Task 3.2: Define action structure and metadata

• Aauthor

  Incorrect

  author is optional.

• Bbranding

  Incorrect

  branding is optional and used for the Marketplace badge.

• Cname

  Correct

  The name is required and shown in the Actions tab.

• Dinputs

  Incorrect

  inputs are optional; an action may take none.

• Edescription

  Correct

  A short description is required.

• Fruns

  Correct

  runs is required and sets how the action executes.

An action metadata file requires name, description and runs. author, inputs, outputs and branding are optional. runs sets how the action executes.

• Auses: octo-org/ci-tools@v2 with path: lint

  Incorrect

  Actions don't take a path input to pick a subfolder.

• Buses: ./lint@v2

  Incorrect

  A ./ path refers to the caller's own workspace and takes no ref.

• Cuses: octo-org/ci-tools/lint/action.yml@v2

  Incorrect

  The reference names the directory, not the metadata file.

• Duses: octo-org/ci-tools/lint@v2

  Correct

  An action in a subdirectory is referenced by its path after the repository name.

Workflows can use an action in a subdirectory of a repository with {owner}/{repo}/{path}@{ref}, where the path names the directory that holds the action's metadata file.

• AThe output is dropped until it is declared in action.yml

  Incorrect

  Undeclared outputs of JavaScript and Docker actions are still set.

• BThe output can be used; declaring it documents it

  Correct

  Outputs can be set and used without a declaration, though declaring them is better practice.

• CThe output works only for steps in the action itself

  Incorrect

  Later steps in the workflow can read it.

• DThe output must also be listed in the workflow's job outputs

  Incorrect

  Job outputs are only for passing values to other jobs.

Output parameters let an action declare data that it sets for later steps. If you don't declare an output in the metadata file of a JavaScript or Docker container action, you can still set it and use it in a workflow. Composite action outputs must be declared with a value.

• AWrite the condition as ${{ !startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/') }}

  Correct

  An expression starting with ! must use the ${{ }} syntax or be quoted, because ! has a meaning in YAML.

• BReplace the step's if with continue-on-error

  Incorrect

  That changes behavior instead of fixing the condition.

• CMove !startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/') into the workflow that calls the action

  Incorrect

  The condition can stay in the action once it is written correctly.

• DUse endsWith instead, which needs no negation

  Incorrect

  That tests a different thing and isn't needed.

if conditionals are evaluated as expressions, so ${{ }} can usually be omitted. When the expression starts with !, which is reserved notation in YAML, it must use ${{ }} or be escaped with quotes or parentheses.

• Aworkflow.yml

  Incorrect

  Workflow files live in .github/workflows.

• BDockerfile

  Incorrect

  That builds a container image; it isn't metadata.

• Cpackage.json

  Incorrect

  That describes a Node.js package, not the action.

• Daction.yml, or action.yaml

  Correct

  The metadata file must use one of these names; action.yml is preferred.

Actions require a metadata file that uses YAML syntax, and the file name must be either action.yml or action.yaml; action.yml is the preferred form.

• AINPUT_API-KEY

  Correct

  The input name is converted to uppercase, and the hyphen stays as it is.

• BINPUT_API_KEY

  Incorrect

  Only spaces in the name are replaced with underscores; the hyphen is kept.

• CAPI_KEY

  Incorrect

  Input variables are named with the INPUT_ prefix.

• DINPUT_APIKEY

  Incorrect

  The hyphen isn't dropped from the name.

For each input, GitHub creates an environment variable named INPUT_<VARIABLE_NAME>, converting the name to uppercase letters and replacing spaces with _ characters. Hyphens stay: in the metadata reference's example, the inputs num-octocats and octocat-eye-color are read as INPUT_NUM-OCTOCATS and INPUT_OCTOCAT-EYE-COLOR.

• AA description

  Correct

  Each declared output requires a description.

• BA value

  Incorrect

  A JavaScript action sets its output values from its code at run time.

• CA type

  Incorrect

  Outputs have no type key.

• DA default value

  Incorrect

  Outputs don't take defaults.

outputs.<output_id>.description is required for every declared output, and outputs have no type or default keys.

• AIn .github/workflows, next to the workflow files

  Incorrect

  That folder is read as workflow files.

• BIn the repository root, both in one action.yml

  Incorrect

  One metadata file describes one action.

• CIn subfolders of .github/actions, such as .github/actions/build

  Correct

  GitHub recommends .github/actions when actions share a repository with other code.

• DIn a branch named actions

  Incorrect

  Actions are referenced by path and ref, not stored on a branch by convention.

For actions that won't be shared, any location in the repository works, but when action, workflow and application code share a repository, GitHub recommends storing actions in the .github directory, for example .github/actions/action-a.