PipelineRuns

PipelineRun is a Kubernetes Custom Resource in Tekton Pipelines that represents a single execution of a Pipeline. It binds a Pipeline to concrete inputs such as resources, parameters, and workspaces, and records the run's progress, status, and results. A PipelineRun can be created from a YAML manifest or via the Tekton CLI and is typically stored in the same Kubernetes namespace as the Pipeline it executes.

Structure: The PipelineRun references a Pipeline with spec.pipelineRef (or an inlined spec) and supplies inputs through spec.resources, spec.params, and spec.workspaces. It may specify a timeout value via spec.timeout to bound execution time. When a PipelineRun starts, the Tekton controller creates TaskRuns for the Tasks defined in the Pipeline and passes the provided inputs to those TaskRuns. A finally section, if present, ensures certain tasks run after the main sequence regardless of success or failure.

Status and monitoring: The controller updates the PipelineRun status with startTime and completionTime, and a collection of Conditions reflecting progress and outcome (for example, Succeeded or Failed). The status also enumerates the created TaskRuns and can include PipelineRun results produced by tasks.

Cancellation and reuse: A running PipelineRun can be canceled by user action, and a new PipelineRun can be created to repeat the workflow. Logs for individual tasks and overall run can be accessed via the Tekton Dashboard or kubectl logs for the TaskRuns.

Usage: PipelineRuns are central to Tekton-driven CI/CD in Kubernetes, enabling automated, repeatable execution of pipelines in response to events or manual triggers.