Require Documentation Update workflow (krkn-chaos/krkn)

The Require Documentation Update workflow from krkn-chaos/krkn, explained and optimized by Latchkey.

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Source: krkn-chaos/krkn.github/workflows/require-docs.ymlLicense Apache-2.0View source

What it does

This is the Require Documentation Update workflow from the krkn-chaos/krkn repository, a real project running GitHub Actions. It is shown here with attribution under its Apache-2.0 license.

Below, Latchkey shows a faster, safer version produced by its optimization engine.

The workflow

workflow (.yml)

name: Require Documentation Update
on:
  pull_request:
    types: [opened, edited, synchronize]
    branches:
        - main
jobs:
  check-docs:
    name: Check Documentation Update
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Check if Documentation is Required
        id: check_docs
        run: |
          # Read PR body from the event JSON file - never from shell interpolation.
          # jq handles all escaping; the shell never sees the user-controlled string.
          if jq -r '.pull_request.body // ""' "$GITHUB_EVENT_PATH" | \
             grep -qi '\[x\].*documentation needed'; then
            echo "Documentation required detected."
            echo "docs_required=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
          else
            echo "Documentation not required."
            echo "docs_required=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
          fi

      - name: Enforce Documentation Update (if required)
        if: steps.check_docs.outputs.docs_required == 'true'
        uses: actions/github-script@f28e40c7f34bde8b3046d885e986cb6290c5673b # v7
        with:
          github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
          script: |
            const featureBranch = context.payload.pull_request.head.ref;
            const repoOwner = context.repo.owner;
            const websiteRepo = 'website';

            core.info(`Searching for a merged documentation PR for feature branch: ${featureBranch} in ${repoOwner}/${websiteRepo}...`);

            const { data: pulls } = await github.rest.pulls.list({
              owner: repoOwner,
              repo: websiteRepo,
              state: 'closed',
              per_page: 100,
            });

            const mergedPr = pulls.find(
              (pr) => pr.merged_at && pr.title.includes(featureBranch)
            );

            if (!mergedPr) {
              core.setFailed(
                `❌ Documentation PR for branch '${featureBranch}' is required and has not been merged.`
              );
            } else {
              core.info(`✅ Found merged documentation PR: ${mergedPr.html_url}`);
            }

The same workflow, on Latchkey

Removes redundant runs and caps runaway jobs. Added and changed lines are highlighted.

name: Require Documentation Update
on:
  pull_request:
    types: [opened, edited, synchronize]
    branches:
        - main
concurrency:
  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
  cancel-in-progress: true
 
jobs:
  check-docs:
    timeout-minutes: 30
    name: Check Documentation Update
    runs-on: latchkey-small
    steps:
      - name: Check if Documentation is Required
        id: check_docs
        run: |
          # Read PR body from the event JSON file - never from shell interpolation.
          # jq handles all escaping; the shell never sees the user-controlled string.
          if jq -r '.pull_request.body // ""' "$GITHUB_EVENT_PATH" | \
             grep -qi '\[x\].*documentation needed'; then
            echo "Documentation required detected."
            echo "docs_required=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
          else
            echo "Documentation not required."
            echo "docs_required=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
          fi
 
      - name: Enforce Documentation Update (if required)
        if: steps.check_docs.outputs.docs_required == 'true'
        uses: actions/github-script@f28e40c7f34bde8b3046d885e986cb6290c5673b # v7
        with:
          github-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
          script: |
            const featureBranch = context.payload.pull_request.head.ref;
            const repoOwner = context.repo.owner;
            const websiteRepo = 'website';
 
            core.info(`Searching for a merged documentation PR for feature branch: ${featureBranch} in ${repoOwner}/${websiteRepo}...`);
 
            const { data: pulls } = await github.rest.pulls.list({
              owner: repoOwner,
              repo: websiteRepo,
              state: 'closed',
              per_page: 100,
            });
 
            const mergedPr = pulls.find(
              (pr) => pr.merged_at && pr.title.includes(featureBranch)
            );
 
            if (!mergedPr) {
              core.setFailed(
                `❌ Documentation PR for branch '${featureBranch}' is required and has not been merged.`
              );
            } else {
              core.info(`✅ Found merged documentation PR: ${mergedPr.html_url}`);
            }

What changed

Run on Latchkey managed runners with one line (runs-on), which apply the fixes below automatically and self-heal transient failures. This example uses latchkey-small; pick the runner size that fits the job.
Cancel superseded runs when a branch or PR gets a newer push.
Add a job timeout so a hung step cannot burn hours of runner time.

This workflow runs 1 job per trigger. On Latchkey the same minutes cost up to 58% less than GitHub-hosted, with zero queue time.

Actions used in this workflow

actions/github-script