CI/CD with GitHub Actions: Complete Guide
Set up continuous integration and deployment with GitHub Actions. Examples for testing, building, and deploying.
CI/CD with GitHub Actions: Complete Guide
GitHub Actions provides powerful CI/CD directly in your repository. Here's how to use it effectively.
Basics
Workflow Structure
Workflows live in .github/workflows/ as YAML files with triggers, jobs, and steps.
Triggers
- push: On code push
- pull_request: On PR events
- schedule: Cron-based
- workflow_dispatch: Manual trigger
Common Workflows
Testing
Run tests on every push and pull request to main branch.
Build and Deploy
Build application and deploy to Vercel, Netlify, AWS, etc.
Docker Build
Build and push Docker images to container registries.
Best Practices
Use Caching
Cache dependencies to speed up workflows with actions/cache.
Secrets Management
Store sensitive data in GitHub Secrets, reference with secrets.NAME.
Matrix Builds
Test across multiple versions:
- Node versions
- Operating systems
- Database versions
Reusable Workflows
Create shared workflows for common patterns.
Security
Least Privilege
Use minimal permissions for tokens.
Pin Action Versions
Use specific versions, not @latest.
Review Third-Party Actions
Audit before using external actions.
Monitoring
Status Badges
Show workflow status in README.
Notifications
Slack/email notifications for failures.
Conclusion
GitHub Actions simplifies CI/CD. Start with testing, add deployment as confidence grows.
