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Submitting Jobs

This guide introduces the basics of submitting jobs to Bacalhau. Whether you're running a quick task or setting up a more complex job, you'll learn the essential approaches.

What You'll Learn​

  • How to run quick jobs with simple commands
  • How to create reusable job specifications
  • Basic job configuration options

Quick Jobs: Command Line Approach​

The fastest way to run a job is using the bacalhau docker run command. This is perfect for simple tasks or when you're just getting started.

bacalhau docker run \
  ubuntu:latest \
  -- echo "Hello from Bacalhau"

By default, this runs a batch job (one-time execution). You can also run ops jobs using --target all.

bacalhau docker run \
  --target all \
  ubuntu:latest \
  -- echo "Running as an ops job"

Key Options​

  • --cpu 0.5: Request half a CPU core
  • --memory 512mb: Request 512MB of memory
  • --id-only: Show just the job ID (useful for scripts)
tip

Everything after the -- is executed inside the container.

Reusable Jobs: YAML Specification​

For jobs you'll run multiple times or want to save, create a YAML specification file:

# hello-job.yaml
Name: "hello-bacalhau"
Type: batch
Count: 1
Tasks:
  - Name: "task1"
    Engine:
      Type: "docker"
      Params:
        Image: "ubuntu:latest"
        Entrypoint:
          - "echo"
          - "Hello from a YAML spec!"

Submit it with:

bacalhau job run hello-job.yaml

This approach helps you:

  • Save job configurations for later use
  • Share job definitions with teammates
  • Make small changes without retyping everything
info

Find out more about the possibilities of jobs in the job specification reference.

Job Types and Choosing Methods​

Bacalhau supports several job types:

  • batch: One-time execution (default for command line)
  • ops: Administrative tasks targeting specific nodes (use --target all to run on all nodes)
  • service: Long-running services that run on any N nodes
  • daemon: Background processes that run continuously on all nodes

Important: Service and daemon jobs can only be created using YAML specifications as they're designed for repeatable or updatable workloads.

When to Choose Each Method​

  • Use the command line for:
    • Quick, one-time batch jobs
    • Simple ops jobs with --target all
  • Use YAML files when:
    • Running service or daemon jobs
    • Creating repeatable job configurations
    • Sharing job definitions with teammates