path: root/doc/ci/pipelines/job_artifacts.md

---
stage: Verify
group: Continuous Integration
info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments
disqus_identifier: 'https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/project/pipelines/job_artifacts.html'
type: reference, howto
---

# Job artifacts

> Introduced in [GitLab 12.4](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/16675), artifacts in internal and private projects can be previewed when [GitLab Pages access control](../../administration/pages/index.md#access-control) is enabled.

Jobs can output an archive of files and directories. This output is known as a job artifact.

You can download job artifacts by using the GitLab UI or the [API](../../api/job_artifacts.md#get-job-artifacts).

<i class="fa fa-youtube-play youtube" aria-hidden="true"></i>
For an overview, watch the video [GitLab CI Pipeline, Artifacts, and Environments](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCKDICEe10s).
Watch also [GitLab CI pipeline tutorial for beginners](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jav4vbUrqII).

Administrators should review our [job artifacts administration](../../administration/job_artifacts.md) documentation.

## Define artifacts in the `.gitlab-ci.yml` file

This example shows how to configure your `.gitlab-ci.yml` file to create job artifacts:

```yaml
pdf:
  script: xelatex mycv.tex
  artifacts:
    paths:
      - mycv.pdf
    expire_in: 1 week
```

A job named `pdf` calls the `xelatex` command to build a PDF file from the
LaTeX source file, `mycv.tex`.

The `paths` keyword determines which files to add to the job artifacts.
All paths to files and directories are relative to the repository where the job was created.

The `expire_in` keyword determines how long GitLab keeps the job artifacts.
You can also [use the UI to keep job artifacts from expiring](#download-job-artifacts).
If `expire_in` is not defined, the
[instance-wide setting](../../user/admin_area/settings/continuous_integration.md#default-artifacts-expiration)
is used.

For more examples, view the [keyword reference for the `.gitlab-ci.yml` file](../yaml/README.md#artifacts).

## Download job artifacts

You can download job artifacts or view the job archive:

- On the **Pipelines** page, to the right of the pipeline:

  ![Job artifacts in Pipelines page](img/job_artifacts_pipelines_page.png)

- On the **Jobs** page, to the right of the job:

  ![Job artifacts in Builds page](img/job_artifacts_builds_page.png)

- On a job's detail page. The **Keep** button indicates an `expire_in` value was set:

  ![Job artifacts browser button](img/job_artifacts_browser_button.png)

- On a merge request, by the pipeline details:

  ![Job artifacts in Merge Request](img/job_artifacts_merge_request.png)

- When browsing an archive:

  ![Job artifacts browser](img/job_artifacts_browser.png)

  If [GitLab Pages](../../administration/pages/index.md) is enabled in the project, you can preview
  HTML files in the artifacts directly in your browser. If the project is internal or private, you must
  enable [GitLab Pages access control](../../administration/pages/index.md#access-control) to preview
  HTML files.

## View failed job artifacts

If the latest job has failed to upload the artifacts, you can see that
information in the UI.

![Latest artifacts button](img/job_latest_artifacts_browser.png)

## Erase job artifacts

WARNING:
This is a destructive action that leads to data loss. Use with caution.

You can erase a single job, which also removes the job's
artifacts and log. You must be:

- The owner of the job.
- A [Maintainer](../../user/permissions.md#gitlab-cicd-permissions) of the project.

To erase a job:

1. Go to a job's detail page.
1. At the top right of the job's log, select the trash icon.
1. Confirm the deletion.

## Retrieve job artifacts for private projects

To retrieve a job artifact from a different project, you might need to use a
private token to [authenticate and download](../../api/job_artifacts.md#get-job-artifacts)
the artifact.

## The latest job artifacts

Job artifacts created in the most recent successful pipeline for a specific ref
are considered the latest artifacts. If you run two types of pipelines for the same ref,
timing determines which artifacts are the latest.

For example, if a merge request creates a branch pipeline at the same time as
a scheduled pipeline, the pipeline that finished most recently creates the latest job artifact.

In [GitLab 13.5](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/201784) and later, artifacts
for [parent and child pipelines](../parent_child_pipelines.md) are searched in hierarchical
order from parent to child. For example, if both parent and child pipelines have a
job with the same name, the job artifact from the parent pipeline is returned.

### Access the latest job artifacts by URL

You can download the latest job artifacts by using a URL.

To download the whole artifacts archive:

```plaintext
https://example.com/<namespace>/<project>/-/jobs/artifacts/<ref>/download?job=<job_name>
```

To download a single file from the artifacts:

```plaintext
https://example.com/<namespace>/<project>/-/jobs/artifacts/<ref>/raw/<path_to_file>?job=<job_name>
```

For example, to download the latest artifacts of the job named `coverage` of
the `master` branch of the `gitlab` project that belongs to the `gitlab-org`
namespace:

```plaintext
https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/jobs/artifacts/master/download?job=coverage
```

To download the file `coverage/index.html` from the same artifacts:

```plaintext
https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/jobs/artifacts/master/raw/coverage/index.html?job=coverage
```

To browse the latest job artifacts:

```plaintext
https://example.com/<namespace>/<project>/-/jobs/artifacts/<ref>/browse?job=<job_name>
```

For example:

```plaintext
https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/jobs/artifacts/master/browse?job=coverage
```

There is also a URL for specific files, including HTML files that
are shown in [GitLab Pages](../../administration/pages/index.md):

```plaintext
https://example.com/<namespace>/<project>/-/jobs/artifacts/<ref>/file/<path>?job=<job_name>
```

For example, when a job `coverage` creates the artifact `htmlcov/index.html`:

```plaintext
https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/jobs/artifacts/master/file/htmlcov/index.html?job=coverage
```

### Keep artifacts from most recent successful jobs

> - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/16267) in GitLab 13.0.
> - [Feature flag removed](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/229936) in GitLab 13.4.
> - [Made optional with a CI/CD setting](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/241026) in GitLab 13.8.

By default, the latest job artifacts from the most recent successful jobs are never deleted.
If a job is configured with [`expire_in`](../yaml/README.md#artifactsexpire_in),
its artifacts only expire if a more recent artifact exists.

Keeping the latest artifacts can use a large amount of storage space in projects
with a lot of jobs or large artifacts. If the latest artifacts are not needed in
a project, you can disable this behavior to save space:

1. Go to the project's **Settings > CI/CD > Artifacts**.
1. Clear the **Keep artifacts from most recent successful jobs** checkbox.

You can disable this behavior for all projects on a self-managed instance in the
[instance's CI/CD settings](../../user/admin_area/settings/continuous_integration.md#keep-the-latest-artifacts-for-all-jobs-in-the-latest-successful-pipelines).

When you disable the feature, the latest artifacts do not immediately expire.
A new pipeline must run before the latest artifacts can expire and be deleted.

## Troubleshooting job artifacts

### Error message `No files to upload`

This is often preceded by other errors or warnings that specify the filename and why it wasn't
generated in the first place. Please check the entire job log for such messages.

If you find no helpful messages, please retry the failed job after activating
[CI/CD debug logging](../variables/README.md#debug-logging).
This provides useful information to investigate further.

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