Using Outputs References

Overview

Output References in Bluebricks allow you to use the outputs of one deployment as inputs for another. This creates a powerful way to compose infrastructure across layers, enabling teams to build modular architectures where higher-level deployments automatically consume values produced by foundational or shared deployments.

By linking deployments through output references, Bluebricks ensures consistency, reduces duplication, and provides a clean interface for passing cross-environment or cross-service dependencies—such as network configurations, credentials, resource identifiers, or endpoints.

How Output References Work

Each deployment exposes its outputs once a run completes successfully. These outputs can be referenced directly as inputs in another deployment’s configuration. Bluebricks ensures:

• Automatic resolution of referenced outputs during run execution

• Type-safe and consistent value propagation across environments

• Easy change management by automatically tracking related resources

This turns each deployment into a reusable building block that can feed data into any number of dependent deployments.

Deployment page with output references of vgw_id and vpc_id

Cloud graph showing related resources

Common Use Cases

1. Shared “Master” Resources

A common pattern is creating a core set of foundational resources—such as networking, IAM, logging, or shared services—and exposing their outputs so they can be consumed by multiple downstream deployments.

Examples include:

• Using a central VPC or subnet ID for many application deployments

• Providing a shared security group or firewall rule set

• Passing common monitoring or logging endpoints

• Using a globally managed KMS key or identity provider

This ensures consistency across teams and environments while avoiding duplication of foundational resources.

2. Cross-Account Security Dependencies

Output references also make it straightforward to establish secure relationships between different cloud tenants. This is particularly useful for organizations implementing multi-account architectures, security boundaries, or centralized governance models.

Examples include:

• Passing IAM role ARNs from a security account to workload accounts

• Sharing KMS keys or encryption settings between isolated accounts

• Providing resource identifiers needed for cross-account trust or permissions

• Coordinating shared identity providers, signing keys, or audit pipelines

By using output references, you ensure that these sensitive dependencies remain explicit, discoverable, and centrally managed.

Benefits of Output References in Bluebricks

Bluebricks enhances the output-reference workflow with:

• Native dependency management — get alerted when there is change to dependent resource

• Automatic output resolution — removing the need for manual copy-paste or scripting

• Strong separation of concerns — foundational and application layers are decoupled