[EDI] About custom actions (#56725)
Co-authored-by: Sam Browning <106113886+sabrowning1@users.noreply.github.com>
This commit is contained in:
Ben Ahmady
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
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---
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title: GitHub Actions vs GitHub Apps
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shortTitle: Actions vs Apps
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intro: 'Learn about the key differences between {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} and {% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %} to help you decide which is right for your use cases.'
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versions:
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fpt: '*'
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ghes: '*'
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ghec: '*'
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type: overview
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topics:
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- CD
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---
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{% data variables.product.prodname_marketplace %} offers both {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} and {% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %}, each of which can be valuable automation and workflow tools. Understanding the differences and the benefits of each option will allow you to select the best fit for your job.
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{% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %}:
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* Run persistently and can react to events quickly.
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* Work great when persistent data is needed.
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* Work best with API requests that aren't time consuming.
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* Run on a server or compute infrastructure that you provide.
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{% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}:
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* Provide automation that can perform continuous integration and continuous deployment.
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* Can run directly on runner machines or in Docker containers.
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* Can include access to a clone of your repository, enabling deployment and publishing tools, code formatters, and command line tools to access your code.
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* Don't require you to deploy code or serve an app.
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* Have a simple interface to create and use secrets, which enables actions to interact with third-party services without needing to store the credentials of the person using the action.
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@@ -9,4 +9,5 @@ versions:
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children:
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- /continuous-integration
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- /continuous-deployment
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- /github-actions-vs-github-apps
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---
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@@ -65,117 +65,6 @@ If you're developing a Node.js project, the {% data variables.product.prodname_a
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A _composite_ action allows you to combine multiple workflow steps within one action. For example, you can use this feature to bundle together multiple run commands into an action, and then have a workflow that executes the bundled commands as a single step using that action. To see an example, check out [AUTOTITLE](/actions/creating-actions/creating-a-composite-action).
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## Choosing a location for your action
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## Next steps
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If you're developing an action for other people to use, we recommend keeping the action in its own repository instead of bundling it with other application code. This allows you to version, track, and release the action just like any other software.
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{% ifversion fpt or ghec %}
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Storing an action in its own repository makes it easier for the {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} community to discover the action, narrows the scope of the code base for developers fixing issues and extending the action, and decouples the action's versioning from the versioning of other application code.
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{% endif %}
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{% data reusables.actions.internal-actions-summary %}
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{% ifversion fpt or ghec %}If you're building an action that you don't plan to make available to others, you {% else %} You{% endif %} can store the action's files in any location in your repository. If you plan to combine action, workflow, and application code in a single repository, we recommend storing actions in the `.github` directory. For example, `.github/actions/action-a` and `.github/actions/action-b`.
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## Ensuring compatibility with other platforms
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Many people access {% data variables.product.github %} at a domain other than {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %}, such as {% data variables.enterprise.data_residency_site %} or a custom domain for {% data variables.product.prodname_ghe_server %}.
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To ensure that your action is compatible with other platforms, do not use any hard-coded references to API URLs such as `https://api.github.com`. Instead, you can:
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* Use environment variables (see [AUTOTITLE](/actions/reference/variables-reference#default-environment-variables)):
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* For the REST API, use the `GITHUB_API_URL` environment variable.
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* For GraphQL, use the `GITHUB_GRAPHQL_URL` environment variable.
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* Use a toolkit such as [`@actions/github`](https://github.com/actions/toolkit/tree/main/packages/github), which can automatically set the correct URLs.
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## Using release management for actions
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This section explains how you can use release management to distribute updates to your actions in a predictable way.
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### Good practices for release management
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If you're developing an action for other people to use, we recommend using release management to control how you distribute updates. Users can expect an action's patch version to include necessary critical fixes and security patches, while still remaining compatible with their existing workflows. You should consider releasing a new major version whenever your changes affect compatibility.
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Under this release management approach, users should not be referencing an action's default branch, as it's likely to contain the latest code and consequently might be unstable. Instead, you can recommend that your users specify a major version when using your action, and only direct them to a more specific version if they encounter issues.
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To use a specific action version, users can configure their {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} workflow to target a tag, a commit's SHA, or a branch named for a release.
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### Using tags for release management
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We recommend using tags for actions release management. Using this approach, your users can easily distinguish between major and minor versions:
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* Create and validate a release on a release branch (such as `release/v1`) before creating the release tag (for example, `v1.0.2`).
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* Create a release using semantic versioning. For more information, see [AUTOTITLE](/repositories/releasing-projects-on-github/managing-releases-in-a-repository).
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* Move the major version tag (such as `v1`, `v2`) to point to the Git ref of the current release. For more information, see [Git basics - tagging](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-Basics-Tagging).
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* Introduce a new major version tag (`v2`) for changes that will break existing workflows. For example, changing an action's inputs would be a breaking change.
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* Major versions can be initially released with a `beta` tag to indicate their status, for example, `v2-beta`. The `-beta` tag can then be removed when ready.
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This example demonstrates how a user can reference a major release tag:
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```yaml
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steps:
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- uses: actions/javascript-action@v1
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```
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This example demonstrates how a user can reference a specific patch release tag:
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```yaml
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steps:
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- uses: actions/javascript-action@v1.0.1
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```
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### Using branches for release management
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If you prefer to use branch names for release management, this example demonstrates how to reference a named branch:
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```yaml
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steps:
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- uses: actions/javascript-action@v1-beta
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```
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### Using a commit's SHA for release management
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Each Git commit receives a calculated SHA value, which is unique and immutable. Your action's users might prefer to rely on a commit's SHA value, as this approach can be more reliable than specifying a tag, which could be deleted or moved. However, this means that users will not receive further updates made to the action. You must use a commit's full SHA value, and not an abbreviated value.
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```yaml
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steps:
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- uses: actions/javascript-action@a824008085750b8e136effc585c3cd6082bd575f
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```
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## Creating a README file for your action
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We recommend creating a README file to help people learn how to use your action. You can include this information in your `README.md`:
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* A detailed description of what the action does
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* Required input and output arguments
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* Optional input and output arguments
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* Secrets the action uses
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* Environment variables the action uses
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* An example of how to use your action in a workflow
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## Comparing {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} to {% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %}
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{% data variables.product.prodname_marketplace %} offers tools to improve your workflow. Understanding the differences and the benefits of each tool will allow you to select the best tool for your job. For more information about building apps, see [AUTOTITLE](/apps/creating-github-apps/setting-up-a-github-app/about-creating-github-apps).
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### Strengths of GitHub Actions and GitHub Apps
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While both {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} and {% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %} provide ways to build automation and workflow tools, they each have strengths that make them useful in different ways.
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{% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %}:
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* Run persistently and can react to events quickly.
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* Work great when persistent data is needed.
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* Work best with API requests that aren't time consuming.
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* Run on a server or compute infrastructure that you provide.
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{% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}:
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* Provide automation that can perform continuous integration and continuous deployment.
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* Can run directly on runner machines or in Docker containers.
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* Can include access to a clone of your repository, enabling deployment and publishing tools, code formatters, and command line tools to access your code.
|
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* Don't require you to deploy code or serve an app.
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* Have a simple interface to create and use secrets, which enables actions to interact with third-party services without needing to store the credentials of the person using the action.
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## Further reading
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* [AUTOTITLE](/actions/using-workflows/workflow-commands-for-github-actions)
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To learn about how to manage your custom actions, see [AUTOTITLE](/actions/how-tos/administering-github-actions/managing-custom-actions).
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@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ versions:
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children:
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- /viewing-github-actions-metrics
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- /making-retired-namespaces-available-on-ghecom
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- /managing-custom-actions
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redirect_from:
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- /actions/administering-github-actions
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---
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@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
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---
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title: Managing custom actions
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intro: 'Learn how to create and manage your own actions, and customize actions shared by the {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} community.'
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versions:
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fpt: '*'
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ghes: '*'
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ghec: '*'
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type: overview
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topics:
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- Action development
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- Fundamentals
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---
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## Choosing a location for your action
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If you're developing an action for other people to use, we recommend keeping the action in its own repository instead of bundling it with other application code. This allows you to version, track, and release the action just like any other software.
|
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|
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{% ifversion fpt or ghec %}
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Storing an action in its own repository makes it easier for the {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} community to discover the action, narrows the scope of the code base for developers fixing issues and extending the action, and decouples the action's versioning from the versioning of other application code.
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{% endif %}
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{% data reusables.actions.internal-actions-summary %}
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{% ifversion fpt or ghec %}If you're building an action that you don't plan to make available to others, you {% else %} You{% endif %} can store the action's files in any location in your repository. If you plan to combine action, workflow, and application code in a single repository, we recommend storing actions in the `.github` directory. For example, `.github/actions/action-a` and `.github/actions/action-b`.
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## Ensuring compatibility with other platforms
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||||
|
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Many people access {% data variables.product.github %} at a domain other than {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom_the_website %}, such as {% data variables.enterprise.data_residency_site %} or a custom domain for {% data variables.product.prodname_ghe_server %}.
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To ensure that your action is compatible with other platforms, do not use any hard-coded references to API URLs such as `https://api.github.com`. Instead, you can:
|
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|
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* Use environment variables (see [AUTOTITLE](/actions/reference/variables-reference#default-environment-variables)):
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* For the REST API, use the `GITHUB_API_URL` environment variable.
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* For GraphQL, use the `GITHUB_GRAPHQL_URL` environment variable.
|
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|
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* Use a toolkit such as [`@actions/github`](https://github.com/actions/toolkit/tree/main/packages/github), which can automatically set the correct URLs.
|
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|
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## Using release management for actions
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|
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This section explains how you can use release management to distribute updates to your actions in a predictable way.
|
||||
|
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### Good practices for release management
|
||||
|
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If you're developing an action for other people to use, we recommend using release management to control how you distribute updates. Users can expect an action's patch version to include necessary critical fixes and security patches, while still remaining compatible with their existing workflows. You should consider releasing a new major version whenever your changes affect compatibility.
|
||||
|
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Under this release management approach, users should not be referencing an action's default branch, as it's likely to contain the latest code and consequently might be unstable. Instead, you can recommend that your users specify a major version when using your action, and only direct them to a more specific version if they encounter issues.
|
||||
|
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To use a specific action version, users can configure their {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} workflow to target a tag, a commit's SHA, or a branch named for a release.
|
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|
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### Using tags for release management
|
||||
|
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We recommend using tags for actions release management. Using this approach, your users can easily distinguish between major and minor versions:
|
||||
|
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* Create and validate a release on a release branch (such as `release/v1`) before creating the release tag (for example, `v1.0.2`).
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* Create a release using semantic versioning. For more information, see [AUTOTITLE](/repositories/releasing-projects-on-github/managing-releases-in-a-repository).
|
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* Move the major version tag (such as `v1`, `v2`) to point to the Git ref of the current release. For more information, see [Git basics - tagging](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Git-Basics-Tagging).
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* Introduce a new major version tag (`v2`) for changes that will break existing workflows. For example, changing an action's inputs would be a breaking change.
|
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* Major versions can be initially released with a `beta` tag to indicate their status, for example, `v2-beta`. The `-beta` tag can then be removed when ready.
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This example demonstrates how a user can reference a major release tag:
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```yaml
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steps:
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- uses: actions/javascript-action@v1
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```
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This example demonstrates how a user can reference a specific patch release tag:
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```yaml
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steps:
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- uses: actions/javascript-action@v1.0.1
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```
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### Using branches for release management
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If you prefer to use branch names for release management, this example demonstrates how to reference a named branch:
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```yaml
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steps:
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- uses: actions/javascript-action@v1-beta
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```
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### Using a commit's SHA for release management
|
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|
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Each Git commit receives a calculated SHA value, which is unique and immutable. Your action's users might prefer to rely on a commit's SHA value, as this approach can be more reliable than specifying a tag, which could be deleted or moved. However, this means that users will not receive further updates made to the action. You must use a commit's full SHA value, and not an abbreviated value.
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```yaml
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steps:
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- uses: actions/javascript-action@a824008085750b8e136effc585c3cd6082bd575f
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```
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## Creating a README file for your action
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|
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We recommend creating a README file to help people learn how to use your action. You can include this information in your `README.md`:
|
||||
|
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* A detailed description of what the action does
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* Required input and output arguments
|
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* Optional input and output arguments
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* Secrets the action uses
|
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* Environment variables the action uses
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* An example of how to use your action in a workflow
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@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ _{% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}_ provide automation that can perf
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_{% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %}_ run persistently on a server or compute infrastructure that you provide or run on a user device. They can react to {% data variables.product.company_short %} webhook events as well as events from outside the {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} ecosystem. They are a good option for operations that span multiple repositories or organizations, or for providing hosted services to other organizations and enterprises. A {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %} is the best choice when building a tool with functions that occur primarily outside of {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} or require more execution time or permissions than what a {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} workflow is allotted.
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For more information about comparing {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} to {% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %}, see [AUTOTITLE](/actions/creating-actions/about-custom-actions#comparing-github-actions-to-github-apps).
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For more information about comparing {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} to {% data variables.product.prodname_github_apps %}, see [AUTOTITLE](/actions/concepts/overview/github-actions-vs-github-apps#comparing-github-actions-to-github-apps).
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You can use a {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %} to authenticate in a {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}
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workflow if the built in `GITHUB_TOKEN` does not have sufficient permissions. For more information, see [AUTOTITLE](/apps/creating-github-apps/guides/making-authenticated-api-requests-with-a-github-app-in-a-github-actions-workflow).
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