docs/content/packages/managing-github-packages-using-github-actions-workflows/publishing-and-installing-a-package-with-github-actions.md

title, intro, product, redirect_from, versions, shortTitle

title	intro	product	redirect_from	versions	shortTitle
Publishing and installing a package with GitHub Actions	You can configure a workflow in {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} to automatically publish or install a package from {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}.	{% data reusables.gated-features.packages %}	/github/managing-packages-with-github-packages/using-github-packages-with-github-actions /packages/using-github-packages-with-your-projects-ecosystem/using-github-packages-with-github-actions /packages/guides/using-github-packages-with-github-actions	fpt ghes ghae ghec * * * *	Publish & install with Actions

{% data reusables.package_registry.packages-ghes-release-stage %} {% data reusables.package_registry.packages-ghae-release-stage %}

About {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} with {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}

{% data reusables.repositories.about-github-actions %} {% data reusables.repositories.actions-ci-cd %} For more information, see "About {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}."

You can extend the CI and CD capabilities of your repository by publishing or installing packages as part of your workflow.

{% ifversion fpt or ghec %}

Authenticating to the {% data variables.packages.prodname_ghcr_and_npm_registry %}

{% data reusables.package_registry.authenticate_with_pat_for_v2_registry %}

{% endif %}

Authenticating to package registries on {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %}

{% ifversion fpt or ghec %}If you want your workflow to authenticate to {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} to access a package registry other than the {% data variables.product.prodname_container_registry %} on {% data variables.location.product_location %}, then{% else %}To authenticate to package registries on {% data variables.product.product_name %},{% endif %} we recommend using the GITHUB_TOKEN that {% data variables.product.product_name %} automatically creates for your repository when you enable {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} instead of a {% data variables.product.pat_generic %} for authentication. You should set the permissions for this access token in the workflow file to grant read access for the contents scope and write access for the packages scope. For forks, the GITHUB_TOKEN is granted read access for the parent repository. For more information, see "Authenticating with the GITHUB_TOKEN."

You can reference the GITHUB_TOKEN in your workflow file using the {% raw %}{{secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN}}{% endraw %} context. For more information, see "Authenticating with the GITHUB_TOKEN."

About permissions and package access for repository-owned packages

{% note %}

Note: Some registries, such as RubyGems, {% ifversion packages-npm-v2 %}{% else %}npm, {% endif %}Apache Maven, NuGet, {% ifversion fpt or ghec %}and Gradle{% else %}Gradle, and Docker packages that use the package namespace docker.pkg.github.com{% endif %}, only allow repository-owned packages. With {% data variables.packages.prodname_ghcr_and_npm_registry_full %} you can choose to allow packages to be owned by a user, an organization, or linked to a repository.

{% endnote %}

When you enable GitHub Actions, GitHub installs a GitHub App on your repository. The GITHUB_TOKEN secret is a GitHub App installation access token. You can use the installation access token to authenticate on behalf of the GitHub App installed on your repository. The token's permissions are limited to the repository that contains your workflow. For more information, see "Permissions for the GITHUB_TOKEN."

{% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} allows you to push and pull packages through the GITHUB_TOKEN available to a {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} workflow.

{% ifversion fpt or ghec %}

About permissions and package access for {% data variables.packages.prodname_ghcr_and_npm_registry %}

The {% data variables.packages.prodname_ghcr_and_npm_registry_full %} allows users to create and administer packages as free-standing resources at the organization level. Packages can be owned by an organization or personal account and you can customize access to each of your packages separately from repository permissions.

All workflows accessing the {% data variables.packages.prodname_ghcr_and_npm_registry %} should use the GITHUB_TOKEN instead of a {% data variables.product.pat_generic %}. For more information about security best practices, see "Security hardening for GitHub Actions."

Default permissions and access settings for containers modified through workflows

When you create, install, modify, or delete a container through a workflow, there are some default permission and access settings used to ensure admins have access to the workflow. You can adjust these access settings as well.

For example, by default if a workflow creates a container using the GITHUB_TOKEN, then:

• The container inherits the visibility and permissions model of the repository where the workflow is run.
• Repository admins where the workflow is run become the admins of the container once the container is created.

These are more examples of how default permissions work for workflows that manage packages.

{% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} workflow task	Default permissions and access
Download an existing container	- If the container is public, any workflow running in any repository can download the container. - If the container is internal, then all workflows running in any repository owned by the Enterprise account can download the container. For enterprise-owned organizations, you can read any repository in the enterprise - If the container is private, only workflows running in repositories that are given read permission on that container can download the container.
Upload a new version to an existing container	- If the container is private, internal, or public, only workflows running in repositories that are given write permission on that container can upload new versions to the container.
Delete a container or versions of a container	- If the container is private, internal, or public, only workflows running in repositories that are given delete permission can delete existing versions of the container.

You can also adjust access to containers in a more granular way or adjust some of the default permissions behavior. For more information, see "Configuring a package’s access control and visibility."

{% endif %}

Publishing a package using an action

You can use {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} to automatically publish packages as part of your continuous integration (CI) flow. This approach to continuous deployment (CD) allows you to automate the creation of new package versions, if the code meets your quality standards. For example, you could create a workflow that runs CI tests every time a developer pushes code to a particular branch. If the tests pass, the workflow can publish a new package version to {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}.

{% data reusables.package_registry.actions-configuration %}

The following example demonstrates how you can use {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} to build {% ifversion not fpt or ghec %}and test{% endif %} your app, and then automatically create a Docker image and publish it to {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}.

Create a new workflow file in your repository (such as .github/workflows/deploy-image.yml), and add the following YAML:

{% ifversion fpt or ghec %} {% data reusables.package_registry.publish-docker-image %}

{% else %}

{% data reusables.actions.actions-not-certified-by-github-comment %}

{% data reusables.actions.actions-use-sha-pinning-comment %}

name: Create and publish a Docker image

on:
  push:
    branches: ['release']

jobs:
  run-npm-build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: {% data reusables.actions.action-checkout %}
      - name: npm install and build webpack
        run: |
          npm install
          npm run build
      - uses: {% data reusables.actions.action-upload-artifact %}
        with:
          name: webpack artifacts
          path: public/

  run-npm-test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    needs: run-npm-build
    strategy:
      matrix:
        os: [ubuntu-latest]
        node-version: [12.x, 14.x]
    steps:
      - uses: {% data reusables.actions.action-checkout %}
      - name: Use Node.js {% raw %}${{ matrix.node-version }}{% endraw %}
        uses: {% data reusables.actions.action-setup-node %}
        with:
          node-version: {% raw %}${{ matrix.node-version }}{% endraw %}
      - uses: {% data reusables.actions.action-download-artifact %}
        with:
          name: webpack artifacts
          path: public
      - name: npm install, and test
        run: |
          npm install
          npm test
        env:
          CI: true

  build-and-push-image:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    needs: run-npm-test {% ifversion ghes or ghae %}
    permissions: 
      contents: read
      packages: write {% endif %}
    steps:
      - name: Checkout
        uses: {% data reusables.actions.action-checkout %}
      - name: Log in to GitHub Docker Registry
        uses: docker/login-action@f054a8b539a109f9f41c372932f1ae047eff08c9
        with:
          registry: {% ifversion ghae %}docker.YOUR-HOSTNAME.com{% else %}docker.pkg.github.com{% endif %}
          username: {% raw %}${{ github.actor }}{% endraw %}
          password: {% raw %}${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}{% endraw %}
      - name: Build and push Docker image
        uses: docker/build-push-action@ad44023a93711e3deb337508980b4b5e9bcdc5dc
        with:
          push: true
          tags: |
            {% ifversion ghae %}docker.YOUR-HOSTNAME.com{% else %}docker.pkg.github.com{% endif %}/{% raw %}${{ github.repository }}/octo-image:${{ github.sha }}{% endraw %}

{% endif %}

The relevant settings are explained in the following table. For full details about each element in a workflow, see "Workflow syntax for {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}."

{% ifversion fpt or ghec %}

{% else %}

{% endif %}

{% ifversion fpt or ghec %}

{% else %}

{% endif %}

{% ifversion fpt or ghec %}

{% endif %}

{% ifversion fpt or ghec %}

{% else %}

{% endif %}

{% raw %} ```yaml on: push: branches: ['release'] ``` {% endraw %}	Configures the Create and publish a Docker image workflow to run every time a change is pushed to the branch called release.
{% raw %} ```yaml env: REGISTRY: ghcr.io IMAGE_NAME: ${{ github.repository }} ``` {% endraw %}	Defines two custom environment variables for the workflow. These are used for the {% data variables.product.prodname_container_registry %} domain, and a name for the Docker image that this workflow builds.
{% raw %} ```yaml jobs: build-and-push-image: runs-on: ubuntu-latest ``` {% endraw %}	There is a single job in this workflow. It's configured to run on the latest available version of Ubuntu.
run-npm-build: runs-on: ubuntu-latest steps: - uses: {% data reusables.actions.action-checkout %} - name: npm install and build webpack run: | npm install npm run build - uses: {% data reusables.actions.action-upload-artifact %} with: name: webpack artifacts path: public/	This job installs NPM and uses it to build the app.
run-npm-test: runs-on: ubuntu-latest needs: run-npm-build strategy: matrix: os: [ubuntu-latest] node-version: [12.x, 14.x] steps: - uses: {% data reusables.actions.action-checkout %} - name: Use Node.js {% raw %}${{ matrix.node-version }}{% endraw %} uses: {% data reusables.actions.action-setup-node %} with: node-version: {% raw %}${{ matrix.node-version }}{% endraw %} - uses: {% data reusables.actions.action-download-artifact %} with: name: webpack artifacts path: public - name: npm install, and test run: | npm install npm test env: CI: true	This job uses npm test to test the code. The needs: run-npm-build command makes this job dependent on the run-npm-build job.
{% raw %} ```yaml build-and-push-image: runs-on: ubuntu-latest needs: run-npm-test ``` {% endraw %}	This job publishes the package. The needs: run-npm-test command makes this job dependent on the run-npm-test job.
{% raw %} ```yaml permissions: contents: read packages: write ``` {% endraw %}	Sets the permissions granted to the GITHUB_TOKEN for the actions in this job.
{% raw %} ```yaml - name: Log in to the Container registry uses: docker/login-action@f054a8b539 with: registry: ${{ env.REGISTRY }} username: ${{ github.actor }} password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }} ``` {% endraw %}	Creates a step called Log in to the {% data variables.product.prodname_container_registry %}, which logs in to the registry using the account and password that will publish the packages. Once published, the packages are owned by the account defined here.
{% raw %} ```yaml - name: Extract metadata (tags, labels) for Docker id: meta uses: docker/metadata-action@98669ae865 with: images: ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }} ``` {% endraw %}	This step uses docker/metadata-action to extract tags and labels that will be applied to the specified image. The id "meta" allows the output of this step to be referenced in a subsequent step. The images value provides the base name for the tags and labels.
{% raw %} ```yaml - name: Log in to GitHub Docker Registry uses: docker/login-action@f054a8b539 with: registry: {% endraw %}{% ifversion ghae %}docker.YOUR-HOSTNAME.com{% else %}docker.pkg.github.com{% endif %}{% raw %} username: ${{ github.actor }} password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }} ``` {% endraw %}	Creates a new step called Log in to GitHub Docker Registry, which logs in to the registry using the account and password that will publish the packages. Once published, the packages are owned by the account defined here.
{% raw %} ```yaml - name: Build and push Docker image ``` {% endraw %}	Creates a new step called Build and push Docker image. This step runs as part of the build-and-push-image job.
{% raw %} ```yaml uses: docker/build-push-action@ad44023a93 ``` {% endraw %}	Uses the Docker build-push-action action to build the image, based on your repository's Dockerfile. If the build succeeds, it pushes the image to {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}.
{% raw %} ```yaml with: ``` {% endraw %}	Sends the required parameters to the build-push-action action. These are defined in the subsequent lines.
{% raw %} ```yaml context: . ``` {% endraw %}	Defines the build's context as the set of files located in the specified path. For more information, see "Usage."
{% raw %} ```yaml push: true ``` {% endraw %}	Pushes this image to the registry if it is built successfully.
{% raw %} ```yaml tags: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.tags }} labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }} ``` {% endraw %}	Adds the tags and labels extracted in the "meta" step.
{% ifversion ghae %} {% raw %} ```yaml tags: | docker.YOUR-HOSTNAME.com/${{ github.repository }}/octo-image:${{ github.sha }} ``` {% endraw %} {% else %} {% raw %} ```yaml tags: | docker.pkg.github.com/${{ github.repository }}/octo-image:${{ github.sha }} ``` {% endraw %} {% endif %}	Tags the image with the SHA of the commit that triggered the workflow.

This new workflow will run automatically every time you push a change to a branch named release in the repository. You can view the progress in the Actions tab.

A few minutes after the workflow has completed, the new package will visible in your repository. To find your available packages, see "Viewing a repository's packages."

Installing a package using an action

You can install packages as part of your CI flow using {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %}. For example, you could configure a workflow so that anytime a developer pushes code to a pull request, the workflow resolves dependencies by downloading and installing packages hosted by {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}. Then, the workflow can run CI tests that require the dependencies.

Installing packages hosted by {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %} through {% data variables.product.prodname_actions %} requires minimal configuration or additional authentication when you use the GITHUB_TOKEN.{% ifversion fpt or ghec %} Data transfer is also free when an action installs a package. For more information, see "About billing for {% data variables.product.prodname_registry %}."{% endif %}

{% data reusables.package_registry.actions-configuration %}

{% ifversion fpt or ghec %}

Upgrading a workflow that accesses a registry using a {% data variables.product.pat_generic %}

The {% data variables.packages.prodname_ghcr_and_npm_registry %} support the GITHUB_TOKEN for easy and secure authentication in your workflows. If your workflow is using a {% data variables.product.pat_generic %} to authenticate to the registry, then we highly recommend you update your workflow to use the GITHUB_TOKEN.

For more information about the GITHUB_TOKEN, see "Authentication in a workflow."

Using the GITHUB_TOKEN instead of a {% data variables.product.pat_v1 %}, which includes the repo scope, increases the security of your repository as you don't need to use a long-lived {% data variables.product.pat_generic %} that offers unnecessary access to the repository where your workflow is run. For more information about security best practices, see "Security hardening for GitHub Actions."

1. Navigate to your package landing page.
2. In the left sidebar, click Actions access.
3. To ensure your container package has access to your workflow, you must add the repository where the workflow is stored to your container. Click Add repository and search for the repository you want to add. {% note %}

Note: Adding a repository to your container through the Actions access menu option is different than connecting your container to a repository. For more information, see "Ensuring workflow access to your package" and "Connecting a repository to a package."

{% endnote %}

1. Optionally, using the "role" drop-down menu, select the default access level that you'd like the repository to have to your container image.
2. Open your workflow file. On the line where you log in to the registry, replace your {% data variables.product.pat_generic %} with {% raw %}${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}{% endraw %}.

For example, this workflow publishes a Docker image to the {% data variables.product.prodname_container_registry %} and uses {% raw %}${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}{% endraw %} to authenticate.

name: Demo Push

on:   
  push:
    # Publish `master` as Docker `latest` image.
    branches:
      - master
      - seed

    # Publish `v1.2.3` tags as releases.
    tags:
      - v*

  # Run tests for any PRs.
  pull_request:

env:
  IMAGE_NAME: ghtoken_product_demo

jobs:
  # Push image to GitHub Packages.
  # See also https://docs.docker.com/docker-hub/builds/
  push:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    permissions:
      packages: write
      contents: read

    steps:
      - uses: {% data reusables.actions.action-checkout %}

      - name: Build image
        run: docker build . --file Dockerfile --tag $IMAGE_NAME --label "runnumber=${GITHUB_RUN_ID}"

      - name: Log in to registry
        # This is where you will update the {% data variables.product.pat_generic %} to GITHUB_TOKEN
        run: echo "{% raw %}${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}{% endraw %}" | docker login ghcr.io -u ${{ github.actor }} --password-stdin

      - name: Push image
        run: |
          IMAGE_ID=ghcr.io/{% raw %}${{ github.repository_owner }}{% endraw %}/$IMAGE_NAME

          # Change all uppercase to lowercase
          IMAGE_ID=$(echo $IMAGE_ID | tr '[A-Z]' '[a-z]')
          # Strip git ref prefix from version
          VERSION=$(echo "{% raw %}${{ github.ref }}{% endraw %}" | sed -e 's,.*/\(.*\),\1,')
          # Strip "v" prefix from tag name
          [[ "{% raw %}${{ github.ref }}{% endraw %}" == "refs/tags/"* ]] && VERSION=$(echo $VERSION | sed -e 's/^v//')
          # Use Docker `latest` tag convention
          [ "$VERSION" == "master" ] && VERSION=latest
          echo IMAGE_ID=$IMAGE_ID
          echo VERSION=$VERSION
          docker tag $IMAGE_NAME $IMAGE_ID:$VERSION
          docker push $IMAGE_ID:$VERSION

{% endif %}