Amazon CodeCatalyst is no longer open to new customers. Existing customers can continue to use the service as normal. For more information, see [How to migrate from CodeCatalyst](migration.md).

# Displaying the app URL in the workflow diagram
<a name="deploy-app-url"></a>

If your workflow deploys an application, you can configure Amazon CodeCatalyst to display the application's URL as a clickable link. This link appears in the CodeCatalyst console, inside the action that deployed it. The following workflow diagram shows the **View App** URL appearing at the bottom of an action.

![\[View app URL\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/codecatalyst/latest/userguide/images/deploy/view-app-url.png)


By making this URL clickable in the CodeCatalyst console, you can quickly verify your application deployment.

**Note**  
The app URL is not supported with the **Deploy to Amazon ECS** action.

To enable this feature, add an output variable to your action with a name that contains `appurl`, or `endpointurl`. You can use a name with or without a joining dash (`-`), underscore (`_`), or space (` `). The string is case-insensitive. Set the variable's value to the `http` or `https` URL of your deployed application.

**Note**  
If you're updating an existing output variable to include the `app url`, or `endpoint url` string, update all references to this variable to use the new variable name.

For detailed steps, see one of the following procedures:
+ [To display the app URL in the "AWS CDK deploy" action](#deploy-app-url-cdk)
+ [To display the app URL in the "Deploy CloudFormation stack" action](#deploy-app-url-cfn)
+ [To display the app URL in all other actions](#deploy-app-url-other)

When you've finished configuring the URL, verify that it appears as expected by following these instructions:
+ [To verify that the application URL was added](#deploy-app-url-verify)<a name="deploy-app-url-cdk"></a>

**To display the app URL in the "AWS CDK deploy" action**

1. If you're using the **AWS CDK deploy** action, add a `CfnOutput` construct (which is a key-value pair) in your AWS CDK application code:
   + The key name must contain `appurl`, or `endpointurl`, with or without a joining dash (`-`), underscore (`_`), or space (` `). The string is case-insensitive.
   + The value must be the `http` or `https` URL of your deployed application.

   For example, your AWS CDK code might look like this:

   ```
   import { Duration, Stack, StackProps, CfnOutput, RemovalPolicy} from 'aws-cdk-lib';
   import * as dynamodb from 'aws-cdk-lib/aws-dynamodb';
   import * as s3 from 'aws-cdk-lib/aws-s3';
   import { Construct } from 'constructs';
   import * as cdk from 'aws-cdk-lib';
   export class HelloCdkStack extends Stack {
     constructor(scope: Construct, id: string, props?: StackProps) {
       super(scope, id, props);
       const bucket = new s3.Bucket(this, 'amzn-s3-demo-bucket', {
         removalPolicy: RemovalPolicy.DESTROY,
       });
       new CfnOutput(this, 'APP-URL', {
         value: https://mycompany.myapp.com,
         description: 'The URL of the deployed application',
         exportName: 'myApp',
       });
       ...
     }
   }
   ```

   For more information about the `CfnOutput` construct, see [interface CfnOutputProps](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cdk/api/v2/docs/aws-cdk-lib.CfnOutputProps.html) in the *AWS Cloud Development Kit (AWS CDK) API Reference*.

1. Save and commit your code.

1. Proceed to [To verify that the application URL was added](#deploy-app-url-verify).<a name="deploy-app-url-cfn"></a>

**To display the app URL in the "Deploy CloudFormation stack" action**

1. If you're using the **Deploy CloudFormation stack** action, add an output to the `Outputs` section in your CloudFormation template or AWS SAM template with these characteristics:
   + The key (also called the logical ID) must contain `appurl`, or `endpointurl`, with or without a joining dash (`-`), underscore (`_`), or space (` `). The string is case-insensitive.
   + The value must be the `http` or `https` URL of your deployed application.

   For example, your CloudFormation template might look like this:

   ```
   "Outputs" : {
     "APP-URL" : {
       "Description" : "The URL of the deployed app",
       "Value" : "https://mycompany.myapp.com",
       "Export" : {
         "Name" : "My App"
       }
     }
   }
   ```

   For more information about CloudFormation outputs, see [Outputs](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSCloudFormation/latest/UserGuide/outputs-section-structure.html) in the *AWS CloudFormation User Guide*.

1. Save and commit your code.

1. Proceed to [To verify that the application URL was added](#deploy-app-url-verify).<a name="deploy-app-url-other"></a>

**To display the app URL in all other actions**

If you're using another action to deploy your application, such as the build action or **GitHub Actions**, do the following to have the app URL displayed.

1. Define an environment variable in the `Inputs` or `Steps` section of the action in the workflow definition file. The variable must have these characteristics:
   + The `name` must contain `appurl`, or `endpointurl`, with or without a joining dash (`-`), underscore (`_`), or space (` `). The string is case-insensitive.
   + The value must be the `http` or `https` URL of your deployed application.

   For example, a build action might look like this:

   ```
   Build-action:
     Identifier: aws/build@v1
     Inputs:
       Variables:
         - Name: APP-URL
           Value: https://mycompany.myapp.com
   ```

   ...or this:

   ```
   Actions:
     Build:
       Identifier: aws/build@v1
       Configuration:    
         Steps:
           - Run: APP-URL=https://mycompany.myapp.com
   ```

   For more information about defining environment variables, see [Defining a variable](workflows-working-with-variables-define-input.md).

1. Export the variable.

   For example, your build action might look like this:

   ```
   Build-action:
     ...
     Outputs:
       Variables:
         - APP-URL
   ```

   For information about exporting variables, see [Exporting a variable so that other actions can use it](workflows-working-with-variables-export-input.md).

1. (Optional) Choose **Validate** to validate the workflow's YAML code before committing.

1. Choose **Commit**, enter a commit message, and choose **Commit** again.

1. Proceed to [To verify that the application URL was added](#deploy-app-url-verify).<a name="deploy-app-url-verify"></a>

**To verify that the application URL was added**
+ Start a workflow run, if it hasn't started automatically. The new run should have the app URL displayed as a clickable link in its workflow diagram. For more information about starting runs, see [Starting a workflow run manually](workflows-manually-start.md).