Resolving "Argument list too long" errors in tracked runs

If you encounter an error message like the following in your tracked runs:

Verification failed: a prerequisite is missing from the runner image: could not run 'ps' command: could not execute command: fork/exec /bin/sh: argument list too long

This error occurs when the total size of environment variables exceeds Linux system limits. The maximum size for environment variables is 128KB (131,072 bytes).

Common Causes

• Very large environment variables

• Large dictionaries or data structures passed as environment variables

• Accumulation of many environment variables

Troubleshooting Steps

1. Enable debug logging by setting the environment variable SPACELIFT_DEBUG to true in your stack settings

2. Review your environment variables, particularly looking for:

   • Very large individual variables

   • Large data structures passed as environment variables

   • Redundant variables that could be consolidated

Solutions

To work around this limitation, consider these approaches:

• Move large configuration values to tfvars files instead of environment variables

• Split large data structures into smaller, more manageable pieces

• Review and remove any unnecessary environment variables

• Consider using alternative configuration methods for large data sets, such as external configuration files