diff --git a/joj3_config_generator/models/result.py b/joj3_config_generator/models/result.py
index dd95c74..9d1a886 100644
--- a/joj3_config_generator/models/result.py
+++ b/joj3_config_generator/models/result.py
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ class Parser(BaseModel):
 
 class StageDetail(BaseModel):
     name: str
-    group: str = ""
+    groups: List[str] = []
     executor: Executor
     parsers: List[Parser]
 
diff --git a/joj3_config_generator/models/task.py b/joj3_config_generator/models/task.py
index 4991351..8fdebea 100644
--- a/joj3_config_generator/models/task.py
+++ b/joj3_config_generator/models/task.py
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@ class Case(StrictBaseModel):
 
 class Stage(Case):
     name: str = ""  # stage name
+    groups: List[str] = []  # list of groups
 
     parsers: List[Parser] = []  # list of parsers
     dummy: ParserDummy = ParserDummy()
diff --git a/joj3_config_generator/transformers/task.py b/joj3_config_generator/transformers/task.py
index df5c722..1306b6e 100644
--- a/joj3_config_generator/transformers/task.py
+++ b/joj3_config_generator/transformers/task.py
@@ -14,14 +14,17 @@ def get_conf_stage(
     task_stage: task.Stage,
     cached: Dict[str, None],
 ) -> result.StageDetail:
+    if task_stage.groups:
+        groups = task_stage.groups
+    else:
+        # single group is determined by adding between "[]" in the name of the task
+        if match := re.search(r"\[([^\[\]]+)\]", task_stage.name):
+            groups = [match.group(1)]
+        else:
+            groups = []
     conf_stage = result.StageDetail(
         name=task_stage.name,
-        # group is determined by adding between "[]" in the name of the task
-        group=(
-            match.group(1)
-            if (match := re.search(r"\[([^\[\]]+)\]", task_stage.name or ""))
-            else ""
-        ),
+        groups=groups,
         executor=result.Executor(
             name="sandbox",
             with_=get_executor_with(task_stage, cached),
diff --git a/tests/convert/basic/task.json b/tests/convert/basic/task.json
index 9fd830e..87a509e 100644
--- a/tests/convert/basic/task.json
+++ b/tests/convert/basic/task.json
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
         "stages": [
             {
                 "name": "Health Check",
-                "group": "",
+                "groups": [],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "local",
                     "with": {
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@
             },
             {
                 "name": "Compilation",
-                "group": "",
+                "groups": [],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "sandbox",
                     "with": {
@@ -203,7 +203,9 @@
             },
             {
                 "name": "[cq] Filelength",
-                "group": "cq",
+                "groups": [
+                    "cq"
+                ],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "sandbox",
                     "with": {
@@ -310,7 +312,9 @@
             },
             {
                 "name": "[cq] Clang-tidy",
-                "group": "cq",
+                "groups": [
+                    "cq"
+                ],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "sandbox",
                     "with": {
@@ -445,7 +449,9 @@
             },
             {
                 "name": "[cq] Cppcheck",
-                "group": "cq",
+                "groups": [
+                    "cq"
+                ],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "sandbox",
                     "with": {
@@ -603,7 +609,9 @@
             },
             {
                 "name": "[cq] Cpplint",
-                "group": "cq",
+                "groups": [
+                    "cq"
+                ],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "sandbox",
                     "with": {
@@ -713,7 +721,9 @@
             },
             {
                 "name": "[joj] ex2-asan",
-                "group": "joj",
+                "groups": [
+                    "joj"
+                ],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "sandbox",
                     "with": {
@@ -869,7 +879,7 @@
         "postStages": [
             {
                 "name": "teapot",
-                "group": "",
+                "groups": [],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "local",
                     "with": {
diff --git a/tests/convert/clang-tidy/task.json b/tests/convert/clang-tidy/task.json
index 628ebc5..e7bac27 100644
--- a/tests/convert/clang-tidy/task.json
+++ b/tests/convert/clang-tidy/task.json
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
         "stages": [
             {
                 "name": "[cq] Clang-tidy",
-                "group": "cq",
+                "groups": [
+                    "cq"
+                ],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "sandbox",
                     "with": {
diff --git a/tests/convert/cppcheck/task.json b/tests/convert/cppcheck/task.json
index f09d5ca..5c6936f 100644
--- a/tests/convert/cppcheck/task.json
+++ b/tests/convert/cppcheck/task.json
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
         "stages": [
             {
                 "name": "[cq] Cppcheck",
-                "group": "cq",
+                "groups": [
+                    "cq"
+                ],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "sandbox",
                     "with": {
diff --git a/tests/convert/cpplint/task.json b/tests/convert/cpplint/task.json
index 8bbc948..403c1ae 100644
--- a/tests/convert/cpplint/task.json
+++ b/tests/convert/cpplint/task.json
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
         "stages": [
             {
                 "name": "[cq] Cpplint",
-                "group": "cq",
+                "groups": [
+                    "cq"
+                ],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "sandbox",
                     "with": {
diff --git a/tests/convert/diff/task.json b/tests/convert/diff/task.json
index 9688e5b..7095b8d 100644
--- a/tests/convert/diff/task.json
+++ b/tests/convert/diff/task.json
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
         "stages": [
             {
                 "name": "[joj] ex2-asan",
-                "group": "joj",
+                "groups": [
+                    "joj"
+                ],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "sandbox",
                     "with": {
diff --git a/tests/convert/elf/task.json b/tests/convert/elf/task.json
index af459ab..7f3f15b 100644
--- a/tests/convert/elf/task.json
+++ b/tests/convert/elf/task.json
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
         "stages": [
             {
                 "name": "[cq] elf",
-                "group": "cq",
+                "groups": [
+                    "cq"
+                ],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "sandbox",
                     "with": {
diff --git a/tests/convert/empty/task.json b/tests/convert/empty/task.json
index 7d478d0..7c4ab96 100644
--- a/tests/convert/empty/task.json
+++ b/tests/convert/empty/task.json
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
         "stages": [
             {
                 "name": "Health Check",
-                "group": "",
+                "groups": [],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "local",
                     "with": {
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@
         "postStages": [
             {
                 "name": "teapot",
-                "group": "",
+                "groups": [],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "local",
                     "with": {
diff --git a/tests/convert/full/task.json b/tests/convert/full/task.json
index 18d41cf..a2928bd 100644
--- a/tests/convert/full/task.json
+++ b/tests/convert/full/task.json
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
         "stages": [
             {
                 "name": "Health Check",
-                "group": "",
+                "groups": [],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "local",
                     "with": {
@@ -107,7 +107,10 @@
             },
             {
                 "name": "Generate yes.txt [no]",
-                "group": "no",
+                "groups": [
+                    "run",
+                    "no"
+                ],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "sandbox",
                     "with": {
@@ -425,7 +428,7 @@
         "postStages": [
             {
                 "name": "teapot",
-                "group": "",
+                "groups": [],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "local",
                     "with": {
diff --git a/tests/convert/full/task.toml b/tests/convert/full/task.toml
index 6668a76..4846e9b 100644
--- a/tests/convert/full/task.toml
+++ b/tests/convert/full/task.toml
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ groups.time-period-hour = [24, 1]
 # e.g. commit msg "test(hw7): run yes" will not run this stage
 # commit msg "test(hw7): run yes [no]" will run this stage
 name = "Generate yes.txt [no]"
+# you can also use this fields to override the above groups
+groups = ["run", "no"]
 
 # ===================================================
 # ========== executor related config start ==========
diff --git a/tests/convert/keyword/task.json b/tests/convert/keyword/task.json
index 0291136..aba53b5 100644
--- a/tests/convert/keyword/task.json
+++ b/tests/convert/keyword/task.json
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
         "stages": [
             {
                 "name": "[cq] Filelength",
-                "group": "cq",
+                "groups": [
+                    "cq"
+                ],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "sandbox",
                     "with": {
diff --git a/tests/convert/result-detail/task.json b/tests/convert/result-detail/task.json
index 4846b19..c00ba50 100644
--- a/tests/convert/result-detail/task.json
+++ b/tests/convert/result-detail/task.json
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
         "stages": [
             {
                 "name": "[cq] Filelength",
-                "group": "cq",
+                "groups": [
+                    "cq"
+                ],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "sandbox",
                     "with": {
diff --git a/tests/convert/unnecessary/task.json b/tests/convert/unnecessary/task.json
index 242e797..892281a 100644
--- a/tests/convert/unnecessary/task.json
+++ b/tests/convert/unnecessary/task.json
@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
         "stages": [
             {
                 "name": "[cq] Filelength",
-                "group": "cq",
+                "groups": [
+                    "cq"
+                ],
                 "executor": {
                     "name": "sandbox",
                     "with": {