Profiles

Profiles let one configuration serve APIs with different governance needs.

Select a profile

docker run --rm \
  -v "$(pwd):/usr/src/app" \
  -w /usr/src/app \
  specmatic/enterprise \
  lint openapi.yaml --profile public-api

Selection rules:

1. --profile selects that profile explicitly.
2. With one configured profile, Specmatic selects it automatically.
3. With several profiles, Specmatic selects default when present.
4. Otherwise, the command asks you to choose with --profile.

Define separate policies

profiles:
  internal:
    rules:
      extends:
        - lenient
      override:
        info-contact: off

  public-api:
    rules:
      extends:
        - recommended
      override:
        info-contact: error
        operation-description: error

Run each API with the policy matching its audience.

Inherit another profile

Use profile-level extends when policies share most settings:

profiles:
  default:
    rules:
      extends:
        - recommended
      override:
        operation-summary: warn

  public-api:
    extends:
      - default
    rules:
      override:
        operation-summary: error
        info-contact: error

public-api receives default settings, then applies its own settings. Child values win when both profiles configure the same rule.

note

profile.extends names another profile. profile.rules.extends names a built-in ruleset such as recommended.

Profile inheritance can span multiple levels. Circular inheritance and unknown profile names are rejected during configuration loading.

Keep profiles purposeful

Create profiles for real policy differences—such as internal vs public APIs—not for individual files. This keeps CI commands predictable and policy changes centralized.