open-consul/website/content/docs/nia/api/tasks.mdx

---
layout: docs
page_title: Consul-Terraform-Sync Tasks API
description: >-
  Consul-Terraform-Sync Tasks API
---

# Tasks

The `/tasks` endpoints interact with the tasks that Consul-Terraform-Sync (CTS) is responsible for running.

## Get Task

This endpoint returns information about an existing task.

| Method | Path                | Produces           |
| ------ | ------------------- | ------------------ |
| `GET`  | `/tasks/:task_name` | `application/json` |

#### Request Parameters

| Name         | Required | Type   | Description                                | Default |
| ------------ | -------- | ------ | ------------------------------------------ | ------- |
| `:task_name` | Required | string | Specifies the name of the task to retrieve | none    |

#### Response Statuses

| Status | Reason                                               |
| ------ | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| 200    | Successfully retrieved and returned task information |
| 404    | Task with the given name not found                   |

#### Response Fields

| Name         | Type   | Description                                                                        |
| ------------ | ------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `request_id` | string | The ID of the request. Used for auditing and debugging purposes.                   |
| `task`       | object | The task's configuration information. See [task object](#task-object) for details. |

#### Example: Retrieve a task

Request:

```shell-session
$ curl --request GET \
  localhost:8558/v1/tasks/task_a
```

Response:

```json
{
  "request_id": "b7559ab0-5111-381b-367a-0dfb7e216d41",
  "task": {
    "buffer_period": {
      "enabled": true,
      "max": "20s",
      "min": "5s"
    },
    "condition": {
      "consul_kv": {
        "datacenter": "",
        "namespace": "",
        "path": "my_key",
        "recurse": false,
        "use_as_module_input": true
      }
    },
    "description": "task triggering on consul-kv",
    "enabled": true,
    "module": "path/to/module",
    "module_input": {
      "services": {
        "cts_user_defined_meta": {},
        "datacenter": "",
        "filter": "",
        "names": ["api"],
        "namespace": ""
      }
    },
    "name": "task_a",
    "providers": [],
    "variables": {},
    "version": ""
  }
}
```

# Create Task

This endpoint allows for creation of a task. It only supports creation of a new task, and does not support updating a task.

| Method | Path     | Produces           |
| ------ | -------- | ------------------ |
| `POST` | `/tasks` | `application/json` |

#### Request Parameters

| Name  | Required | Type   | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | Default |
| ----- | -------- | ------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- |
| `run` | Optional | string | Values can only be `"inspect"` and `"now"`.<br/><ul><li>`"inspect"`: Does not create the task but returns information on if/how resources would be changed for the proposed task creation.</li><li> `"now"`: Creates the task accordingly and immediately runs the task, rather than allowing the task to run at the natural daemon cadence</li></ul> | none    |

#### Request Body

| Name   | Required | Type   | Description                                                                        |
| ------ | -------- | ------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `task` | Required | object | The task's configuration information. See [task object](#task-object) for details. |

#### Response Statuses

| Status | Reason                        |
| ------ | ----------------------------- |
| 201    | Successfully created the task |

#### Response Fields

| Name         | Type   | Description                                                                                       |
| ------------ | ------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `request_id` | string | The ID of the request. Used for auditing and debugging purposes.                                  |
| `task`       | object | The task's configuration information after creation. See [task object](#task-object) for details. |

#### Example: Create a task

Payload:

```json
{
  "task": {
    "description": "Writes the service name, id, and IP address to a file",
    "enabled": true,
    "name": "task_a",
    "providers": ["my-provider"],
    "condition": {
      "services": {
        "names": ["web", "api"]
      }
    },
    "module": "path/to/module"
  }
}
```

Request:

```shell-session
$ curl --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --request POST \
  --data @payload.json \
  localhost:8558/v1/tasks
```

Response:

```json
{
  "request_id": "0428ed18-1359-874c-8b27-742e43ebd7e7",
  "task": {
    "buffer_period": {
      "enabled": true,
      "max": "25s",
      "min": "5s"
    },
    "condition": {
      "services": {
        "cts_user_defined_meta": {},
        "datacenter": "",
        "filter": "",
        "names": ["api", "web"],
        "namespace": "",
        "use_as_module_input": true
      }
    },
    "description": "Writes the service name, id, and IP address to a file",
    "enabled": true,
    "module": "path/to/module",
    "module_input": {},
    "name": "task_a",
    "providers": ["my-provider"],
    "variables": {},
    "version": ""
  }
}
```

## Update Task

This endpoint allows patch updates to specifically supported fields for existing tasks. Currently only supports updating a task's [`enabled` value](/docs/nia/configuration#enabled-4).

| Method  | Path                | Produces           |
| ------- | ------------------- | ------------------ |
| `PATCH` | `/tasks/:task_name` | `application/json` |

#### Request Parameters

| Name         | Required | Type   | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | Default |
| ------------ | -------- | ------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- |
| `:task_name` | Required | string | Specifies the name of the task to update                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | none    |
| `run`        | Optional | string | Values can only be `"inspect"` and `"now"`.<br/><ul><li>`"inspect"`: Does not update the task but returns information on if/how resources would be changed for the proposed task update.</li><li> `"now"`: Updates the task accordingly and immediately runs the task, rather than allowing the task to run at the natural daemon cadence</li></ul> | none    |

#### Request Body

| Name      | Required | Type    | Description                                              |
| --------- | -------- | ------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| `enabled` | Required | boolean | Whether the task is enabled to run and manage resources. |

#### Response Statuses

| Status | Reason                             |
| ------ | ---------------------------------- |
| 200    | Successfully updated the task      |
| 404    | Task with the given name not found |

#### Response Fields

| Name                      | Type    | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
| ------------------------- | ------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `inspect`                 | object  | Information on how resources would be changed given a proposed task update, similar to [inspect-mode](/docs/nia/cli/#inspect-mode). This is only returned when passed the `run=inspect` request parameter. |
| `inspect.changes_present` | boolean | Whether or not changes were detected for running the proposed task update.                                                                                                                                             |
| `inspect.plan`            | string  | The Terraform plan generated for the proposed task update. Note: a non-empty string does not necessarily indicate changes were detected.                                                                               |

#### Example: Disable a task

Request:

```shell-session
$ curl --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --request PATCH \
  --data '{"enabled":false}' \
  localhost:8558/v1/tasks/task_a
```

Response:

```json
{}
```

#### Example: Inspect enabling a task

Request:

```shell-session
$ curl --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --request PATCH \
  --data '{"enabled":true}' \
  localhost:8558/v1/tasks/task_a?run=inspect
```

Response if no changes present:

```json
{
  "inspect": {
    "changes_present": false,
    "plan": "No changes. Infrastructure is up-to-date. <truncated>"
  }
}
```

Response if changes present:

```json
{
  "inspect": {
    "changes_present": true,
    "plan": "<terraform plan truncated> Plan: 3 to add, 0 to change, 0 to destroy."
  }
}
```

## Delete Task

This endpoint allows for deletion of existing tasks. It marks a task for deletion based on the name provided. If the task is not running, it will be deleted immediately. Otherwise, it will be deleted once the task is completed.

-> **Note:** Deleting a task will not destroy the infrastructure managed by the task.

| Method   | Path                | Produces           |
| -------- | ------------------- | ------------------ |
| `DELETE` | `/tasks/:task_name` | `application/json` |

#### Request Parameters

| Name         | Required | Type   | Description                                | Default |
| ------------ | -------- | ------ | ------------------------------------------ | ------- |
| `:task_name` | Required | string | Specifies the name of the task to retrieve | none    |

#### Response Statuses

| Status | Reason                                    |
| ------ | ----------------------------------------- |
| 202    | Successfully marked the task for deletion |
| 404    | Task with the given name not found        |

#### Response Fields

| Name         | Type   | Description                                                      |
| ------------ | ------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `request_id` | string | The ID of the request. Used for auditing and debugging purposes. |

#### Sample Request

```shell-session
$ curl --request DELETE \
  localhost:8558/v1/tasks/task_a
```

#### Sample Response

```json
{
  "request_id": "9b23eea7-a435-2797-c71e-10c15766cd73"
}
```

## Task Object

The task object is used by the Task APIs as part of a request or response. It represents the task's [configuration information](/docs/nia/configuration#task).

| Name                    | Required     | Type     | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | Default                                                      |
| ----------------------- | ------------ | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `buffer_period`         | object       | Optional | The buffer period for triggering task execution.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | The global buffer period configured for CTS.                 |
| `buffer_period.enabled` | bool         | Optional | Whether the buffer period is enabled or disabled.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | The global buffer period's enabled value configured for CTS. |
| `buffer_period.min`     | string       | Optional | The minimum period of time to wait after changes are detected before triggering the task.                                                                                                                                                                                             | The global buffer period's min value configured for CTS.     |
| `buffer_period.max`     | string       | Optional | The maximum period of time to wait after changes are detected before triggering the task.                                                                                                                                                                                             | The global buffer period's max value configured for CTS.     |
| `condition`             | object       | Required | The [condition](/docs/nia/configuration#task-condition) on which to trigger the task to execute. <br/><br/> If the task has the deprecated `services` field configured as a module input, it is represented here as `condition.services`.                                             | none                                                         |
| `description`           | string       | Optional | The human readable text to describe the task.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | none                                                         |
| `enabled`               | bool         | Optional | Whether the task is enabled or disabled from executing.                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | `true`                                                       |
| `module`                | string       | Required | The location of the Terraform module.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | none                                                         |
| `module_input`          | object       | Optional | The additional [module input(s)](/docs/nia/configuration#task-source-input) that the tasks provides to the Terraform module on execution. <br/><br/> If the task has the deprecated `services` field configured as a module input, it is represented here as `module_input.services`. | none                                                         |
| `name`                  | string       | Required | The unique name of the task.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | none                                                         |
| `providers`             | list[string] | Optional | The list of provider names that the task's module uses.                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | none                                                         |
| `variables`             | map[string]  | Optional | The map of variables that are provided to the task's module.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | none                                                         |
| `version`               | string       | Optional | The version of the configured module that the task uses.                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | The latest version.                                          |
| `terraform_version`     | string       | Optional | <EnterpriseAlert inline /> The version of Terraform to use for the Terraform Cloud workspace associated with the task. This is only available when used with the [Terraform Cloud driver](/docs/nia/configuration#terraform-driver).                                                  | The latest compatible version supported by the organization. |