github-actions-generator

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Comprehensive toolkit for generating best practice GitHub Actions workflows, custom local actions, and configurations following current standards and conventions. Use this skill when creating new GitHub Actions resources, implementing CI/CD workflows, or building reusable actions.

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NPX Install

npx skill4agent add akin-ozer/cc-devops-skills github-actions-generator

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GitHub Actions Generator

Generate production-ready GitHub Actions workflows and custom actions following current best practices, security standards, and naming conventions. All generated resources are automatically validated using the devops-skills:github-actions-validator skill.

Quick Reference

CapabilityWhen to UseReference
WorkflowsCI/CD, automation, testing
references/best-practices.md
Composite ActionsReusable step combinations
references/custom-actions.md
Docker ActionsCustom environments/tools
references/custom-actions.md
JavaScript ActionsAPI interactions, complex logic
references/custom-actions.md
Reusable WorkflowsShared patterns across repos
references/advanced-triggers.md
Security ScanningDependency review, SBOM
references/best-practices.md
Modern FeaturesSummaries, environments
references/modern-features.md

Core Capabilities

1. Generate Workflows

Triggers: "Create a workflow for...", "Build a CI/CD pipeline..."
Process:
  1. Understand requirements (triggers, runners, dependencies)
  2. Reference
    references/best-practices.md
    for patterns
  3. Reference
    references/common-actions.md
    for action versions
  4. Generate workflow with:
    • Semantic names, pinned actions (SHA), proper permissions
    • Concurrency controls, caching, matrix strategies
  5. Validate with devops-skills:github-actions-validator skill
  6. Fix issues and re-validate if needed
Minimal Example:
yaml
name: CI Pipeline

on:
  push:
    branches: [main]
  pull_request:

permissions:
  contents: read

concurrency:
  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
  cancel-in-progress: true

jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@08c6903cd8c0fde910a37f88322edcfb5dd907a8 # v5.0.0
      - uses: actions/setup-node@2028fbc5c25fe9cf00d9f06a71cc4710d4507903 # v6.0.0
        with:
          node-version: '20'
          cache: 'npm'
      - run: npm ci
      - run: npm test

2. Generate Custom Actions

Triggers: "Create a composite action...", "Build a Docker action...", "Create a JavaScript action..."
Types:
  • Composite: Combine multiple steps → Fast startup
  • Docker: Custom environment/tools → Isolated
  • JavaScript: API access, complex logic → Fastest
Process:
  1. Use templates from
    assets/templates/action/
  2. Follow structure in
    references/custom-actions.md
  3. Include branding, inputs/outputs, documentation
  4. Validate with devops-skills:github-actions-validator skill
See
references/custom-actions.md
for:
  • Action metadata and branding
  • Directory structure patterns
  • Versioning and release workflows

3. Generate Reusable Workflows

Triggers: "Create a reusable workflow...", "Make this workflow callable..."
Key Elements:
  • workflow_call
    trigger with typed inputs
  • Explicit secrets (avoid
    secrets: inherit
    )
  • Outputs mapped from job outputs
  • Minimal permissions
yaml
on:
  workflow_call:
    inputs:
      environment:
        required: true
        type: string
    secrets:
      deploy-token:
        required: true
    outputs:
      result:
        value: ${{ jobs.build.outputs.result }}
See
references/advanced-triggers.md
for complete patterns.

4. Generate Security Workflows

Triggers: "Add security scanning...", "Add dependency review...", "Generate SBOM..."
Components:
  • Dependency Review:
    actions/dependency-review-action@v4
  • SBOM Attestations:
    actions/attest-sbom@v2
  • CodeQL Analysis:
    github/codeql-action
Required Permissions:
yaml
permissions:
  contents: read
  security-events: write  # For CodeQL
  id-token: write         # For attestations
  attestations: write     # For attestations
See
references/best-practices.md
section on security.

5. Modern Features

Triggers: "Add job summaries...", "Use environments...", "Run in container..."
See
references/modern-features.md
for:
  • Job summaries (
    $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY
    )
  • Deployment environments with approvals
  • Container jobs with services
  • Workflow annotations

6. Public Action Documentation

When using public actions:
  1. Search for documentation:
    "[owner/repo] [version] github action documentation"
  2. Or use Context7 MCP:
    • mcp__context7__resolve-library-id
      to find action
    • mcp__context7__get-library-docs
      for documentation
  3. Pin to SHA with version comment:
    yaml
    - uses: actions/checkout@08c6903cd8c0fde910a37f88322edcfb5dd907a8 # v5.0.0
See
references/common-actions.md
for pre-verified action versions.

Validation Workflow

CRITICAL: Every generated resource MUST be validated.
  1. Generate workflow/action file
  2. Invoke
    devops-skills:github-actions-validator
    skill
  3. If errors: fix and re-validate
  4. If success: present with usage instructions
Skip validation only for:
  • Partial code snippets
  • Documentation examples
  • User explicitly requests skip

Mandatory Standards

All generated resources must follow:
StandardImplementation
SecurityPin to SHA, minimal permissions, mask secrets
PerformanceCaching, concurrency, shallow checkout
NamingDescriptive names, lowercase-hyphen files
Error HandlingTimeouts, cleanup with
if: always()
See
references/best-practices.md
for complete guidelines.

Resources

Reference Documents

DocumentContentWhen to Use
references/best-practices.md
Security, performance, patternsEvery workflow
references/common-actions.md
Action versions, inputs, outputsPublic action usage
references/expressions-and-contexts.md
${{ }}
syntax, contexts, functions
Complex conditionals
references/advanced-triggers.md
workflow_run, dispatch, ChatOpsWorkflow orchestration
references/custom-actions.md
Metadata, structure, versioningCustom action creation
references/modern-features.md
Summaries, environments, containersEnhanced workflows

Templates

TemplateLocation
Basic Workflow
assets/templates/workflow/basic_workflow.yml
Composite Action
assets/templates/action/composite/action.yml
Docker Action
assets/templates/action/docker/
JavaScript Action
assets/templates/action/javascript/

Common Patterns

Matrix Testing

yaml
strategy:
  matrix:
    os: [ubuntu-latest, windows-latest]
    node: [18, 20, 22]
  fail-fast: false

Conditional Deployment

yaml
deploy:
  if: github.event_name == 'push' && github.ref == 'refs/heads/main'

Artifact Sharing

yaml
# Upload
- uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
  with:
    name: build-${{ github.sha }}
    path: dist/

# Download (in dependent job)
- uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
  with:
    name: build-${{ github.sha }}

Workflow Summary

  1. Understand requirements
  2. Reference appropriate docs
  3. Generate with standards
  4. Search for public action docs (if needed)
  5. Validate with devops-skills:github-actions-validator
  6. Fix any errors
  7. Present validated result