GitHub Actions: Automate Workflows

Welcome to the Git & GitHub Tutorial Series by CodeHarborHub. GitHub Actions allows you to automate repetitive tasks, build CI/CD pipelines, and streamline your development workflow directly within GitHub.

1. What are GitHub Actions?

GitHub Actions is a CI/CD and automation platform integrated into GitHub.

It allows you to:

• Automatically build and test code when changes are pushed
• Deploy applications to servers or cloud platforms
• Automate workflows like labeling issues, sending notifications, or generating reports
• Trigger actions on events like pull requests, pushes, or releases

Think of GitHub Actions as your personal automation assistant for repositories.

---

2. Workflow Structure

A workflow is a YAML file that defines automated tasks in your repository.

File location:

.github/workflows/workflow-name.yml

Key Components

Component	Description
name	Name of the workflow
on	Event triggers (push, pull_request, schedule)
jobs	A set of tasks executed by the workflow
runs-on	Operating system for the job (ubuntu-latest, windows-latest)
steps	Individual commands, actions, or scripts

3. Example: Simple CI Workflow

This workflow runs on every push to the main branch and tests a Node.js project:

node-ci.yaml

name: Node.js CI

on:
  push:
    branches: [ main ]
  pull_request:
    branches: [ main ]

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest

    steps:
    - name: Checkout repository
      uses: actions/checkout@v3

    - name: Setup Node.js
      uses: actions/setup-node@v3
      with:
        node-version: '18'

    - name: Install dependencies
      run: npm install

    - name: Run tests
      run: npm test

This workflow automatically checks out your code, installs dependencies, and runs tests — no manual steps required.

4. Event Triggers

Workflows are triggered by GitHub events:

Event	Description
push	Triggered when commits are pushed
pull_request	Triggered when PRs are opened, updated, or merged
schedule	Run workflows on a cron schedule
workflow_dispatch	Manual trigger from GitHub UI
release	Triggered when a release is published

You can combine multiple events in a single workflow.

5. Using Actions

Actions are reusable tasks created by GitHub or the community.

• Official actions: actions/checkout, actions/setup-node
• Community actions: Published in GitHub Marketplace

Example: Sending Slack notifications after a workflow:

- name: Send Slack Notification
  uses: slackapi/slack-github-action@v1.23
  with:
    channel-id: 'C12345678'
    slack-token: ${{ secrets.SLACK_TOKEN }}

Actions can simplify your workflow without writing complex scripts.

6. Environment Variables & Secrets

Workflows often need sensitive information (API keys, tokens):

• Store secrets in Repository Settings → Secrets and variables → Actions
• Access in YAML using ${{ secrets.YOUR_SECRET_NAME }}

Example:

- name: Deploy to Server
  run: scp -r ./dist user@server.com:/var/www/
  env:
    SSH_KEY: ${{ secrets.SSH_KEY }}

Never hardcode sensitive credentials directly in workflow files.

---

7. CI/CD Pipeline Example

Example workflow to build, test, and deploy a Node.js app:

name: CI/CD Pipeline

on:
  push:
    branches: [ main ]

jobs:
  build-and-test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v3
        with:
          node-version: '18'
      - run: npm install
      - run: npm test

  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    needs: build-and-test
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - run: npm run build
      - name: Deploy to Server
        run: ./deploy.sh

The deploy job only runs if build-and-test succeeds — a simple CI/CD pipeline.

---

8. Tips & Best Practices

• Keep workflows small and focused for faster execution
• Use caching (actions/cache) for dependencies to speed up builds
• Use branch-specific workflows for feature branches or release branches
• Monitor workflow runs regularly in Actions tab
• Use manual triggers (workflow_dispatch) for flexible automation

---

Summary

Feature	Purpose
Workflows	Automate tasks and pipelines
Jobs	Units of execution in a workflow
Steps	Commands or actions executed sequentially
Event Triggers	Decide when workflows run
Actions	Pre-built or custom reusable tasks
Secrets & Env	Store sensitive credentials securely
CI/CD Pipelines	Automate build, test, and deployment processes

Next Up

After mastering GitHub Actions, you can explore Open Source Contribution — learn how to contribute effectively to projects and build your developer portfolio. 👉 Next: Open Source Contribution →

Additional Resources

• GitHub Actions Documentation
• GitHub Actions Marketplace
• GitHub Learning Lab: Automate your workflow
• Continuous Integration with GitHub Actions

---

💙 This tutorial is part of the CodeHarborHub Git & GitHub series — helping developers automate workflows, deploy faster, and streamline collaboration.