Part 2: Outputs

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Part 2: Outputs
To copy the files for this example ( Part 2 ) run
earthly --artifact github.com/earthly/earthly/examples/tutorial/go:main+part2/part2 ./part2
Examples in Python, Javascript and Java are at the bottom of this page.
Not All Targets Produce Output
Targets have the ability to produce output outside of the build environment. You can save files and docker images to your local machine or push them to remote repositories. Targets can also run commands that affect the local environment outside of the build, such as running database migrations, but not all targets produce output. Let's take a look at which commands produce output and how to use them.
Saving Files
We've already seen how the command SAVE ARTIFACT copies a file or directory from the build environment into the target's artifact environment.
This gives us the ability to copy files between targets, but it does not allow us to save any files to our local machine.
build:
    COPY main.go .
    RUN go build -o build/go-example main.go
    SAVE ARTIFACT build/go-example /go-example
​
docker:
    #  COPY command copies files from the +build target
    COPY +build/go-example .
    ENTRYPOINT ["/go-example/go-example"]
    SAVE IMAGE go-example:latest
In order to save the file locally , we need to add AS LOCAL to the command.
build:
    COPY main.go .
    RUN go build -o build/go-example main.go
    SAVE ARTIFACT build/go-example /go-example AS LOCAL build/go-example
If we run this example with earthly +build, we'll see a build directory show up locally with a go-example file inside of it.
Saving Docker Images
Saving Docker images to your local machine is easy with the SAVE IMAGE command.
build:
    COPY main.go .
    RUN go build -o build/go-example main.go
    SAVE ARTIFACT build/go-example /go-example AS LOCAL build/go-example
​
docker:
    COPY +build/go-example .
    ENTRYPOINT ["/go-example/go-example"]
    SAVE IMAGE go-example:latest
In this example, running earthly +docker will save an image named go-example with the tag latest.
~$ earthly +docker
...
~$ docker image ls
REPOSITORY          TAG       IMAGE ID       CREATED          SIZE
go-example          latest    08b9f749023d   19 seconds ago   297MB
NOTE
If we run a target as a reference in FROM or COPY, outputs will not be produced. Take this Earthfile for example.
build:
    COPY main.go .
    RUN go build -o build/go-example main.go
    SAVE ARTIFACT build/go-example /go-example AS LOCAL build/go-example
​
docker:
    COPY +build/go-example .
    ENTRYPOINT ["/go-example/go-example"]
    SAVE IMAGE go-example:latest
In this case, running earthly +docker will not produce any output. In other words, you will not have a build/go-example written locally, but running earthly +build will still produce output as expected.
The exception to this rule is the BUILD command. If you want to use COPY or FROM and still have Earthly create build/go-example locally, you'll need to use the BUILD command to do so.
build:
    COPY main.go .
    RUN go build -o build/go-example main.go
    SAVE ARTIFACT build/go-example /go-example AS LOCAL build/go-example
​
docker:
    BUILD +build
    COPY +build/go-example .
    ENTRYPOINT ["/go-example/go-example"]
    SAVE IMAGE go-example:latest
Running earthly +docker in this case will now output build/go-example locally.
The Push Flag
Docker Images
In addition to saving files and images locally, we can also push them to remote repositories.
docker:
    COPY +build/go-example .
    ENTRYPOINT ["/go-example/go-example"]
    SAVE IMAGE --push go-example:latest
Note that adding the --push flag to SAVE IMAGE is not enough, we'll also need to invoke push when we call earthly. earthly --push +docker.
External Changes
You can also use --push as part of a RUN command to define commands that have an effect external to the build. These kinds of effects are only allowed to take place if the entire build succeeds.
This allows you to push to remote repositories.
release:
    RUN --push --secret GITHUB_TOKEN=+secrets/GH_TOKEN github-release upload
earthly --push +release
But also allows you to do things like run database migrations.
migrate:
    FROM +build
    RUN --push bundle exec rails db:migrate
earthly --push +migrate
Or apply terraform changes
apply:
    RUN --push terraform apply -auto-approve
earthly --push +apply
NOTE
Just like saving files, any command that uses --push will only produce output if called directly, earthly --push +target-with-push or via a BUILD command. Calling a target via FROM or COPY will not invoke --push.
More Examples
Javascript
Java
Python
Part 1: A simple Earthfile
Part 3: Adding dependencies With Caching
Last modified 5mo ago
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On this page
Not All Targets Produce Output
Saving Files
Saving Docker Images
The Push Flag