Lab: Using Git CLI in GitHub Actions

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Introduction

In this lab, you will learn how to integrate the GitHub CLI (gh) into GitHub Actions workflows. The GitHub CLI allows you to programmatically interact with GitHub, enabling operations like managing repositories, workflows, and more directly from your workflows.

Estimated Duration: 10-15 minutes

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Directory Structure

Ensure the following directory structure exists in your repository:

.github/
└── workflows/
    └── misc-github-cli-integration.yml

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Workflow File

Create the workflow file .github/workflows/misc-github-cli-integration.yml with the following content:

name: Misc - GitHub CLI Integration

on:
  workflow_dispatch:
  push:
    paths:
      - '.github/workflows/misc-github-cli-integration.yml'

jobs:
  run-on-ubuntu-latest:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    env:
      GH_TOKEN: $
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - run: env
      - run: gh --version
      - run: gh auth status
      - run: gh repo list
      - run: gh workflow list

  run-on-windows-latest:
    runs-on: windows-latest
    env:
      GH_TOKEN: $
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - run: env
      - run: gh --version
      - run: gh auth status
      - run: gh repo list
      - run: gh workflow list

  run-on-macos-latest:
    runs-on: macos-latest
    env:
      GH_TOKEN: $
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - run: env
      - run: gh --version
      - run: gh auth status
      - run: gh repo list
      - run: gh workflow list

  run-on-self-hosted:
    runs-on: self-hosted
    env:
      GH_TOKEN: $
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      # - run: env # Code commented as env command is not available in Windows
      - run: gh --version
      - run: gh auth status
      - run: gh repo list
      - run: gh workflow list

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Workflow Details

This workflow demonstrates the use of the GitHub CLI across four environments:

1. ubuntu-latest: A Linux-based runner.
2. windows-latest: A Windows-based runner.
3. macos-latest: A macOS-based runner.
4. self-hosted: A custom runner hosted in your environment.

Key Steps:

1. Install and Authenticate GitHub CLI:

   • The CLI is pre-installed in GitHub-hosted runners.
   • Authentication is done using the built-in GITHUB_TOKEN secret.

2. CLI Commands:

   • gh --version: Displays the CLI version to verify installation.
   • gh auth status: Confirms authentication status.
   • gh repo list: Lists repositories accessible via the authenticated token.
   • gh workflow list: Lists workflows in the current repository.

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Steps to Execute

1. Set Up the Workflow:

   • Place the .github/workflows/misc-github-cli-integration.yml file in your repository.

2. Run the Workflow:

   • Trigger the workflow manually using the workflow_dispatch event or by pushing changes to the workflow file.

3. Review the Logs:

   • Navigate to the Actions tab in your repository.
   • Check the logs for outputs from each runner environment.

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Expected Outputs

The GitHub CLI commands should produce the following outputs:

• gh --version: Confirms the installed version of the CLI.
• gh auth status: Verifies authentication using GITHUB_TOKEN.
• gh repo list: Lists all accessible repositories.
• gh workflow list: Lists the workflows available in the repository.

Example log output:

gh --version
gh version 2.0.0 (2024-12-03)

gh auth status
Logged in to github.com as username (GITHUB_TOKEN)

gh repo list
my-org/my-repo

gh workflow list
NAME                             ID     STATE     ...
build-and-test                   12345  active

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Additional Notes

• Self-Hosted Runners:

  • Ensure the GitHub CLI is installed and configured on the self-hosted runner.
  • Some commands like env might not work on certain environments (e.g., Windows).

• Debugging:

  • Use the env command to inspect environment variables where available.

By completing this lab, you’ll have practical experience using the GitHub CLI within workflows to enhance automation capabilities.