Overview

A CodeBuild project needs a set of instructions on how to package/compile the source code after it has been downloaded from the code repository into our chosen build environment.

According to AWS, a buildspec.yml file is a collection of build commands and related settings in YAML format that CodeBuild uses to run a build.

The buildspec.yml file is usually placed at the base of the project directory. The file contains the following:

  • The build commands needed to build the application
  • The definition of different environment variables as needed
  • The required tools for the build to succeed
  • The artifact(s) to archive

For building software projects, there are different native build tools depending on the programming language. Below are some of the popular ones:

  • Maven
  • Ant
  • Gradle
  • npm
  • gulp
  • Grunt
  • Make

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