Repository files navigation

Use this template to bootstrap the creation of a JavaScript action. 🚀

This template includes compilation support, tests, a validation workflow,publishing, and versioning guidance.

If you are new, there's also a simpler introduction in theHello world JavaScript action repository.

To create your own action, you can use this repository as a template! Justfollow the below instructions:

1. Click theUse this template button at the top of the repository
2. SelectCreate a new repository
3. Select an owner and name for your new repository
4. ClickCreate repository
5. Clone your new repository

After you've cloned the repository to your local machine or codespace, you'llneed to perform some initial setup steps before you can develop your action.

1. 🛠️ Install the dependencies

   npm install

2. 🏗️ Package the JavaScript for distribution

   npm run bundle

3. ✅ Run the tests

   $ npmtestPASS  ./index.test.js  ✓ throws invalid number (3ms)  ✓wait 500 ms (504ms)  ✓test runs (95ms)...

Theaction.yml file defines metadata about your action, such asinput(s) and output(s). For details about this file, seeMetadata syntax for GitHub Actions.

When you copy this repository, updateaction.yml with the name, description,inputs, and outputs for your action.

Thesrc/ directory is the heart of your action! This contains thesource code that will be run when your action is invoked. You can replace thecontents of this directory with your own code.

There are a few things to keep in mind when writing your action code:

• Most GitHub Actions toolkit and CI/CD operations are processed asynchronously.Inmain.js, you will see that the action is run in anasync function.

  constcore=require('@actions/core')//...asyncfunctionrun(){try{//...}catch(error){core.setFailed(error.message)}}

  For more information about the GitHub Actions toolkit, see thedocumentation.

So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and start customizing your action!

1. Create a new branch

   git checkout -b releases/v1

2. Replace the contents ofsrc/ with your action code

3. Add tests to__tests__/ for your source code

4. Format, test, and build the action

   npm run all

   This step is important! It will runrollup tobuild the final JavaScript action code with all dependencies included. Ifyou do not run this step, your action will not work correctly when it isused in a workflow.

5. (Optional) Test your action locally

   The@github/local-action utilitycan be used to test your action locally. It is a simple command-line toolthat "stubs" (or simulates) the GitHub Actions Toolkit. This way, you can runyour JavaScript action locally without having to commit and push your changesto a repository.

   Thelocal-action utility can be run in the following ways:

   • Visual Studio Code Debugger

     Make sure to review and, if needed, update.vscode/launch.json

   • Terminal/Command Prompt

     # npx @github/local action <action-yaml-path> <entrypoint> <dotenv-file>npx @github/local-action. src/main.js .env

   You can provide a.env file to thelocal-action CLI to set environmentvariables used by the GitHub Actions Toolkit. For example, setting inputs andevent payload data used by your action. For more information, see the examplefile,.env.example, and theGitHub Actions Documentation.

6. Commit your changes

   git add.git commit -m"My first action is ready!"

7. Push them to your repository

   git push -u origin releases/v1

8. Create a pull request and get feedback on your action

9. Merge the pull request into themain branch

Your action is now published! 🚀

For information about versioning your action, seeVersioningin the GitHub Actions toolkit.

You can now validate the action by referencing it in a workflow file. Forexample,ci.yml demonstrates how to reference anaction in the same repository.

steps:  -name:Checkoutid:checkoutuses:actions/checkout@v4  -name:Test Local Actionid:test-actionuses:./with:milliseconds:1000  -name:Print Outputid:outputrun:echo "${{ steps.test-action.outputs.time }}"

For example workflow runs, check out theActions tab! 🚀

After testing, you can create version tag(s) that developers can use toreference different stable versions of your action. For more information, seeVersioningin the GitHub Actions toolkit.

To include the action in a workflow in another repository, you can use theuses syntax with the@ symbol to reference a specific branch, tag, or commithash.

steps:  -name:Checkoutid:checkoutuses:actions/checkout@v4  -name:Test Local Actionid:test-actionuses:actions/javascript-action@v1# Commit with the `v1` tagwith:milliseconds:1000  -name:Print Outputid:outputrun:echo "${{ steps.test-action.outputs.time }}"

This template includes a GitHub Actions workflow,licensed.yml, that usesLicensed to check for dependencies withmissing or non-compliant licenses. This workflow is initially disabled. Toenable the workflow, follow the below steps.

1. Openlicensed.yml

2. Uncomment the following lines:

   # pull_request:#   branches:#     - main# push:#   branches:#     - main

3. Save and commit the changes

Once complete, this workflow will run any time a pull request is created orchanges pushed directly tomain. If the workflow detects any dependencies withmissing or non-compliant licenses, it will fail the workflow and provide detailson the issue(s) found.

Whenever you install or update dependencies, you can use the Licensed CLI toupdate the licenses database. To install Licensed, see the project'sReadme.

To update the cached licenses, run the following command:

licensed cache

To check the status of cached licenses, run the following command:

licensed status