Dictate in any app · Code

Voice typing in CircleCI

CI configuration is YAML, and YAML explains nothing about itself. Hold a key and talk: Typally transcribes and types it into CircleCI without you touching the keyboard.

Written by the team behind Typally. CircleCI's own features are described as accurately as we can — check them yourself before switching anything.
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In short

  • CircleCI's own dictation: None. Config is a file; the dashboard has few text fields.
  • What Typally does instead: types into the focused window, so it works in CircleCI and everywhere else you write.
  • Best used for: config file comments

Does CircleCI have built-in dictation?

None. Config is a file; the dashboard has few text fields.

Why dictate in CircleCI at all?

A CI config accumulates workarounds — a cache key that had to change, a step that only runs on one branch for a reason lost to history. Without comments the file becomes something people copy rather than understand.

In practice people use it for: Config file comments, pull request descriptions explaining pipeline changes, and runbook notes for failures.

How to dictate in CircleCI

Because Typally types at the system level rather than plugging into CircleCI, setup is the same everywhere:

1

Get Typally running

Install, sign in, and it waits in the tray.

2

Put the cursor in the CircleCI field you are filling

Make sure CircleCI has the cursor in the intended field; that is the only thing that decides where words appear.

3

Speak with the key held down

Push to talk, say your piece, release to transcribe.

4

Read it before you move on

YAML is whitespace-sensitive and symbol-dense. Dictate the comments only, and type the structure.

What Typally adds in CircleCI

Typally types into your editor and the browser equally, so the comment goes in as you make the change and the pull request description gets written straight afterwards. Custom vocabulary keeps job and workflow names intact rather than phonetically guessed.

What this looks like in practice

An engineer adds a spoken comment above each of the six conditionals in a CI config. The next pipeline change is made by someone else without a single question in Slack.

One habit that makes it work better

Comment every conditional in the config. The 'why does this only run on main' question is asked by every new joiner.

What to watch out for in CircleCI

YAML is whitespace-sensitive and symbol-dense. Dictate the comments only, and type the structure.

Frequently asked questions

Does CircleCI have dictation?

No. Configuration is a file you edit in your own editor.

Where does dictation help with CI?

Comments in the config and the pull request description explaining a pipeline change.

Can I dictate YAML?

Not usefully. Whitespace and punctuation defeat it.

Try it in CircleCI

There is a permanent free tier of 100 minutes a month. Pro costs $7.99/month and raises the limit.

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Also dictate in: Jenkins · GitHub · Azure DevOps · JetBrains Rider · GoLand · see all apps