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https://github.com/actions/container-toolkit-action

Template repo for creating container actions using https://github.com/actions/toolkit/
https://github.com/actions/container-toolkit-action

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Template repo for creating container actions using https://github.com/actions/toolkit/

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# Create a Container Action with the GitHub Actions Toolkit



[![GitHub Super-Linter](https://github.com/actions/container-toolkit-action/actions/workflows/linter.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter)

![Check `dist/`](https://github.com/actions/container-toolkit-action/actions/workflows/check-dist.yml/badge.svg)

![CI](https://github.com/actions/container-toolkit-action/actions/workflows/ci.yml/badge.svg)

[![Code Coverage](./badges/coverage.svg)](./badges/coverage.svg)



Use this template to bootstrap the creation of a container action with the

GitHub Actions toolkit. :rocket:



This template includes compilation support, tests, a validation workflow,

publishing, and versioning guidance.



For more information on the GitHub Actions toolkit, see the

[`actions/toolkit` repository](https://github.com/actions/toolkit/tree/main/docs)



## Create Your Own Action



To create your own action, you can use this repository as a template! Just

follow the below instructions:



1. Click the **Use this template** button at the top of the repository

1. Select **Create a new repository**

1. Select an owner and name for your new repository

1. Click **Create repository**

1. Clone your new repository



> [!IMPORTANT]

>

> Make sure to remove or update the [`CODEOWNERS`](./CODEOWNERS) file! For

> details on how to use this file, see

> [About code owners](https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/managing-your-repositorys-settings-and-features/customizing-your-repository/about-code-owners).



## Initial Setup



After you've cloned the repository to your local machine or codespace, you'll

need to perform some initial setup steps before you can develop your action.



> [!NOTE]

>

> You'll need to have reasonably modern versions of

> [Node.js](https://nodejs.org) and

> [Docker](https://www.docker.com/get-started/) handy (e.g. Node.js v20+ and

> docker engine v20+).



1. :hammer_and_wrench: Install the dependencies



   ```bash

   npm install

   ```



1. :building_construction: Package the TypeScript for distribution



   ```bash

   npm run bundle

   ```



1. :white_check_mark: Run the tests



   ```bash

   $ npm test



   PASS  ./index.test.js

     ✓ throws invalid number (3ms)

     ✓ wait 500 ms (504ms)

     ✓ test runs (95ms)



   ...

   ```



1. :hammer_and_wrench: Build the container



   Make sure to replace `actions/container-toolkit-action` with an appropriate

   label for your container.



   ```bash

   docker build -t actions/container-toolkit-action .

   ```



1. :white_check_mark: Test the container



   You can pass individual environment variables using the `--env` or `-e` flag.



   ```bash

   $ docker run --env INPUT_MILLISECONDS=2000 actions/container-toolkit-action

   ::debug::The event payload: {}

   16:19:19 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

   16:19:21 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)



   ::set-output name=time::16:19:21 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

   ```



   Or you can pass a file with environment variables using `--env-file`.



   ```bash

   $ echo "INPUT_MILLISECONDS=2000" > ./.env.test



   $ docker run --env-file ./.env.test actions/container-toolkit-action

   ::debug::The event payload: {}

   16:19:19 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

   16:19:21 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)



   ::set-output name=time::16:19:21 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

   ```



## Update the Action Metadata



The [`action.yml`](action.yml) file defines metadata about your action, such as

input(s) and output(s). For details about this file, see

[Metadata syntax for GitHub Actions](https://docs.github.com/en/actions/creating-actions/metadata-syntax-for-github-actions).



When you copy this repository, update `action.yml` with the name, description,

inputs, and outputs for your action.



## Update the Action Code



### Update the TypeScript Source



The [`src/`](./src/) directory is the heart of your action! This contains the

source code that will be run when your action is invoked. You can replace the

contents 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.

  In `main.ts`, you will see that the action is run in an `async` function.



  ```javascript

  import * as core from '@actions/core'

  //...



  export async function run(): Promise {

    try {

      //...

    } catch (error) {

      core.setFailed(error.message)

    }

  }

  ```



  For more information about the GitHub Actions toolkit, see the

  [documentation](https://github.com/actions/toolkit/blob/main/README.md).



### Update the Container



In this template, the container action runs a Node.js script,

`node /dist/index.js`, when the container is launched. Since you can choose any

base Docker image and language you like, you can change this to suite your

needs. There are a few main things to remember when writing code for container

actions:



- Inputs are accessed using argument identifiers or environment variables

  (depending on what you set in your `action.yml`). For example, the first input

  to this action, `milliseconds`, can be accessed in the Node.js script using

  the `process.env.INPUT_MILLISECONDS` environment variable or the

  `getInput('milliseconds')` function from the `@actions/core` library.



  ```bash

  // Use an action input

  const ms: number = parseInt(core.getInput('milliseconds'), 10)



  // Use an environment variable

  const ms: number = parseInt(process.env.INPUT_MILLISECONDS, 10)

  ```



- GitHub Actions supports a number of different workflow commands such as

  creating outputs, setting environment variables, and more. These are

  accomplished by writing to different `GITHUB_*` environment variables. For

  more information, see

  [Commands](https://github.com/actions/toolkit/blob/main/docs/commands.md).



  | Scenario             | Example                                             |

  | -------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |

  | Set environment vars | `core.exportVariable('MY_VAR', 'my-value')`         |

  | Set outputs          | `core.setOutput('time', new Date().toTimeString())` |

  | Set secrets          | `core.setSecret('mySecret')`                        |

  | Prepend to `PATH`    | `core.addPath('/usr/local/bin')`                    |



## Publish the Action



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



1. Create a new branch



   ```bash

   git checkout -b releases/v1

   ```



1. Replace the contents of `src/` with your action code

1. Add tests to `__tests__/` for your source code

1. Format, test, and build the action



   ```bash

   npm run all

   ```



   > [!WARNING]

   >

   > This step is important! It will run [`ncc`](https://github.com/vercel/ncc)

   > to build the final JavaScript action code with all dependencies included.

   > If you do not run this step, your action will not work correctly when it is

   > used in a workflow. This step also includes the `--license` option for

   > `ncc`, which will create a license file for all of the production node

   > modules used in your project.



1. Commit your changes



   ```bash

   git add .

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

   ```



1. Push them to your repository



   ```bash

   git push -u origin releases/v1

   ```



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

1. Merge the pull request into the `main` branch



Your action is now published! :rocket:



For information about versioning your action, see

[Versioning](https://github.com/actions/toolkit/blob/master/docs/action-versioning.md)

in the GitHub Actions toolkit.



## Validate the Action



You can now validate the action by referencing it in a workflow file. For

example, [`ci.yml`](./.github/workflows/ci.yml) demonstrates how to reference an

action in the same repository.



```yaml

steps:

  - name: Checkout

    id: checkout

    uses: actions/checkout@v4



  - name: Test Local Action

    id: test-action

    uses: ./

    with:

      milliseconds: 1000



  - name: Print Output

    id: output

    run: echo "${{ steps.test-action.outputs.time }}"

```



For example workflow runs, check out the

[Actions tab](https://github.com/actions/container-toolkit-action/actions)!

:rocket:



## Usage



After testing, you can create version tag(s) that developers can use to

reference different stable versions of your action. For more information, see

[Versioning](https://github.com/actions/toolkit/blob/main/docs/action-versioning.md)

in the GitHub Actions toolkit.



To include the action in a workflow in another repository, you can use the

`uses` syntax with the `@` symbol to reference a specific branch, tag, or commit

hash.



```yaml

steps:

  - name: Checkout

    id: checkout

    uses: actions/checkout@v4



  - name: Test Local Action

    id: test-action

    uses: actions/container-toolkit-action@v1 # Commit with the `v1` tag

    with:

      milliseconds: 1000



  - name: Print Output

    id: output

    run: echo "${{ steps.test-action.outputs.time }}"

```