Unexpected behaviour when mixing depends_on and branches

[lazycodeninja]

I'm trying to construct a CI/CD pipeline that should build for all Git branches, publish an artifact only for the main branch, and deploy if an artifact was published, e.g.

  - command: ./gradlew build
    key: build

  - command: ./gradlew jib
    key: publish
    branches: "main"

  - command: deploy.sh
    key: deploy
    depends_on: publish

What I've found is that the deploy step executes even though the publish step does not. Worse, if the publish step isn't even defined, the deploy step still runs, e.g.

  - command: ./gradlew build
    key: build

#  - command: ./gradlew jib
#   key: publish
#    branches: "main"

  - command: deploy.sh
    key: deploy
    depends_on: publish

I haven't tried the if property so I don't know if it works the same way as branches, but I wouldn't expect this to be the behaviour for depends_on`. I would expect the step to fail, or at worse, wait indefinitely.

[plaindocs]

Hey @lazycodeninja

When you use branches the steps are removed entirely from branches that do not match. So if you add an identical branches key to your Deploy step as well, it should work as intended.

I'll take a look at the docs for what happens when there is no dependency, and see if we can make that more clear.

[lazycodeninja]

When you use branches the steps are removed entirely from branches that do not match.

So then how does a subsequent step trigger if its dependency never triggers?

So if you add an identical branches key to your Deploy step as well, it should work as intended.

Yeah, that's what I'm doing but it means doing so for every deploy step (there are several in a group, and I don't see depends_on as an option for the group step). And if someone misunderstands the semantics and adds a new deploy step in future it means an accidental deployment because this behaviour "fails open".

I feel like this is incorrect behaviour more than a docs issue, should I just email support?

[plaindocs]

I think that makes sense, drop them a line and they will be happy to help.