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CodeQL workflow (nestjs/nest)

The CodeQL workflow from nestjs/nest, explained and optimized by Latchkey.

Source: nestjs/nest.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.ymlLicense MITView source
C
CI health grade
69/100
Health score
1
Job per trigger
3
Fixes in the optimized version

In short

  1. CI health: C (fair)
  2. The optimized version below points runs-on at Latchkey managed runners and adds run de-duplication and job timeouts.

What it does

This is the CodeQL workflow from the nestjs/nest repository, a real project running GitHub Actions. It is shown here with attribution under its MIT license.

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

The workflow

workflow (.yml)
name: "CodeQL"

on:
  push:
    branches: [master, ]
  pull_request:
    # The branches below must be a subset of the branches above
    branches: [master]
  schedule:
    - cron: '0 17 * * 4'

permissions:
  contents: read

jobs:
  analyse:
    permissions:
      security-events: write
    name: Analyse
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest

    steps:
    - name: Checkout repository
      uses: actions/checkout@v7
      with:
        # We must fetch at least the immediate parents so that if this is
        # a pull request then we can checkout the head.
        fetch-depth: 2

    # If this run was triggered by a pull request event, then checkout
    # the head of the pull request instead of the merge commit.
    - run: git checkout HEAD^2
      if: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request' }}

    # Initializes the CodeQL tools for scanning.
    - name: Initialize CodeQL
      uses: github/codeql-action/init@v4
      with:
        queries: +security-extended
      # Override language selection by uncommenting this and choosing your languages
      # with:
      #   languages: go, javascript, csharp, python, cpp, java

    # Autobuild attempts to build any compiled languages  (C/C++, C#, or Java).
    # If this step fails, then you should remove it and run the build manually (see below)
    - name: Autobuild
      uses: github/codeql-action/autobuild@v4

    # ℹ️ Command-line programs to run using the OS shell.
    # 📚 https://git.io/JvXDl

    # ✏️ If the Autobuild fails above, remove it and uncomment the following three lines
    #    and modify them (or add more) to build your code if your project
    #    uses a compiled language

    #- run: |
    #   make bootstrap
    #   make release

    - name: Perform CodeQL Analysis
      uses: github/codeql-action/analyze@v4

The same workflow, on Latchkey

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

workflow (.yml), optimized
name: "CodeQL"

on:
  push:
    branches: [master, ]
  pull_request:
    # The branches below must be a subset of the branches above
    branches: [master]
  schedule:
    - cron: '0 17 * * 4'

permissions:
  contents: read

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

jobs:
  analyse:
    timeout-minutes: 30
    permissions:
      security-events: write
    name: Analyse
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    runs-on: latchkey-small

    steps:
    - name: Checkout repository
      uses: actions/checkout@v7
      with:
        # We must fetch at least the immediate parents so that if this is
        # a pull request then we can checkout the head.
        fetch-depth: 2

    # If this run was triggered by a pull request event, then checkout
    # the head of the pull request instead of the merge commit.
    - run: git checkout HEAD^2
      if: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request' }}

    # Initializes the CodeQL tools for scanning.
    - name: Initialize CodeQL
      uses: github/codeql-action/init@v4
      with:
        queries: +security-extended
      # Override language selection by uncommenting this and choosing your languages
      # with:
      #   languages: go, javascript, csharp, python, cpp, java

    # Autobuild attempts to build any compiled languages  (C/C++, C#, or Java).
    # If this step fails, then you should remove it and run the build manually (see below)
    - name: Autobuild
      uses: github/codeql-action/autobuild@v4

    # ℹ️ Command-line programs to run using the OS shell.
    # 📚 https://git.io/JvXDl

    # ✏️ If the Autobuild fails above, remove it and uncomment the following three lines
    #    and modify them (or add more) to build your code if your project
    #    uses a compiled language

    #- run: |
    #   make bootstrap
    #   make release

    - name: Perform CodeQL Analysis
      uses: github/codeql-action/analyze@v4

What changed

  1. Run on Latchkey managed runners with one line (runs-on), which apply the fixes below automatically and self-heal transient failures. Each Linux x64 job moves to the Latchkey size matching its vCPU count, latchkey-small for a standard 2 vCPU runner; macOS, Windows and arm64 jobs stay as written.
  2. Cancel superseded runs when a branch or PR gets a newer push.
  3. Add a job timeout so a hung step cannot burn hours of runner time.

This workflow runs 1 job per trigger. It runs on a standard GitHub-hosted Linux x64 runner, which in a private repository bills $0.006 a minute against $0.0025 on latchkey-small, 58% lower; in a public repository like this one it is free. Estimate the monthly difference with your own run counts.

Actions used in this workflow

  • actions/checkout
  • github/codeql-action/init
  • github/codeql-action/autobuild
  • github/codeql-action/analyze

Frequently asked questions

What does the CodeQL workflow (nestjs/nest) workflow do?
This is the CodeQL workflow from the nestjs/nest repository, a real project running GitHub Actions. It is shown here with attribution under its MIT license.
What CI health grade does this workflow get?
This Automation and other workflow grades C. Paste your own workflow into the Latchkey grader to see its grade and the exact fixes.
How can I improve this Automation and other workflow?
Add run de-duplication and job timeouts. Latchkey applies these automatically on managed runners when you point runs-on at Latchkey.

References