GitHub Actions allows you to automate tasks directly within your GitHub repository. A workflow is a series of automated steps defined in a .yml file, located in the .github/workflows/ directory of your project.

Basic Requirements of a Workflow

To create a valid workflow in GitHub Actions, there are a few essential components that must be present:

  1. Workflow Name (name):
    Every workflow should have a unique name that identifies it. This helps in distinguishing between different workflows in the repository.

  2. Trigger Event (on):
    The workflow must specify when it should run. This is defined under the on field. Common events include:

    • push: Triggered when you push code to the repository.
    • pull_request: Triggered when a pull request is opened or updated.
    • workflow_dispatch: Allows you to trigger a workflow manually.

  3. Job Definition (jobs):
    A workflow contains jobs, which are units of work executed in the workflow. Each job must have:

    • Name of the job: To identify the job within the workflow.
    • OS environment (runs-on): This defines which operating system the job will run on. Popular options include ubuntu-latest, windows-latest, and macos-latest. Without specifying an OS, the workflow cannot run, as the steps need a virtual environment (like Ubuntu) to execute.

  4. Steps:
    Each job is made up of steps, which are individual tasks to be executed in the workflow. These steps can include commands (like echo), GitHub-provided actions, or third-party actions.

1. First Workflow (workflow.yml)

Name: First Workflow

This workflow runs automatically on a push to the main branch. It meets all the basic workflow requirements: it has a name, trigger, OS environment, and steps.

  • Name:
    • First Workflow is the identifier for this workflow. 
name: First Workflow
  • Trigger (on):
    • The workflow will run when there’s a push to the main branch. 
on:
    push:
      branches:
        - main
  • Jobs:
    • The workflow defines one job called first-workflow. 
jobs:
    first-workflow:
      runs-on: ubuntu-latest

  • The runs-on field specifies that the job will run on Ubuntu (the latest version). This is required to provide an environment where the steps will be executed.

    • Steps:

  • There are two steps in this job:

    1. First Step: This step prints three messages to the console.
    2. Second Step: Prints a message indicating that this is the second step. 
steps:
      - name: First Step
        run: |
          echo "this is first step"
          echo "Hello GH actions"
          echo "Do or Die"

      - name: Second Step
        run: |
          echo "yeah I am on the second step"
  • Summary: This workflow runs automatically when code is pushed to the main branch and executes two steps that print messages in the console.

2. Manual Workflow (manual-workflow.yml)

Name: Manual Workflow

This workflow can be triggered manually by a user from GitHub’s interface. It also satisfies the basic workflow requirements: name, trigger, OS, and steps.

  • Name:
    • Manual Workflow is the name for this workflow. 
name: Manual Workflow
  • Trigger (on):
    • This workflow uses workflow_dispatch, which means it can be triggered manually via the GitHub Actions interface. 
on:
    workflow_dispatch:
  • Jobs:
    • The workflow defines a job called first-workflow, which also runs on the latest version of Ubuntu (ubuntu-latest). 
jobs:
    first-workflow:
      runs-on: ubuntu-latest
  • Steps:
    • There is only one step in this workflow, which prints three messages to the console. 
steps:
      - name: First Step
        run: |
          echo "this is first step"
          echo "Hello GH actions"
          echo "Do or Die"
  • Summary: This workflow can be started manually via the GitHub interface and prints messages to the console when executed.

Key Points to Remember:

  • Basic Workflow Structure:

    1. Name: Each workflow needs a name.
    2. Trigger (on): Workflows must have a trigger event (like push or workflow_dispatch).
    3. Jobs and OS Environment (runs-on): Each job must specify an OS environment to run on, such as ubuntu-latest. Without this, the workflow won’t be able to run.
    4. Steps: Define the individual tasks that will be executed in the job.

  • Differences Between the Two Workflows:

    • The First Workflow is triggered automatically on a push to the main branch, whereas the Manual Workflow is triggered manually.

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