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GitHub Actions at a Glance

Picture of Osanda Deshan Nimalarathna Osanda Deshan Nimalarathna

Automation engineering has already become a game-changing field in the rapidly changing world of software engineering for streamlining workflows, reducing errors, and accelerating project delivery. In this context, Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) plays a closely integrated role.

Although there are traditional CI/CD systems like Jenkins which is an open-source automation server, GitHub Actions is a powerful automation platform integrated into GitHub that enables developers to easily build, test, and deploy their code.

I'm going to guide you through the ins and outs of GitHub Actions, focusing on its core concepts, practical applications, and best practices. By the end, you'll have the knowledge and confidence to fully utilize this incredible tool.

If you have a basic understanding of traditional CI/CD approaches, this article will assist you in moving forward with GitHub Actions, which falls under the "Pipeline as Code" category of CI/CD strategies.

 

Intro

 

What are GitHub Actions?

GitHub Actions is a platform for automation that allows you to define, create, and manage workflows directly within your GitHub repositories. These workflows are customizable task sequences that are executed automatically in response to various triggers such as code pushes, pull requests, or issue comments.

Next, let's look into the benefits of GitHub Actions over the traditional CI/CD approaches.

 

Benefits of GitHub Actions over the Traditional Approaches

GitHub Actions offers several advantages over traditional CI/CD systems and standalone automation tools:

1. Seamless Integration: GitHub Actions is deeply embedded in the GitHub ecosystem, allowing you to define workflows together with your code. There is no need to configure or manage separate CI/CD systems or automation scripts.

2. Diverse Ecosystem: GitHub Marketplace contains a large number of pre-built actions and workflows that have been contributed by both GitHub and the community. This large library allows you to automate many aspects of your development process, from code analysis to deployment.

3. Flexibility and Customization: GitHub Actions configures workflows using YAML files, which provides flexibility and transparency. You have complete control over your automation processes, and you can version control your workflows in the same way that you do your code.

4. Cost-Efficiency: GitHub Actions provides free minutes for public repositories, it is a cost-effective option for open-source projects. Private repositories also get free minutes, with additional minutes available at competitive rates.

You are now aware of the advantages of GitHub Actions. Without any further delay, let's look at the practical usage of GitHub Actions.

 

Practical Use Cases

GitHub Actions can be used in a variety of software development instances, including:

  1. Continuous Integration (CI): Build and test your code automatically every time changes are pushed to the repository. This prevents new code changes from introducing regressions or conflicts.
  2. Continuous Deployment (CD): You can deploy your applications to staging or production environments with high confidence. GitHub Actions can manage the whole deployment pipeline, from development to deployment and monitoring.
  3. Code Quality and Analysis: Use GitHub Actions to run code analysis tools, perform static code checks, and generate code quality reports. This helps in the maintenance of code consistency and the finding of areas for improvement.
  4. Automated Testing: Run automated test suites on a variety of platforms and environments. Because GitHub Actions supports parallel test execution, it is suitable for projects with large test suites.
  5. Release Automation: Create versioned releases, generate release notes, and notify stakeholders about new releases to automate the release process.

Now that you've learned about the practical use cases of GitHub Actions, let's get to the fun part: figuring out how to use it in your projects.

 

How to Use GitHub Actions

GitHub Actions is a powerful tool, but fully utilizing its capabilities needs a thorough understanding of its features and YAML-based configuration files. Let's look at some practical examples of how to set up GitHub Actions for your project.

1. Workflow Basics

A GitHub Action workflow can be found in a YAML file called main.yml in your repository's .github/workflows directory. Here's a simple workflow that runs after every push to the main branch:

name: CI/CD Pipeline



on:

push:

   branches:

     - main



jobs:

build:

   runs-on: ubuntu-latest



   steps:

   - name: Checkout code

     uses: actions/checkout@v2


   - name: Set up Node.js

     uses: actions/setup-node@v2

     with:

       node-version: '14'



   - name: Install dependencies

     run: npm ci



   - name: Run tests

     run: npm test


In this example:

  • The workflow is named "CI/CD Pipeline."
  • It triggers on every push event to the main branch.
  • It runs on a GitHub-hosted runner with Ubuntu.
  • It checks out your code, sets up Node.js, installs project dependencies, and runs tests.

2. Custom Workflows

You can create custom workflows that are specific to your project's requirements. Here is an example of a workflow that creates a Node.js application and deploys it to a server:

name: Build and Deploy



on:

push:

   branches:

     - main




jobs:

build:

   runs-on: ubuntu-latest



   steps:

   - name: Checkout code

     uses: actions/checkout@v2



   - name: Set up Node.js

     uses: actions/setup-node@v2

     with:

       node-version: '14'



   - name: Install dependencies

     run: npm ci



   - name: Build application

     run: npm run build



deploy:

   runs-on: ubuntu-latest



   needs: build



   steps:

   - name: Deploy to server

     run: |

       scp -r ./dist user@your-
server:/path/to/deployment

     env:

       SSH_PRIVATE_KEY: $

In this example, there are two jobs: "build" and "deploy." The "deploy" job depends on the "build" job, ensuring that deployment only occurs when the build succeeds.

3. Secrets and Environment Variables

Secrets and environment variables can be securely stored using GitHub Actions. These can be used to store sensitive data such as API keys or deployment credentials. Here's how to set them up and use them:

name: Secret Example



on:

push:

   branches:

     - main



jobs:

secret-example:

   runs-on: ubuntu-latest



   steps:

   - name: Checkout code

     uses: actions/checkout@v2



   - name: Use a secret


     run: echo "My secret is $"

The secret MY_SECRET is accessed as an environment variable in this example by using the $ syntax.

 

Challenges and Solutions

Although GitHub Actions is a powerful automation tool, it also has disadvantages same as any other technology. I'm going to explain some common challenges that users may face and how to resolve them.

1. Workflow Complexity

Your workflows may become more complex as your project grows, resulting in longer execution times and debugging difficulties. In such situations, Complex workflows can be broken down into smaller, reusable components. To eliminate redundancy and make your workflows more maintainable, use YAML anchors and aliases. As an example:

jobs:

build:

   runs-on: ubuntu-latest

   steps:

   - name: Checkout code

     uses: actions/checkout@v2



deploy:

   runs-on: ubuntu-latest

   needs: build

   steps:

   - name: Deploy to production

     run: |

       # Deployment steps


In this example, both the "build" and "deploy" jobs share the same "Checkout code" step.

2. Compatibility Issues

Certain languages, frameworks, or tools may not be compatible with Actions. Below are some examples.

  • Python 2: GitHub Actions dropped support for Python 2, which reached its end of life. If your project relies on Python 2, you'll encounter compatibility issues. Consider upgrading your code to Python 3 or using a different CI/CD platform.
  • Node.js with Legacy Versions: GitHub Actions may not provide the latest Node.js versions. If your project requires a specific, newer Node.js version not available in GitHub Actions, you'll need to manually install it in your workflow.

It is recommended to regularly check the official marketplace for actions and actions contributed by the community. You can also create custom actions that are customized to your specific requirements. If you have concerns about a specific action's compatibility, you can consider contributing to its development or finding alternatives.

3. Debugging Failures

Finding the source of a workflow failure can be difficult, specially in large projects. Since GitHub Actions keeps detailed logs of each step of your workflow. When a failure occurs, examine the logs to determine the cause. Debugging steps can also be added to your workflow to gather more information, such as the contents of specific files or environment variables.

4. Costs and Resource Limits

Although GitHub Actions provides free minutes for public repositories, private repositories and highly resource-intensive workflows might face additional charges. To avoid unexpected charges, keep track of your usage and set spending limits. Workflows should be optimized for efficiency to reduce resource consumption.

Nothing beats seeing a real-world application in action, and GitHub Actions is no exception. Let's look at some real-world examples of how GitHub Actions is used in web, mobile, and API automation projects to execute tests as part of the Continuous Integration (CI) process.

 

Real-World Examples

  1. Using GitHub Actions for a Web Automation Project
  2. Using GitHub Actions for a Mobile Automation Project
  3. Using GitHub Actions for an API Automation Project

 

Conclusion

GitHub Actions is a powerful tool that can greatly improve your development and automation workflows. You may realize all of its abilities by understanding its features, mastering YAML configuration, and addressing common challenges.

I have discussed what GitHub Actions is, its advantages over typical methods, practical use cases, and how to use it properly in this article. I've also looked at common problems and provided solutions to them.

Take note that GitHub Actions is a living, breathing platform with a growing community. Maintain your knowledge of the latest features and best practices, and you're going to be well on your way to mastering GitHub Actions for your projects.
Osanda Deshan Nimalarathna

Written by Osanda Deshan Nimalarathna

I am a visionary Solution Architect in Automation, leading the charge in revolutionizing automation solutions. My expertise spans from designing intricate frameworks to delving into the depths of open-source technology. With a proven track record as a technical specialist, I excel in translating innovation into real-world solutions. My passion for sharing knowledge as a tech blogger adds an extra dimension to my multifaceted journey. Join me on this thrilling ride through the realms of cutting-edge automation and transformative technology.