CodeQL workflow (nestjs/nest)

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

CI health: C - fair

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Source: nestjs/nest.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.ymlLicense MITView source

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.

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: 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

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/checkout github/codeql-action