--- name: codeengine-data-portability title: Understanding data portability for Code Engine description: Data portability involves a set of commands that enable customers to export the digital artifacts that are needed to implement similar workload and data processing on different service providers or on-premises software. It includes commands for exporting the service customer content, including the related configuration that is used by the service to store and process the data, on the customer's own location. last-updated: 2026-01-27 --- > ## Documentation Index > The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?format=markdown > The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt > Use these files to discover more information as needed. # Understanding data portability for Code Engine {: #data-portability} Data portability involves a set of commands that enable customers to export the digital artifacts that are needed to implement similar workload and data processing on different service providers or on-premises software. It includes commands for exporting the service customer content, including the related configuration that is used by the service to store and process the data, on the customer's own location. {: shortdesc} ## Responsibilities {: #data-portability-responsibilities} IBM Cloud services provide interfaces and instructions to guide the customer to copy and store the service customer content, including the related configuration, on their own selected location. The customer is responsible for the use of the exported data and configuration for data portability to other infrastructures, which includes: - The planning and execution for setting up alternative infrastructure on different cloud providers or on-premises software that provide similar capabilities to the IBM services. - The planning and execution for the porting of the required application code on the alternative infrastructure, including the adaptation of customer's application code, deployment automation, and so on. - The conversion of the exported data and configuration to the format that's required by the alternative infrastructure and adapted applications. For more information about your responsibilities for Code Engine, see [Understanding your responsibilities when using Code Engine](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-responsibilities-ce&format=markdown). ## Data export procedures {: #data-portability-procedures} Code Engine provides mechanisms to build container images from source code. Source code can be stored either locally or on Github. Code Engine does not provide commands or tools to download such container images. Instead, customers need to download and store those images following the [data export procedures for IBM Cloud Container Registry](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/Registry?topic=Registry-data_portability&format=markdown). Code Engine provides mechanisms to export settings and configurations that are used to process the customer's content. Configuration data for the following Code Engine entities can be exported using the commands specified later in this section: - Projects - Applications - Application revisions - Builds - Build runs - Configmaps - Secrets - Domain mappings - Event subscriptions (IBM Cloud Object Storage, `cron`, and Kafka) - Functions - Jobs - Job runs ### Tools required for exporting data {: #ools} For exporting Code Engine data, you need to download and install the following command-line tools: - The IBM Cloud CLI client - Visit the IBM Cloud CLI [Getting started page](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/cli?topic=cli-getting-started&format=markdown) to install the CLI client for your operating system. - The Code Engine CLI plug-in - Visit the [Code Engine CLI page](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/codeengine?topic=codeengine-cli&format=markdown) which has instructions on how to install the Code Engine plug-in for the IBM Cloud CLI. - The Kubernetes CLI client - Visit the [Kubernetes Install Tools page](https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/tools/#kubectl) to install the `kubectl` CLI client for your operating system. ### Exporting `project` configuration {: #exporting} A project in Code Engine is a container of related configurations and workloads. If you want to export a project, use the following `ibmcloud resource` commands: To list all Code Engine projects use: ```text ibmcloud resource service-instances --service-name codeengine ``` {: pre} To list all Code Engine projects in a specific region use: ```text ibmcloud resource service-instances --service-name codeengine --location us-south ``` {: pre} When you have identified the Code Engine project you want to export use: ```text ibmcloud resource service-instance -o json >project-name.json ``` {: pre} Exporting a Code Engine project only exports configuration of the project entity itself. Contained configuration entities and workload entities need to be exported separately. {: note} ### Exporting a `KUBECONFIG` to export project entities {: #exporting-kubeconfig} When you have identified a project you want to export, you have to export a `KUBECONFIG` environment variable to scope the `kubectl` commands described in this document to that project. To obtain this `KUBECONFIG` environment variable, run the following commands ```text ibmcloud code-engine project select -n ibmcloud code-engine project current ``` {: pre} This selects the project and prints a statement similar to the following one: ```text Getting the current project context... OK Name: ID: 123a4cbc-567d-8e90-1f2b-032d33d931ba Subdomain: 1abc2defi34 Domain: us-south.codeengine.appdomain.cloud Region: us-south Kubernetes Config: Context: 1abc2defi34 Environment Variable: export KUBECONFIG="/Users//.bluemix/plugins/code-engine/-123a4cbc-567d-8e90-1f2b-032d33d931ba.yaml" ``` {: pre} Copy the `export KUBECONFIG=xxx` statement to your terminal prompt and run it. All following `kubectl` commands are now scoped to this project. ### Exporting `application` configuration {: #exporting-application} To export the configuration of all applications in your project, run the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get service -o json >project-name_application-configurations.json ``` {: pre} If you want to export the configuration of a single application, use the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get service -o json >project-name-application-name_application-configuration.json ``` {: pre} ### Exporting `application revision` configuration {: #exporting-application-revision} To export the configuration of all application revisions in your project, run the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get revision -o json >project-name_application-revisions.json ``` {: pre} If you want to export the configuration of a single application revision, use the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get revision -o json >project-name-application-revision-name_revision.json ``` {: pre} ### Exporting `build` configuration {: #exporting-build} To export the configuration of all builds in your project, run the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get build -o json >project-name_build-configurations.json ``` {: pre} If you want to export the configuration of a single build, use the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get build -o json >project-name-build-name_build-configuration.json ``` {: pre} ### Exporting `build run` configuration {: #exporting-buid-run} To export the configuration of all build runs in your project, run the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get buildrun -o json >project-name_buildrun-configurations.json ``` {: pre} If you want to export the configuration of a single buildrun, use the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get buildrun -o json >project-name-buildrun-name_buildrun-configuration.json ``` {: pre} ### Exporting `configmap` configuration {: #exporting-configmap} To export the content of all configmaps in your project, run the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get configmap -o json >project-name_configmaps.json ``` {: pre} If you want to export the content of a single configmap, use the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get configmap -o json >project-name-configmap-name_configmap.json ``` {: pre} ### Exporting `secret` configuration {: #exporting-secret} Do not export the contents of secrets to a file on a persistent storage. {: note} To export the content of all secrets in your project, run the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get secret -o json >project-name_secrets.json ``` {: pre} If you want to export the content of a single secret, use the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get secret -o json >project-name-secret-name_secret.json ``` {: pre} Values stored in Code Engine secrets are usually copies of values managed in other systems, like IBM Cloud Secrets Manager. Therefore, most of the time exporting secrets is not required. If you still require to export secrets from Code Engine, you should choose exporting single secrets over exporting all secrets to avoid unintentional disclosure of sensitive information. {: note} ### Exporting `domain mapping` configuration {: #exporting-domain-mapping} To export the configuration of all domain mappings in your project, run the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get domainmapping -o json >project-name_domainmappings.json ``` {: pre} If you want to export the configuration of a single domain mapping, use the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get domainmapping -o json >project-name-domainmapping-name_domainmapping.json ``` {: pre} ### Exporting `IBM Cloud Object Storage event subscription` configuration {: #exporting-cos-event-subscription} To export the configuration of all IBM Cloud Object Storage event subscriptions in your project, run the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get cossource -o json >project-name_cos-event-subscriptions.json ``` {: pre} If you want to export the configuration of a single IBM Cloud Object Storage event subscription, use the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get cossource -o json >project-name-cos-event-subscription-name_cos-event-subscription.json ``` {: pre} ### Exporting `cron event subscription` configuration {: #exporting-cron-event-subscription} To export the configuration of all `cron` event subscriptions in your project, run the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get pingsource -o json >project-name_cron-event-subscriptions.json ``` {: pre} If you want to export the configuration of a single `cron` event subscription, use the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get pingsource -o json >project-name-cron-event-subscription-name_cron-event-subscription.json ``` {: pre} ### Exporting `Kafka event subscription` configuration {: #exporting-kafka-event-subscription} To export the configuration of all Kafka event subscriptions in your project, run the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get kafkasource -o json >project-name_kafka-event-subscriptions.json ``` {: pre} If you want to export the configuration of a single Kafka event subscription, use the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get kafkasource -o json >project-name-kafka-event-subscription-name_kafka-event-subscription.json ``` {: pre} ### Exporting `function` configuration {: #exporting-function} To export the configuration of all functions in your project, run the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get function -o json >project-name_functions.json ``` {: pre} If you want to export the configuration of a single function, use the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get function -o json >project-name-function-name_function.json ``` {: pre} ### Exporting `job` configuration {: #exporting-job} To export the configuration of all jobs in your project, run the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get jobdefinition -o json >project-name_jobs.json ``` {: pre} If you want to export the configuration of a single job, use the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get jobdefinition -o json >project-name-job-name_job.json ``` {: pre} ### Exporting `job run` configuration {: #exporting-job-run} To export the configuration of all jobruns in your project, run the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get jobrun -o json >project-name_jobruns.json ``` {: pre} If you want to export the configuration of a single jobrun, use the following `kubectl` command: ```text kubectl get jobrun -o json >project-name-jobrun-name_jobrun.json ``` {: pre} ## Exported data formats {: #data-portability-data-formats} Code Engine supports the following data format and schema of the exported data, configuration, and application: * JSON **Example:** Exporting a ConfigMap with name `export-sample` and format `JSON` results in the following JSON output: Command: `kubectl get configmap export-sample -o json` Output: ```text { "apiVersion": "v1", "data": { "APP_OWNER": "John Doe", "NUM_DATASETS": "24", "foo": "bar" }, "kind": "ConfigMap", "metadata": { "creationTimestamp": "2024-10-15T09:12:47Z", "name": "export-sample", "namespace": "7yuw2furi55", "resourceVersion": "9162003517", "uid": "12962640-a294-4e1f-a006-a875f119df43" } } ``` {: codeblock} All commands that use the `kubectl` command with the `-o json` option, produce a JSON output that is compatible with Kubernetes. The JSON produced by other commands, like `ibmcloud resource` or `ibmcloud code-engine` cannot be assumed to be compatible with Kubernetes as is. Code Engine doesn't support the export of the following data format and schema of the exported data, configuration, and application: * YAML ## Data ownership {: #data-portability-ownership} All exported data is classified as customer content. Apply the full customer ownership and licensing rights, as stated in the [IBM Cloud Service Agreement](https://www.ibm.com/support/customer/csol/terms/?id=Z126-6304_WS).