Welcome to the advanced guide on GitHub workflow. In this section, we'll delve into the nuances of automating your development process using GitHub Actions and other tools.

Key Concepts

  • GitHub Actions: Automate your workflow directly in your GitHub repository.
  • CI/CD: Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment processes.
  • Docker: Containerize your application for seamless deployment.

Workflow Steps

  1. Initialization: Set up your repository with the necessary files.

    • Create a .github/workflows directory.
    • Add a YAML configuration file for your workflow.

  2. Job Creation: Define jobs that represent different steps in your workflow.

    • Build your application.
    • Test your code.
    • Deploy to production.

  3. Actions: Use actions to execute tasks in your workflow.

    • GitHub-hosted runners for free execution.
    • Use actions from the GitHub Marketplace or create custom actions.

  4. Caching: Speed up your workflow by caching dependencies.

    • Cache dependencies like npm packages or build artifacts.

  5. Branching: Customize your workflow for different branches.

    • Use different workflows for master and develop branches.

Example: Build and Deploy with GitHub Actions

Let's create a workflow to build and deploy a Node.js application.

name: Node.js CI/CD

on:
  push:
    branches:
      - main

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
      - name: Use Node.js ${{ matrix.node-version }}
        uses: actions/setup-node@v2
        with:
          node-version: ${{ matrix.node-version }}
      - run: npm install
      - run: npm run build

  deploy:
    needs: build
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
      - name: Deploy to Heroku
        uses: akhileshns/heroku@v3
        with:
          heroku_api_key: ${{ secrets.HEROKU_API_KEY }}
          heroku_app_name: 'my-node-app'

Extend Your Knowledge

To learn more about GitHub workflows, check out the official GitHub Actions documentation.

GitHub Actions