs, so there are like four ways to Define variables to the UI. Maybe it makes more sense to define the variable ones and then and then pick the variable that you want to use in those different areas in the product. It needs some validation, but this is like just an idea that we had around unification of the experience because it doesn't make sense to have it like at least I would say that the cicd said things.

A

Okay and the schedule for me doesn't make sense. At least those two here like it feels that, like when you're creating a new schedule, why do you need to Define it again? Why can't you pull the variable from the cicd setting that you just defined?

A

Why do you need to do that over and over again from different areas in the product? So this is just like, maybe just one RDA that we have and okay and I would say one thing that we need to be to keep in mind. There are always there is always ask for valuable expansion, valuable expansion, meaning and, let's see.

B

A

Or like, for example, valve and expansion in needs, okay users always ask in different keywords to support viable expansion. Okay, I would say that the way to reference available is with the dollar sign, but not all of our, not the fault. Not all of our keywords support that okay. So, for instance, they said okay, we want to Define like a variable name project and then, with the needs keyword we want to append.

A

uh This is is available, so it will always get changed.

A

The problem with viable expansion is that each each key needs an individual implementation. So if someone wins valuable expansion, he needs. This is one issue. If someone wants valuable extension in extend it's another issue, if someone want viable expansion, doesn't matter okay, we have some keywords that we did enable variable expansion, but we kind of like realize that it's not scalable right.

A

We have I, don't know how many keywords.

B

We have you know you.

A

A

150 I, don't remember, we cannot have like. We cannot like every time that we introduce a new keyword. We cannot say: okay now, let's create another implementation issue to support valuable expansion and so to mitigate that. This is the work that we're doing. We are doing this with inputs, so whenever there is an Ask, whenever you see an ask to support valuable expansion or viable interpolation in some sort of a field- and you should defer them to the to the inputs that you are doing because with the inputs, we can expand.

A

Everything like in a single time like we don't need to do like special case for age and every key, and so it's super important that every time you have that you can ping me, you can say. Hey here is like another issue that they ask for variable: expansion use inputs instead, I think in like most cases we will cover that. Maybe there are like some special cases we want, but in most cases we'll cover that.

B

A

I know that it was a lot and.

A

A

I think that, like uh I, take your time and like of the issues as they come, because the issues will always come.

A

Also reach out, if you have questions I, think oh I will yeah I, think I. Think I was I, think we we got valuables I think like two years ago.

A

Anything that maybe took me like would say more than a year, even more than that to almost understand every Nuance in in with variables, I'm sure there are things that I didn't wasn't exposed and I'm sure there are things that that I forgot, so it will take a while until you ramp yourself up but like take your time and and reach out every time. There are questions on variables.

B

A

Mean I did notice.

B

We have a lot of issues around variables like a lot.

A

Yes, it's it's super super habitable topic, I would say, I think again, I think the problem is that we took variables and at some point we kind of like try to solve all the problems that we have today with variables, for instance, secrets, for instance, viable expansion preview. Like all the things that you sell.

A

Like all those features, we try to fix everything with variables, so we top layers and layers and functionality, uh but I think that with inputs and the work that we are doing with inputs, I think this could be like this could bring some really and could lift some of the weight that we have with variables.

A

Not all I would say: okay, um I, think that, like one of the uh let's like expand a bit beyond like viable and try to understand like one of the keys problems that the variables- because it's like, if, if I look at SAS, for instance,.

A

A

So one of the ways that users information to to a template or any includable file, is through a variable which is which is the which is the wrong way. I would say to do that here is an example. Okay, like you're, saying, okay, you can include your SAS functionality, but hey like if you want to tune it. If you want to do something, add this top level keyword or variable with this value in this field? Okay- and this is how users are tuning template. This is just one example.

A

They are doing it like they're doing it massively like. If you scroll further down you'll, see that there is just like one example: okay here, another variable, okay, so this is like it's like a setting. Okay, because of the way this component, it's like a setting that you can add to your template. Basically, it's not a setting. It's it's a parameter that you pass to a template. Okay, so variables actually became a parameter. Passing to a template and users are extensively using the include syntax, so they are always breaking down templates to multiple yaml files.

A

Okay and then, when they want to use it or to pass inputs, then they use variables and they use many times they are using it with the with the global keywords, sometimes nested, within a job, sometimes at the top level- and this is one of the outside. This is one of the problems that we have with our designs.

A

We didn't intend that variable will be used for that purpose, but, as you see now, it's officially in our documentation, this is the this is probably the only way to do it now, and users are doing this all the time because they see. This is how we do that, and this is how they do that, and um this is this- was not the intention. Okay, the intention of variable is you know if you have something that you want to, you want to reuse and it's like Dynamic, then you can.

A

You can use that, for instance, the same script or the same action with different with different parameters. Okay, it's not for passing inputs, okay, but this is how we do it and I think that now with um I think with now with inputs, the work that we're doing with inputs, I think in many cases those things needs to needs to go away. Okay, this should not be the way to pass parameters into templates. We should do that using inputs.

A

We think this I'm, hoping that, like as users, will start adopting and then see the value, then maybe in some cases we can see less less problems with with violence.

B

B

All right lots to think about uh yeah.

A

um Cool I mean again I think like as I mentioned, like you can refer to this recording. You can ask me if you have questions, ask our engineers and but be aware. This is like a very, very, very heavy topic that, like it's like a massive users and skull base that are behind that, so it's very popular functionality that we have in our product and.

B

A

Very powerful I would say it's it's very powerful, like with all the problems that we have variables are super useful.

B

Do you have any um pis that you're, using with variables like do you have any okay, so I need to come up with the pis? Okay, if.

A

You want you can come up with pi, but I would say that I would say to everything. Yes, they use it extensively like everything that you'll test everything that you, yes, they use it like all of the top Most Wanted features that we had in the last year. I think we've Implement, a lot of them.

A

I would say, like 90, revolves around variables and have like follow-ups or variables and in you can install you can try to implement like pi and but I would say that everything you'll Implement your city. There is like massive adoption.

B

B

All right good to know.

B

Yes, all right! Well, thank you for your time today. Sure thing yeah, all right, there will be plenty of questions coming. Keep in touch, keep in touch all right have a good weekend. Thank you. Bye-Bye.