> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://ona.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Startup tasks & services

> Automate environment setup and define repeatable actions for humans and agents.

Tasks and services automate the repetitive work of setting up and operating development environments: seeding databases, starting servers, running tests, authenticating with cloud providers. Define it once and it runs automatically or on-demand.

For agents, tasks and services are essential. When Ona can run `npm test` or `docker compose up` reliably, it can iterate autonomously without human intervention.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/gitpod-13c83c2b/c26BwAvx1bBE6WnD/images/docs/ona/tasks-and-services/environment-details.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=c26BwAvx1bBE6WnD&q=85&s=db26958083ea1ef3ef09ded6b306a2d4" alt="Tasks and Services in environment details" width="1238" height="1308" data-path="images/docs/ona/tasks-and-services/environment-details.png" />

## Tasks vs Services

**Services** are long-running processes that stay active throughout your session:

* Databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL)
* Backend and frontend servers
* Caching systems (Redis)

**Tasks** are one-off actions that run and complete:

* Installing dependencies
* Running tests
* Seeding databases
* Authenticating with cloud providers

<Info>
  A service's `start` command must **stay running** (block) for the service to remain active. If the command exits, the service transitions to Stopped (exit code 0) or Failed (non-zero). For example, `npm start` or `docker run postgres` block and keep the service alive, while `docker run -d postgres` returns immediately and the service stops.
</Info>

## Quick example

```yaml theme={null}
# .ona/automations.yaml
services:
  database:
    name: PostgreSQL
    commands:
      start: docker compose up postgres
      ready: docker compose exec postgres pg_isready
    triggeredBy:
      - postDevcontainerStart

tasks:
  seed:
    name: Seed database
    command: npm run db:seed
    dependsOn:
      - database
    triggeredBy:
      - postDevcontainerStart

  test:
    name: Run tests
    command: npm test
    triggeredBy:
      - manual
```

This configuration:

1. Starts PostgreSQL when the environment starts
2. Waits until the database is ready
3. Seeds the database with test data
4. Makes "Run tests" available as a manual action

## Triggers

Control when tasks and services run:

| Trigger                 | Services | Tasks | When it runs                                                                                                       |
| ----------------------- | -------- | ----- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `manual`                | ✓        | ✓     | On-demand via the CLI or UI                                                                                        |
| `postDevcontainerStart` | ✓        | ✓     | After the Dev Container starts in a user environment (first start or rebuild). Does **not** fire during prebuilds. |
| `postEnvironmentStart`  | ✓        | ✓     | Every time the environment starts or resumes                                                                       |
| `prebuild`              | ✓        | ✓     | During prebuild execution only (no user secrets available). Does **not** fire in user environments.                |
| `beforeSnapshot`        | ✗        | ✓     | Before an environment snapshot is created                                                                          |

See [automations.yaml schema](/ona/reference/automations-yaml-schema#triggers) for complete trigger documentation, including [how triggers interact with prebuilds](/ona/reference/automations-yaml-schema#prebuilds-and-triggers).

## Run automations across repositories

Tasks and services run within individual environments. For cross-repository automation at scale (migrations, security scanning, bulk updates), see [Automations](/ona/automations/overview).

## Next steps

* [automations.yaml schema](/ona/reference/automations-yaml-schema) - field reference for all fields, commands, triggers, and execution environments
* [Examples](/ona/configuration/tasks-and-services/examples) - common patterns for databases, servers, and CI
* [Dynamic configuration](/ona/configuration/tasks-and-services/generating-tasks-and-services) - create tasks and services programmatically