GitHub Actions Platform
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A GitHub Actions Platform is a software development workflow platform (e.g. continuous integration (CI) workflows and continuous delivery (CD) workflows) built into GitHub repositories.
- Context:
- It can (typically) integrate with secrets management to securely handle sensitive information, like API keys, ensuring these are not exposed in the workflow logs.
- It can (often) automate CI/CD pipelines by setting up workflows triggered by events such as code pushes, pull requests, or scheduled intervals.
- It can (often) run workflows defined in YAML files located in the `.github/workflows` directory of a repository, allowing for full control over build, test, and deployment processes.
- It can (often) trigger workflows based on a wide range of GitHub events, including push events, pull request actions, issue creation, and more.
- It can (often) handle matrix builds, enabling the testing of code across various environments, such as different operating systems or runtime versions.
- It can (often) be executed on GitHub-hosted runners or self-hosted runners, giving developers the flexibility to use their own infrastructure for running workflows.
- It can (often) generate and store artifacts, enabling the sharing of data across jobs and the collection of workflow outputs for future reference or analysis.
- ...
- It can support the use of pre-built or custom Actions to perform reusable tasks, which can be shared via the GitHub Marketplace or developed specifically for individual projects.
- It can consist of multiple jobs and steps, allowing for complex workflows that execute tasks in parallel or sequentially based on defined conditions.
- It can be integrated with third-party services like Docker, AWS, and Azure for enhanced deployment and testing scenarios.
- ...
- Example(s):
- GitHub Actions, 2018, announced at the GitHub Universe conference and launched in limited public beta
- GitHub Actions, 2019, became generally available in November.
- ...
- GitHub Actions, 2024, continuous evolution and expansion of features, including growth of the GitHub Actions Marketplace to over 10,000 pre-written actions.
- ...
- Counter-Example(s):
- See: Continuous Integration, Continuous Delivery, GitLab CI/CD, Jenkins, CircleCI.
References
2023
- https://youtube.com/watch?v=R8_veQiYBjI
- NOTES:
- GitHub Actions automate developer workflows, streamlining tasks that are time-consuming, error-prone, or tedious.
- GitHub Actions are not limited to CI/CD pipelines but can automate various software development workflows such as managing pull requests, issues, and releases.
- GitHub Actions operate based on GitHub events, where actions are triggered automatically in response to specific repository events such as pushes, pull requests, or issue creation.
- GitHub Actions allow developers to define workflows using YAML files, where each workflow is composed of multiple jobs and steps to automate tasks.
- GitHub Actions enable CI/CD pipelines, simplifying the process of building, testing, and deploying code from the same platform where the code is hosted.
- GitHub Actions support integration with external tools like Docker, AWS, and Nexus, facilitating seamless deployment and artifact management workflows.
- GitHub Actions provide an easy setup for CI/CD pipelines, removing the need for dedicated DevOps resources by allowing developers to build and maintain pipelines directly within their GitHub repositories.
- GitHub Actions enable matrix builds, allowing developers to run workflows across multiple environments, such as different operating systems or Java versions, simultaneously.
- GitHub Actions provide access to pre-built actions from the GitHub Marketplace, where developers can reuse existing workflows, such as setting up environments, testing code, or deploying artifacts.
- NOTES: