github-actions-cicd

name

github-actions-cicd

description

Create and manage GitHub Actions workflows for CI/CD pipelines. Use when: (1) Creating new workflow files, (2) Setting up PR checks and automated testing, (3) Configuring deployment pipelines, (4) Managing secrets and environment variables, (5) Debugging workflow failures, (6) Setting up manual triggers or approvals, or working with .github/workflows. Keywords: github actions, ci/cd, workflow, pipeline, deployment, automation, pr checks, continuous integration. Use when this capability is needed.

GitHub Actions CI/CD

Create and manage GitHub Actions workflows for continuous integration, testing, and deployment pipelines.

When to Use This Skill

• Creating new workflow files in .github/workflows/
• Setting up PR validation and automated testing
• Configuring deployment pipelines (staging/production)
• Managing GitHub secrets and environment variables
• Debugging workflow failures
• Setting up manual workflow triggers or deployment approvals

Prerequisites

Required: GitHub repository with Actions enabled

Tools: GitHub CLI (gh), act (optional, for local testing)

Workflow Basics

Location: .github/workflows/<name>.yaml

Structure:

name: Workflow Name
on: [push, pull_request]
jobs:
  job-name:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - run: echo "Hello"

Common Patterns

PR Validation

on: pull_request
jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - run: npm ci && npm test

Environment Deployments

on:
  push:
    branches: [main]
jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    environment: production  # Requires approval
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - run: ./deploy.sh

Manual Triggers

on: workflow_dispatch  # Shows "Run workflow" button

Secrets Management

Add: Repository Settings → Secrets → New secret

Use:

env:
  API_KEY: ${{ secrets.API_KEY }}

Debugging

gh run list            # List runs
gh run view <id>       # View details
gh run watch           # Watch real-time
gh run rerun <id>      # Retry failed run

Templates & References

• PR Checks Template - Lint and test validation
• Multi-Environment Deploy - Staging/production pipeline
• Production with Approval - Manual approval workflow
• Matrix Testing - Test across versions/platforms
• Workflow Patterns - Advanced configurations
• Triggers Reference - All trigger types and options
• Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions

Best Practices

✅ Pin action versions (@v4), cache dependencies, use environments for production ❌ Never hardcode secrets, don't use pull_request_target without understanding risks

Quick Reference

# Workflows
gh workflow list
gh workflow run <name>

# Runs
gh run list
gh run view <id>
gh run cancel <id>

# Secrets
gh secret set NAME
gh secret list

Common Actions

• actions/checkout@v4 - Clone repository
• actions/setup-node@v4 - Setup Node.js
• actions/cache@v4 - Cache dependencies
• actions/upload-artifact@v4 - Save files

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