# CLI & CI/CD

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***

## Run the check[​](#run-the-check "Direct link to Run the check")

Run the check from inside your catalog directory. By default it compares the current working directory against the `main` branch.

```
eventcatalog governance check
```

#### Testing locally[​](#testing-locally "Direct link to Testing locally")

To test locally, make changes to your catalog locally and then run the governance check command.

```
eventcatalog governance check --target main
```

This will compare the current working directory against the specified branch.

## CLI options[​](#cli-options "Direct link to CLI options")

| Option              | Description                                                             | Default           |
| ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------- |
| `--base <branch>`   | Base branch to compare against                                          | `main`            |
| `--target <branch>` | Target branch to compare (instead of working directory)                 | working directory |
| `--format json`     | Output results as JSON                                                  | text              |
| `--status <label>`  | Status label included in webhook payloads (e.g. `proposed`, `approved`) | none              |

### Compare two branches[​](#compare-two-branches "Direct link to Compare two branches")

```
eventcatalog governance check --base main --target feature/new-consumers
```

### Output JSON[​](#output-json "Direct link to Output JSON")

```
eventcatalog governance check --format json
```

### Include a status label[​](#include-a-status-label "Direct link to Include a status label")

The `--status` flag adds a `status` field to webhook payloads, useful when running governance checks at different stages of a pull request lifecycle.

```
eventcatalog governance check --status proposed
```

## GitHub Actions[​](#github-actions "Direct link to GitHub Actions")

### Proposed changes[​](#proposed-changes "Direct link to Proposed changes")

When you want to notify your teams of incoming changes (not merged yet), you can use the `--status proposed` flag to mark the changes as proposed.

This example workflow will notify your teams of incoming changes (not merged yet). The status `proposed` will be included in the webhook payload.

.github/workflows/governance.yaml

```
name: EventCatalog Governance
on:
  pull_request:
    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened]

jobs:
  governance:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
        with:
          fetch-depth: 0
          ref: ${{ github.head_ref }}
      # Fetch the base branch (e.g. main or whatever you want to compare against)
      - run: git fetch origin main
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: '24'
      - run: |
          npx @eventcatalog/cli governance check \
            --base main \
            --target ${{ github.head_ref }} \
            --status proposed
        env:
          EVENTCATALOG_SCALE_LICENSE_KEY: ${{ secrets.EVENTCATALOG_SCALE_LICENSE_KEY }}
          SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL: ${{ secrets.SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL }}
```

### Approved changes[​](#approved-changes "Direct link to Approved changes")

When a pull request is merged to the base branch, you can run the check again with `--status approved` to notify teams that the change is confirmed.

This example workflow will notify your teams that the change is confirmed. The status `approved` will be included in the webhook payload.

.github/workflows/governance.yaml

```
name: EventCatalog Governance
on: merge

jobs:
  governance:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
        with:
          fetch-depth: 0
          ref: ${{ github.base_ref }} 
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: '24'
      - run: |
          npx @eventcatalog/cli governance check \
            --base main \
            --target ${{ github.base_ref }} \
            --status approved
        env:
          EVENTCATALOG_SCALE_LICENSE_KEY: ${{ secrets.EVENTCATALOG_SCALE_LICENSE_KEY }}
          SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL: ${{ secrets.SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL }}
```