Make variable visible across steps in Bitbucket pipelines?

TL;DR: April 2025: now it's possible without tricks You can now export variables and use them in all subsequent steps as shown below. [code: pipelines: default: - step: name: Export Variable script: - echo "VAR1=12345" >> $BITBUCKETPIPELINESVARIABLESPATH output-variables: - VAR1 - step: name: Use Variable script: - echo $VAR1 ] The feature was first released and explained on 31st of March 2025: [Atlassian News Blog] Easily share data between steps in Bitbucket Pipelines .

April 2025: now it's possible without tricks You can now export variables and use them in all subsequent steps as shown below. [code: pipelines: default:

• step:

name: Export Variable script:

• echo "VAR1=12345" >> $BITBUCKETPIPELINESVARIABLESPATH

output-variables:

• VAR_1
• step:

name: Use Variable script:

• echo $VAR_1 ]

The feature was first released and explained on 31st of March 2025: [Atlassian News Blog] Easily share data between steps in Bitbucket Pipelines . This feature is explicitly meant to replace the old way:

Previously, sharing variables between steps required more effort than desired, doing things like saving variables in an artifact file and using that artifact in subsequent steps. With this new feature, you can now share variables seamlessly and efficiently, reducing complexity and potential errors in your pipeline configurations. ~ the Blog article

Read the docs: Output Variables step option (in Bitbucket Pipelines configuration reference).

Responding to a comment: it works with anchored steps, too. I tested it in a branch test-output-variables-and-anchors: [code: definitions: steps:

• step: &output-variables

name: Export Variable script:

• echo "VAR1=12345" >> $BITBUCKETPIPELINESVARIABLESPATH
• echo "VAR2=67890" >> $BITBUCKETPIPELINESVARIABLESPATH

output-variables:

• VAR_1
• VAR_2
• step: &log-variables

name: Log Variables script:

• echo $VAR_1
• echo $VAR_2

pipelines: branches: test-output-variables-and-anchors:

• step: *output-variables
• step: *log-variables ]

This worked and flawlessly did output the VAR_1 and VAR_2 values correctly in the second step.

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Edge cases

• With this new feature, you can now share variables seamlessly and efficiently, reducing complexity and potential errors in your pipeline configurations. ~ the Blog article Read the docs: Output Variables step option (in Bitbucket Pipelines configuration reference).