Github Actions

Github Actions is an automation tool integrated with Github.

Understanding Github Actions

• Here is a repo with some common examples and getting started links!
• YouTube: Github Actions CI/CD - Everything you need to know to get started
• Official Understanding Actions Docs. These are paraphrased below.

Workflows

"A workflow is a configurable automated process that will run one or more jobs. Workflows are defined by a YAML file checked in to your repository and will run when triggered by an event in your repository, or they can be triggered manually, or at a defined schedule." (citation)

Workflows are placed in the .github/workflows/ directory at the root of your repository.

Understanding the Workflow File

Actions

Prepackaged Github Actions workflows can be found in the Actions Marketplace in the 'Actions' tab for every repo. You can also create custom Actions.

Events

Events are configured to trigger workflows. These can be schedules, changes to branches, the completion of other workflows, and much more. Github has thorough documentation on Workflow triggers and Events.

Triggering A Workflow

Full Event List

Jobs

Jobs are the work defined to be done in a workflow. Jobs run concurrently unless configured otherwise.

• Using Jobs in a Workflow
• Conditional Job Execution
• Using Job Environments
• Running Jobs in a Container
• Setting Default Values
• And More!

Runners

Runners are the servers that run Jobs.

See Action Runners page for more information.

Use Cases and Examples

helloworld.yml

Text Only

name: hello-world
on: push # trigger
jobs:
  my-job:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest # A Github Hosted Runner
    steps:
      - name: my-step
        run: echo "Hello World!"

Docs

DevEx uses Actions to deploy this docs site. See Github Pages page.

Dependabot

See Dependabot Page

Other Examples

• Using Actions to Run Test Scripts
• fireship.io Useful Actions Examples

Other Useful Pages

• Migrate from another Pipeline
• Github Security Guides