Troubleshooting Stuck Pipelines, Variables, and Artifacts in Buddy CI/CD

Details: Category: CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment); By Mindful Chase; 21.Apr; Hits: 69

Buddy is a powerful CI/CD platform that streamlines build, test, and deployment processes through a visual interface and pipeline-as-code capabilities. It supports containers, Docker, Kubernetes, and integrates with major VCS providers. Despite its user-friendly design, large-scale or complex deployments often face issues such as "stuck pipelines, permission errors, artifact cache issues, webhook misfires, and variable scoping bugs". This article presents a comprehensive troubleshooting guide for diagnosing and resolving common problems in Buddy pipelines to ensure continuous delivery resilience.

Mindful Chase

Writing Code, Writing Stories

tbd

Experience

tbd

More to Explore

Understanding Buddy Pipeline Architecture

Pipeline and Action Workflow

Each Buddy pipeline is composed of actions, which are executed sequentially or in parallel based on user configuration. Problems can arise from misconfigured triggers, failing dependencies, or improper use of conditional logic within steps.

Execution Environment and Containers

Actions are executed in isolated containers. Misconfigured container images, missing packages, or misaligned file mounts can break builds or deployments silently if not logged properly.

Common Symptoms

Pipelines stuck in "running" or "preparing" state
Environment variables not resolving or returning undefined
Build steps failing intermittently without code changes
Webhook triggers not firing after VCS pushes
Artifacts not available to downstream actions

Root Causes

1. Misconfigured Variables and Scoping

Buddy supports pipeline, workspace, and project-level variables. Incorrect precedence or overrides cause scripts to fail when variables are unset or misreferenced.

2. Incorrect Pipeline Triggers

Trigger conditions (e.g., "on push", "manual", "cron") must match expected repository events. Default branch mismatches or scoped branches often result in pipelines not firing.

3. Artifact Sharing Misuse

By default, actions run in isolated containers. Artifacts must be explicitly defined and shared between steps; otherwise, downstream jobs cannot access previous results.

4. Container Environment Differences

Custom containers without required tools (e.g., Node.js, Python, Docker CLI) lead to silent errors or script failures. Logs may not show full stack traces without verbose flags.

5. Webhook Configuration Errors

Failed integration with GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket webhooks due to token expiry, scope changes, or network blocks prevents pipeline auto-triggering on commits.

Diagnostics and Monitoring

1. Enable Verbose Logging

Use set -x or --verbose flags in shell/script actions to trace command execution and variable resolution.

2. Monitor Trigger Events

Check "Executions" tab and audit trigger sources. If triggers aren’t firing, inspect webhook delivery logs under project integrations.

3. Inspect Variable Overrides

Use echo $VAR_NAME in actions to verify variable values. Cross-check against project and pipeline-level declarations.

4. Validate Container Image Health

Run a test pipeline using the image and verify tool availability. Use which or command -v to inspect binaries in the container.

5. Review Artifact Configuration

Ensure "Artifacts from previous actions" is enabled in action settings. Use logs to confirm that files are correctly uploaded and fetched.

Step-by-Step Fix Strategy

1. Declare and Validate All Required Variables

export API_KEY=${API_KEY:?"API_KEY is required"}

Enforces mandatory variable checks and stops pipeline early on missing inputs.

2. Fix Artifact Scope and Visibility

In each action, explicitly define directories or files to save as artifacts. Confirm retrieval paths in subsequent steps match export locations.

3. Realign Pipeline Trigger Rules

Review pipeline conditions. Ensure it listens to the correct branches, tags, or events. Reconnect VCS integration if needed.

4. Use Official or Pre-Tested Container Images

Base actions on stable images like node:lts, python:3.11, or custom Dockerfiles tested locally before pushing to Buddy.

5. Reconnect and Reauthorize Webhooks

Under project integrations, test webhook delivery and re-authenticate via VCS provider if tokens are outdated or revoked.

Best Practices

Version-lock containers and scripts to avoid upstream breakages
Group reusable steps into reusable pipelines or action templates
Keep secrets in workspace-level encrypted variables
Use conditional execution and fail-fast patterns for clarity
Document all artifact sources and variable dependencies

Conclusion

Buddy provides a visual, scriptable, and powerful CI/CD platform, but reliability depends on proper trigger configuration, container hygiene, and clear artifact management. Variable scoping, webhook reliability, and container dependencies are the primary sources of failures. By adopting a disciplined pipeline structure and leveraging diagnostics like verbose logs and webhook audits, DevOps teams can maintain fast, stable, and secure delivery pipelines in Buddy.

FAQs

1. Why is my Buddy pipeline not starting after a commit?

Check webhook configuration, ensure the pipeline trigger matches your branch, and confirm that your VCS token is still valid.

2. How do I share artifacts between Buddy actions?

Enable "Artifacts from previous actions" and define specific files or directories to share. Match paths exactly in downstream steps.

3. What causes environment variables to be undefined?

They may be scoped incorrectly (workspace vs. pipeline) or overridden. Use echo to debug their presence inside actions.

4. Can I use custom Docker images in Buddy?

Yes, but ensure they include all required tools. Test them locally and add missing packages in the Dockerfile if needed.

5. How do I fix a stuck Buddy pipeline?

Check for infinite loops in scripts, validate container health, and manually terminate long-running jobs if needed.

Contact Us