PHP 8.3: New Features, Deprecations, and More

Continuous Integration and Deployment (CI/CD) used to require dedicated servers and complex configurations. GitHub Actions changed that by bringing automation directly into your repository. Now, with a simple YAML file, you can run tests, build Docker images, deploy to production, and more—all triggered automatically by pushes, pull requests, or schedules. I've migrated multiple projects to GitHub Actions, and the productivity boost is real. This guide walks you through building a practical CI/CD pipeline from scratch.

GitHub Actions CI/CD Guide

1. Why GitHub Actions?
2. Workflow Basics and Syntax
3. Building Your First CI Pipeline
   1. Running Tests Automatically
   2. Building and Pushing Docker Images
   3. Deploying to Production
4. Managing Secrets and Environment Variables
5. Advanced Patterns and Optimization
6. Troubleshooting Common Issues

1. Why GitHub Actions?

GitHub Actions is free for public repos and offers generous minutes for private ones. It's deeply integrated with GitHub—no third-party service needed. The marketplace has thousands of pre-built actions, and workflows are version-controlled alongside your code.

Compared to Jenkins or CircleCI, Actions is simpler to set up and maintain. For most projects, it's the best choice.

2. Workflow Basics and Syntax

Workflows live in .github/workflows/ as YAML files. Each workflow has triggers, jobs, and steps:

name: CI Pipeline

on:
  push:
    branches: [ main ]
  pull_request:
    branches: [ main ]

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - name: Run tests
        run: npm test

Triggers define when workflows run. Jobs run in parallel by default. Steps execute commands or actions.

3. Building Your First CI Pipeline

3.1 Running Tests Automatically

Start with a simple test workflow for Node.js:

name: Test

on: [push, pull_request]

jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v3
        with:
          node-version: '18'
      - run: npm ci
      - run: npm test

This runs on every push and PR. Replace npm with your package manager.

3.2 Building and Pushing Docker Images

Build and push to Docker Hub or GitHub Container Registry:

- name: Build and push Docker image
  uses: docker/build-push-action@v4
  with:
    push: true
    tags: user/repo:latest

3.3 Deploying to Production

Deploy to AWS, Vercel, or your own server using SSH:

- name: Deploy to server
  uses: appleboy/ssh-action@master
  with:
    host: ${{ secrets.SERVER_HOST }}
    username: deploy
    key: ${{ secrets.SSH_KEY }}
    script: |
      cd /app
      git pull
      docker-compose up -d

4. Managing Secrets and Environment Variables

Store sensitive data like API keys in repository secrets (Settings → Secrets). Access them with ${{ secrets.SECRET_NAME }}:

env:
  API_KEY: ${{ secrets.API_KEY }}
  DATABASE_URL: ${{ secrets.DATABASE_URL }}

Never commit secrets to code. Use environment-specific secrets for staging vs production.

5. Advanced Patterns and Optimization

Speed up workflows with caching and matrix builds:

- uses: actions/cache@v3
  with:
    path: ~/.npm
    key: ${{ runner.os }}-node-${{ hashFiles('**/package-lock.json') }}

strategy:
  matrix:
    node-version: [16, 18, 20]

Use if conditions to skip steps, and concurrency to cancel outdated runs.

6. Troubleshooting Common Issues

Check the Actions tab for logs. Common problems:

• Secrets not working: Ensure they're set in the right repo/environment.
• Builds failing: Check dependency versions and Node/Python versions.
• Timeout errors: Increase timeout-minutes or optimize steps.
• Permission denied: Add permissions block to the workflow.

The GitHub Actions community forum and Stack Overflow are great for debugging.

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GitHub Actions simplifies CI/CD so much that there's no excuse not to automate. Start small—run tests first, then add deployment. You'll wonder how you lived without it. What's the coolest workflow you've built? Share your setup in the comments!

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