---
title: Automate Chromatic with BitBucket
description: Learn how to configure Chromatic with BitBucket Pipelines
sidebar: { order: 4, label: Bitbucket Pipelines }
---

import IntegrationSnippets from "../../components/IntegrationSnippets.astro";

# Automate Chromatic with BitBucket Pipelines

Chromatic’s automation can be included as part of your BitBucket pipeline workflow with relative ease.

## Setup

To integrate Chromatic with your existing pipeline, you'll need to add the following:

{/* prettier-ignore-start */}

<IntegrationSnippets>
  <Fragment slot="storybook">
    ```yml title="bitbucket-pipelines.yml"
    image: node:jod

    definitions:
      caches:
        npm: $HOME/.npm

    pipelines:
      default:
        - stage:
            name: "UI Tests"
            steps:
              - step:
                  name: "Run Chromatic"
                  caches:
                    - npm
                    - node
                  script:
                    # ⚠️ See your package manager's documentation for the correct command to install dependencies in a CI environment.
                    - npm ci
                    - npx chromatic
    ```
  </Fragment>
  <Fragment slot="playwright">
    ```yml title="bitbucket-pipelines.yml"
    image: node:jod

    definitions:
      caches:
        npm: $HOME/.npm

    pipelines:
      default:
        - stage:
            name: "UI Tests"
            steps:
              - step:
                  name: "Playwright"
                  image: mcr.microsoft.com/playwright:v1.56.0-noble
                  caches:
                    - npm
                    - node
                  script:
                    # ⚠️ See your package manager's documentation for the correct command to install dependencies in a CI environment.
                    - npm ci
                    - npx playwright test
                  artifacts:
                    # Chromatic automatically defaults to the test-results directory.
                    # Replace with the path to your custom directory and adjust the CHROMATIC_ARCHIVE_LOCATION environment variable accordingly.
                    - test-results/**
              - step:
                  name: "Run Chromatic"
                  caches:
                    - npm
                    - node
                  script:
                    - npm ci
                    - npx chromatic --playwright
    ```
  </Fragment>
  <Fragment slot="cypress">
    ```yml title="bitbucket-pipelines.yml"
    image: node:jod

    definitions:
      caches:
        npm: $HOME/.npm
        cypress: $HOME/.cache/Cypress

    pipelines:
      default:
        - stage:
            name: "UI Tests"
            steps:
              - step:
                name: "Cypress"
                # Configure the ELECTRON_EXTRA_LAUNCH_ARGS environment variable in your project settings to run Cypress tests with Chromatic.
                image: cypress/browsers:node-22.20.0-chrome-141.0.7390.54-1-ff-143.0.4-edge-141.0.3537.57-1
                caches:
                  - npm
                  - node
                  - cypress
                script:
                  # ⚠️ See your package manager's documentation for the correct command to install dependencies in a CI environment.
                  - npm ci
                  - npm run dev &
                  - npx cypress run
                artifacts:
                  # Chromatic automatically defaults to the cypress/downloads directory.
                  # Replace with the path to your custom directory and adjust the CHROMATIC_ARCHIVE_LOCATION environment variable accordingly.
                  - cypress/downloads/**
              - step:
                  name: "Run Chromatic"
                  caches:
                    - npm
                    - node
                  script:
                    - npm ci
                    - npx chromatic --cypress
    ```
  </Fragment>
</IntegrationSnippets>

{/* prettier-ignore-end */}

<div class="aside">

We recommend saving the project token as a secured environment variable named `CHROMATIC_PROJECT_TOKEN` for security reasons. When the Chromatic CLI is executed, it will read the stored value automatically without any additional flags or configuration. Refer to the official BitBucket [environment variables documentation](https://support.atlassian.com/bitbucket-cloud/docs/variables-and-secrets/) to learn more about it.

</div>

### Run Chromatic on specific branches

If you need to customize your workflow to run Chromatic on specific branches, adjust your pipeline like so:

```yml title="bitbucket-pipelines.yml"
# A sample pipeline implementation
pipelines:
  default:
  # Other steps in the pipeline

  branches:
    # 👇 The example branch will display the message in the console instead of running Chromatic.
    main:
      - step:
          script:
            - npm ci
            - npx chromatic
```

<div class="aside">

Read the official BitBucket [conditional pipeline documentation](https://support.atlassian.com/bitbucket-cloud/docs/configure-bitbucket-pipelinesyml/).

</div>

Now your pipeline will only run Chromatic in the `main` branch.

### Run Chromatic on large projects

Chromatic is prepared to handle large file uploads (with a limit of 5000 files, including stories and assets). If your project exceeds this limit, we recommend adjusting your pipeline and run the `chromatic` command with the `--zip` flag to compress your build before uploading it. For example:

```yml title="bitbucket-pipelines.yml"
# A sample pipeline implementation
pipelines:
  default:
    # Other steps in the pipeline

    # 👇 Adds Chromatic as a step in the pipeline
    - step:
        name: "Run Chromatic"
        # Other pipeline configuration
        script:
          - npm ci
            # 👇 Runs Chromatic with the flag to compress the build output.
          - npx chromatic --zip
```

### Run Chromatic on monorepos

Chromatic can be run on monorepos that have multiple subprojects. Each subproject will need it's own project token stored as an environment variable.

#### Prerequisites

1. Ensure that you're in the correct working directory for the subproject.
2. Have `build-storybook` npm script in the subproject's `package.json` file OR explicitly name the script using the `--build-script-name` CLI flag and make sure the script is listed in the subproject's `package.json` file.

If you've already built your Storybook in a separate CI step, you can adjust your workflow to include the `--storybook-build-dir` CLI flag to point to the build output directory.

```yml title="bitbucket-pipelines.yml"
# A sample pipeline implementation
pipelines:
  default:
    # Other steps in the pipeline

    # 👇 Runs Chromatic sequentially for each monorepo subproject.
    - step:
        name: "Publish Project 1 to Chromatic"
        # Other pipeline configuration
        script:
          - CHROMATIC_PROJECT_TOKEN=$CHROMATIC_PROJECT_TOKEN_1
          - npm ci
          - cd packages/project_1
          - npx chromatic
    - step:
        name: "Publish Project 2 to Chromatic"
        # Other pipeline configuration
        script:
          - CHROMATIC_PROJECT_TOKEN=$CHROMATIC_PROJECT_TOKEN_2
          - npm ci
          - cd packages/project_2
          - npx chromatic
```

If you want to run Chromatic in parallel for each subproject, you can use this snippet below.

```yml title="bitbucket-pipelines.yml"
# A sample pipeline implementation
pipelines:
  default:
    # Other steps in the pipeline

    # 👇 Runs Chromatic in parallel for each monorepo subproject.
    - parallel:
        - step:
            name: "Publish Project 1 to Chromatic"
            # Other pipeline configuration
            script:
              - npm ci
              - cd packages/project_1
              - npx chromatic --project-token $CHROMATIC_PROJECT_TOKEN_1
        - step:
            name: "Publish Project 2 to Chromatic"
            # Other pipeline configuration
            script:
              - npm ci
              - cd packages/project_2
              - npx chromatic --project-token $CHROMATIC_PROJECT_TOKEN_2
```

### Enable TurboSnap

TurboSnap is an advanced Chromatic feature implemented to improve the build time for large projects, disabled by default once you add Chromatic to your CI environment. To enable it, you'll need to adjust your existing workflow and run the `chromatic` command with the `--only-changed` flag as follows:

```yml title="bitbucket-pipelines.yml"
# A sample pipeline implementation
pipelines:
  default:
    # Other steps in the pipeline

    # 👇 Adds Chromatic as a step in the pipeline
    - step:
        name: "Run Chromatic"
        # Other pipeline configuration
        script:
          - npm ci
            # 👇 Enables Chromatic's TurboSnap feature.
          - npx chromatic --only-changed
```

<div class="aside">

TurboSnap is highly customizable and can be configured to fit your requirements. For more information, read our [documentation](/docs/turbosnap).

</div>

### UI Test and UI Review

[UI Tests](/docs#test-how-uis-look--function) and [UI Review](/docs/review) rely on [branch and baseline](/docs/branching-and-baselines) detection to keep track of [snapshots](/docs/snapshots). We recommend the following configuration.

#### Command exit code for "required" checks

If you are using pull request statuses as required checks before merging, you may not want your pipeline to fail if test snapshots render without errors (but with changes). To achieve this, pass the flag `--exit-zero-on-changes` to the `chromatic` command, and your step will continue in such cases. For example:

```yml title="bitbucket-pipelines.yml"
# A sample pipeline implementation
pipelines:
  default:
    # Other steps in the pipeline

    # 👇 Adds Chromatic as a step in the pipeline
    - step:
        name: "Run Chromatic"
        # Other pipeline configuration
        script:
          - npm ci
            # 👇 Runs Chromatic with the flag to prevent pipeline failure
          - npx chromatic --exit-zero-on-changes
```

<div class="aside">

Read our [configuration reference documentation](/docs/configure#options).

</div>

When using `--exit-zero-on-changes` your pipeline execution still stop and fail if your Storybook contains stories that error. If you'd prefer Chromatic _never_ to block your pipeline, you can use `npx chromatic || true`.

#### Re-run failed builds after verifying UI test results

Builds that contain visual changes need to be [verified](/docs/quickstart#4-review-changes). They will fail if you are not using `--exit-zero-on-changes`. Once you accept all the changes, re-run the pipeline and the `Run Chromatic` step will pass.

If you deny any change, you will need to make the necessary code changes to fix the test (and thus start a new build) to get Chromatic to pass again.

#### Maintain a clean "main" branch

A clean `main` branch is a development **best practice** and **highly recommended** for Chromatic. This means testing your `main` branch to ensure builds are passing. It's important to note that baselines will not persist through branching and merging unless you test your `main` branch.

If the builds are a result of direct commits to `main`, you will need to accept changes to keep the main branch clean. If they're merged from `feature-branches`, you will need to make sure those branches are passing _before_ you merge into `main`.

#### BitBucket squash/rebase merge and the "main" branch

BitBucket's squash/rebase merge functionality creates new commits that have no association to the branch being merged. If you are already using this option, then we will automatically detect this situation and bring baselines over (see [Branching and Baselines](/docs/branching-and-baselines#how-do-baselines-get-preserved-during-squash-and-rebase-merging) for more details).

If you’re using this functionality but notice the incoming changes were not accepted as baselines in Chromatic, then you'll need to adjust the pipeline and include the `--auto-accept-changes` flag. For example:

```yml title="bitbucket-pipelines.yml"
# A sample pipeline implementation
pipelines:
  default:
    # 👇 Checks if the branch is main and runs Chromatic with the flag to accept all changes.
    - step:
        name: "Run Chromatic and auto accept changes"
        caches:
          - node
        script:
          - npm ci
          - npx chromatic --auto-accept-changes
  pull-requests:
    # 👇 Checks if the branch is not main and runs Chromatic
    your-branch:
      - step:
          name: "Run Chromatic"
          script:
            - npm ci
            - npx chromatic
```

<div class="aside">

Read our [configuration reference documentation](/docs/configure#options).

</div>

Including the `--auto-accept-changes` flag ensures all incoming changes will be accepted as baselines. Additionally, you'll maintain a clean `main` branch.

If you want to test the changes introduced by the rebased branch, you can adjust your workflow and include a new step with the `ignore-last-build-on-branch` flag. For example:

```yml title="bitbucket-pipelines.yml"
# A sample pipeline implementation
pipelines:
  default:
    # Other steps in the pipeline

    # 👇 Adds Chromatic as a step in the pipeline
    - step:
        name: "Run Chromatic"
        # Other pipeline configuration
        script:
          - npm ci
            # 👇 Option to skip the last build on target branch
          - npx chromatic --ignore-last-build-on-branch=my-branch
```

<div class="aside">

Read our [configuration reference documentation](/docs/configure#options).

</div>

Including the `--ignore-last-build-on-branch` flag ensures the latest build for the specific branch is not used as a baseline.

#### BitBucket pipelines and patch builds

If you're creating a [patch build](/docs/branching-and-baselines#what-happens-when-the-merge-base-build-isnt-found-patch-builds) in Chromatic to fix a missing pull request comparison, you'll need to adjust your existing pipeline to the following:

```yml title="bitbucket-pipelines.yml"
pipelines:
  pull-requests:
    # 👇 Will run as default for any branch not elsewhere defined
    "**":
      - step:
          # 👇 Adds Chromatic as a step in the pipeline
          name: "Run Chromatic"
          caches:
            - node
          script:
            # 👇 Brings over the changes from the BitBucket repo
            - git fetch origin main:main
              # 👇 Option to update the build based on the changes obtained
            - npm ci
            - npx chromatic --patch-build=$your-branch...main
```

Including the `git` command prior to running Chromatic prevents unwanted build errors when Chromatic retrieves the information from your BitBucket repo.

This is based on how BitBucket's pipeline infrastructure handles cloning and branching. By default when the pipeline runs it will not do a full repository clone. Instead it will only fetch the current branch and omit all other existing ones.

Now you'll be able to to see the UI changeset for PRs and perform [UI Review](/docs/review) as normal.

<div class="aside">

See the following [BitBucket issue](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/Bitbucket-Pipelines-questions/pipeline-doesnt-recognize-origin-master/qaq-p/968614) for a detailed explanation.

</div>

#### Run Chromatic on external forks of open source projects

You can enable PR checks for external forks by sharing your project token where you configured the Chromatic command (often in `package.json` or in the pipeline step).

Sharing project tokens allows contributors and others to run Chromatic builds on your project, consuming your snapshot quota. They cannot access your account, settings, or accept baselines. This can be an acceptable tradeoff for open source projects that value community contributions.

#### Skipping builds for certain branches

Sometimes you might want to skip running a build for a certain branch, but still have Chromatic mark the latest commit on that branch as "passed". Otherwise pull requests could be blocked due to required checks that remain pending. To avoid this issue, you can run `chromatic` with the `--skip` flag. This flag accepts a branch name or glob pattern.

One use case for this feature is skipping builds for branches created by a bot. For instance, Renovate automatically updates a projects dependencies. Although some dependencies can result in UI changes, you might not find it worthwhile to run Chromatic for every single dependency update. Instead, you could rely on Chromatic running against the `main` or `develop` branch.

To skip builds for `renovate` branches, use the following:

```shell
npx chromatic --skip 'renovate/**'
```

<div class="aside">

Read our [configuration reference documentation](/docs/configure#options).

</div>

To apply this to multiple branches, use an "extended glob". See the [globs guide] for details.

```shell
npx chromatic --skip '@(renovate/**|your-custom-branch/**)'
```

[globs guide]: /docs/globs