GitLab !reference Keyword causes YAMLException

[deveth0]

What Renovate type, platform and version are you using?

Renovate 24.85.1, both on self-hosted GitLab and GitLab.com

Describe the bug

I recently added a project to renovate's scope that includes a gitlab-ci.yml that uses the !reference keyword:

include:
  - local: setup.yml
  
test:
  script:
    - !reference [.setup, script]
    - echo running my own command

When running renovate, it tries to validate the yml file but failes, cause !reference is not a valid identifier in yml.

Relevant debug logs

ERROR: Repository has unknown error (repository=deveth0/renovate-runner-demo)
       "err": {
         "name": "YAMLException",
         "reason": "unknown tag !<!reference>",
         "mark": {
           "name": null,
           "buffer": "\ninclude:\n  - local: setup.yml\n  \ntest:\n  script:\n    - !reference [.setup, script]\n    - echo running my own command\n\u0000",
           "position": 83,
           "line": 6,
           "column": 33
         },
         "message": "unknown tag !<!reference> at line 7, column 34:\n        - !reference [.setup, script]\n                                     ^",
         "stack": "YAMLException: unknown tag !<!reference> at line 7, column 34:\n        - !reference [.setup, script]\n                                     ^\n    at generateError (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:167:10)\n    at throwError (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:173:9)\n    at composeNode (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1434:7)\n    at readBlockSequence (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:955:5)\n    at composeNode (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1358:12)\n    at readBlockMapping (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1089:11)\n    at composeNode (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1359:12)\n    at readBlockMapping (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1089:11)\n    at composeNode (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1359:12)\n    at readDocument (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1525:3)\n    at loadDocuments (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1588:5)\n    at load (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1614:19)\n    at Object.safeLoad (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1637:10)\n    at Object.extractAllPackageFiles (/usr/src/app/node_modules/renovate/lib/manager/gitlabci/extract.ts:99:22)\n    at Object.extractAllPackageFiles (/usr/src/app/node_modules/renovate/lib/manager/index.ts:62:17)\n    at Object.getManagerPackageFiles (/usr/src/app/node_modules/renovate/lib/workers/repository/extract/manager-files.ts:33:29)\n    at /usr/src/app/node_modules/renovate/lib/workers/repository/extract/index.ts:52:28\n    at async Promise.all (index 0)\n    at Object.extractAllDependencies (/usr/src/app/node_modules/renovate/lib/workers/repository/extract/index.ts:50:26)\n    at Object.checkOnboardingBranch (/usr/src/app/node_modules/renovate/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/branch/index.ts:45:24)"
       }
 INFO: Repository finished (repository=deveth0/renovate-runner-demo)
       "durationMs": 2242
 INFO: Renovate is exiting with a non-zero code due to the following logged errors
       "loggerErrors": [
         {
           "name": "renovate",
           "level": 50,
           "logContext": "3YKhMDSqL",
           "repository": "deveth0/renovate-runner-demo",
           "err": {
             "name": "YAMLException",
             "reason": "unknown tag !<!reference>",
             "mark": {
               "name": null,
               "buffer": "\ninclude:\n  - local: setup.yml\n  \ntest:\n  script:\n    - !reference [.setup, script]\n    - echo running my own command\n\u0000",
               "position": 83,
               "line": 6,
               "column": 33
             },
             "message": "unknown tag !<!reference> at line 7, column 34:\n        - !reference [.setup, script]\n                                     ^",
             "stack": "YAMLException: unknown tag !<!reference> at line 7, column 34:\n        - !reference [.setup, script]\n                                     ^\n    at generateError (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:167:10)\n    at throwError (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:173:9)\n    at composeNode (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1434:7)\n    at readBlockSequence (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:955:5)\n    at composeNode (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1358:12)\n    at readBlockMapping (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1089:11)\n    at composeNode (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1359:12)\n    at readBlockMapping (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1089:11)\n    at composeNode (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1359:12)\n    at readDocument (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1525:3)\n    at loadDocuments (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1588:5)\n    at load (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1614:19)\n    at Object.safeLoad (/usr/src/app/node_modules/js-yaml/lib/js-yaml/loader.js:1637:10)\n    at Object.extractAllPackageFiles (/usr/src/app/node_modules/renovate/lib/manager/gitlabci/extract.ts:99:22)\n    at Object.extractAllPackageFiles (/usr/src/app/node_modules/renovate/lib/manager/index.ts:62:17)\n    at Object.getManagerPackageFiles (/usr/src/app/node_modules/renovate/lib/workers/repository/extract/manager-files.ts:33:29)\n    at /usr/src/app/node_modules/renovate/lib/workers/repository/extract/index.ts:52:28\n    at async Promise.all (index 0)\n    at Object.extractAllDependencies (/usr/src/app/node_modules/renovate/lib/workers/repository/extract/index.ts:50:26)\n    at Object.checkOnboardingBranch (/usr/src/app/node_modules/renovate/lib/workers/repository/onboarding/branch/index.ts:45:24)"
           },
           "msg": "Repository has unknown error"
         }
       ]

Have you created a minimal reproduction repository?

• This is a really small bug, it does not need a reproduction (think small typo)
• I have provided a minimal reproduction repository
• I don't have time for that, but it happens in a public repository I have linked to
• I don't have time for that, and cannot share my private repository
• The nature of this bug means it's impossible to reproduce publicly

Sure :)

• GitLab Renovate Runner Project: https://gitlab.com/deveth0/renovate-runner
• Project with !reference: https://gitlab.com/deveth0/renovate-runner-demo

Additional context

[viceice]

it's because of #8810

[viceice]

adding a try-catch block as workaround now

[deveth0]

wow, that was fast :)

I just modified the demo project to use "remote" instead of "local", just to verifiy. Same issue.

[viceice]

Do you have a documentation for the !reference [.setup, script] expression?

[deveth0]

@viceice sure, I just used the gitlab documentation for the mvp: https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/ci/yaml/#reference-tags

[github-actions]

Thank you for providing a reproduction! 🎉 🚀

The Renovate team will take a look at the reproduction repository. Once we confirm the provided repository reproduces the problem, the label will be changed to reproduction:confirmed.

[viceice]

PR waiting for review 🙃

[deveth0]

awesome, thank you! I'll keep you posted, if the build still fails when this is released ;)

[renovate-release]

🎉 This issue has been resolved in version 24.87.1 🎉

The release is available on:

• GitHub release
• 24.87.1

Your semantic-release bot 📦🚀

[deveth0]

works fine!