> In GitLab 11.7, support for [including GitLab-supplied templates directly](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/issues/53445) and support for [including templates from another repository](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ce/issues/53903) was added.
Using the `include` keyword, you can allow the inclusion of external YAML files.
Using the `include` keyword, you can allow the inclusion of external YAML files.
`include` requires the external YAML file to have the extensions `.yml` or `.yaml`,
otherwise the external file will not be included.
In the following example, the content of `.before-script-template.yml` will be
The files defined in `include` are:
automatically fetched and evaluated along with the content of `.gitlab-ci.yml`:
```yaml
- Deep merged with those in `.gitlab-ci.yml`.
# Content of https://gitlab.com/awesome-project/raw/master/.before-script-template.yml
- Always evaluated first and merged with the content of `.gitlab-ci.yml`,
regardless of the position of the `include` keyword.