github action automation

• select action menu at github menu tab
• create a new workflow, chose a pre configuration, ex: node.js
• on defined event to trigger this workflow, ex: push, pull_request
• jobs environment, runs-on, ex: ubuntu-latest
• strategy can define different version to use in this workflow, which this can be not necessary for build
• steps for workflow steps

steps:
 - use: action/checkout@v2 # git chekcout to current reposition with default branch
 - name: use node.js # name of this action
    use: acton/setup-node@v2 # setup the nodejs
    with: 
      node-verstion: '17.x' # define the version to this aciton
      cache: 'npm'
 - run: npm ci # install dependencies, or npm install, npm ci work with package-lock.json
 - run: npm run build # build the project

if we checkout to another branch or reposition, all new files or generated files will be lost github provide a solution for store file in github artifact.

  - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
    with:
      name: build # name of artifact
      path: build # path to upload, can be file or folder

to checkout to a different branch of same repository.

 - uses: actions/checkout@v2
      with:
        ref: branchname # target branch name

download file of folder just upload in previous step

  - uses: actions/download-artifact@v2
      with:
        name: build
        path: build

finaly wen can make the commit at target branch or repository

 - run: |
        cp -a build/* ./ # copy the build files
        git config user.name github-actions
        git config user.email github-actions@github.com
        git add files-need-to-commit # add files
        git commit -m "generated"
        git push