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Learn how to set up GitLab CI to automatically run jobs whenever a merge request targets the develop branch.
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How to Configure GitLab CI to Run Jobs on Merge Requests to the develop Branch

GitLab CI is a powerful tool for continuous integration and delivery, enabling teams to automate their development workflows. However, configuring GitLab CI to trigger jobs under specific conditions can sometimes be a challenge. One common requirement is to run jobs only when a merge request is created for a specific branch. In this guide, we will walk you through the steps to achieve just that—running a job when a merge request targets the develop branch.

Understanding the Problem

When working with GitLab, you may want to run certain jobs in your continuous integration pipeline only for specific scenarios. In this case, the requirement is straightforward:

Trigger a CI job only when a merge request is created.

Ensure that this job runs only if the target branch is develop.

Despite the importance of this configuration, many users have difficulty finding clear documentation on how to set it up.

Solution Overview

After some extensive research into the GitLab CI documentation, we found a solution that utilizes the rules keyword to specify conditions for when a job should run. Here’s a breakdown of the solution to configure your GitLab CI pipeline to meet the specified needs.

Step-by-Step Configuration

Define Your CI Job: Start by defining the job you want to run. For this example, we'll call our job unit_test.

Set the Stage: Specify which stage your job will belong to. Since we're performing tests, this job will belong to the test stage.

Implement Conditional Rules: Use the rules keyword to create conditions under which the job will run. Specifically, we will check:

If the pipeline source is a merge request event.

If the target branch of the merge request is develop.

Add Script Commands: Finally, include the commands that will be executed when the job runs.

Sample Configuration Code

Here’s how your .gitlab-ci.yml file would look with this configuration:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Code Explanation

unit_test: The name of your job.

stage: Defines which stage this job is part of (in our case, test).

rules: A key feature that specifies the conditions for executing the job.

$CI_PIPELINE_SOURCE: A pre-defined variable that checks the source of the pipeline. When it equals merge_request_event, it confirms that the current pipeline was triggered by a merge request.

$CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME: Another pre-defined variable that captures the target branch of the merge request. If it matches develop, the conditions are satisfied for running this job.

script: This is where you define the actual commands to execute when the job runs. For demonstration purposes, we included an echo statement, but you can replace it with any command you wish to run for your tests.

Conclusion

By following the steps outlined above, you can successfully configure GitLab CI to run jobs only on merge requests to the develop branch. This setup not only streamlines your CI/CD process but also ensures that unnecessary jobs don’t run when you don’t need them.

Feel free to experiment with other conditions in the rules section to further tailor your CI/CD pipeline to your project’s needs.

For more tips on GitLab CI and continuous integration strategies, keep following our blog!