How to remove files from a previous deployment with sftp-deploy pipeline

[optimusRog]

Hello,

This is a step of my yml file :

- step: &build-deploy-dev
  name: 'Build + Deployment - DEV'
  size: 2x
  caches:
    - node
  deployment: test
  script:
    - npm run build-prod
    - pipe: atlassian/sftp-deploy:0.5.4
      variables:
        USER: $USER
        SERVER: $SERVER
        REMOTE_PATH: '/var/www/html/'
        LOCAL_PATH: 'dist/*'
        EXTRA_ARGS: 'rm *'

I'm trying to delete the files previously deployed on the remote server before copying the new ones but the EXTRA_ARGS command doesn't work :/.

Because the build-prod command generate files like : main.js?qd87dz8z25zd4
The number at the end changes at each build, so i need to clean up the remote folder in order to prevent to have a lot of main.js?XXXXXX outdated.

[Ed Bateman · Accepted solution]

The downside of using a rm here is that there's a short time when your web site isn't available. Also, if the later deployment phase stops (e.g. due to failure) your web site is down. Another approach that is worth considering is this:

1. Deploy to a folder location which has directories within it which includes the build or deployment number (e.g. www/website/v1 , www/website/v2 www/website/v3)
2. Have a symbolic link that points to the current release (e.g.  www/website/latest -> www/website/v3)
3. Once the new release (www/website/v4) is deployed successfully switch the symbolic link (www/website/latest -> www/website/v4)
4. Delete all releases automatically that are older than X and are not the symbolic link.

You can extend this to also have a simple rollback by having an 'old' link. To rollback, a script would move all the symbolic links back. Old can't really change though and you need to think through changing the links there.

[optimusRog · Accepted solution]

The problem is solved by the ssh-run pipeline :

- pipe: atlassian/ssh-run:0.2.4
   variables:
      SSH_USER: $USER
      SERVER: $SERVER
      COMMAND: 'rm -rf /var/www/html/*'
      DEBUG: 'false'
- pipe: atlassian/sftp-deploy:0.5.4
   variables:
      USER: $USER
      SERVER: $SERVER
      REMOTE_PATH: '/var/www/html/'
      LOCAL_PATH: 'dist/*'
      DEBUG: 'false'

[Deleted user]

Sorry for refloating this old post...

I'm confronted with the same situation and would really appreciate a more detailed "instructions".

The symlink to the current deployment: can I update automatically as part of my pipeline in the last step?

The version to which to redirect the symlink: can that be updated automatically with some random generator?

For removing all folders from old deployments: should I set up a linux job for that? How do I exclude the folder that is currently being referenced in the symlink?

Thanks much!

Julian