Linux tests workflow (spyder-ide/qtawesome)

The Linux tests workflow from spyder-ide/qtawesome, explained and optimized by Latchkey.

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Source: spyder-ide/qtawesome.github/workflows/linux-tests.ymlLicense MITView source

What it does

This is the Linux tests workflow from the spyder-ide/qtawesome 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: Linux tests

on:
  push:
    branches:
    - master
  pull_request:
    branches:
    - master

jobs:
  linux-qt5:
    name: Linux Py${{ matrix.PYTHON_VERSION }} - ${{ matrix.QT_BINDING }} - ${{ matrix.QT_BINDING_VERSION }}
    timeout-minutes: 15
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    env:
      CI: True
      QT_API:  ${{ matrix.QT_BINDING }}
      PYTHON_VERSION: ${{ matrix.PYTHON_VERSION }}
      RUNNER_OS: 'ubuntu'
    strategy:
      fail-fast: false
      matrix:
        PYTHON_VERSION: ['3.9', '3.13']
        QT_BINDING: ['pyqt5', 'pyside2']
        include:
          - QT_BINDING_VERSION: 'latest'
          - PYTHON_VERSION: '3.10'
            QT_BINDING: 'pyside2'
            QT_BINDING_VERSION: 'latest'
        exclude:
          - PYTHON_VERSION: '3.13'
            QT_BINDING: 'pyside2'
    steps:
      - name: Checkout branch
        uses: actions/checkout@v2
      - name: Install System Packages
        run: |
          sudo apt-get update --fix-missing
          sudo apt-get install -qq pyqt5-dev-tools libxcb-xinerama0 xterm --fix-missing
      - name: Install Conda
        uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v3
        with:
           activate-environment: test
           auto-update-conda: false
           auto-activate-base: false
           python-version: ${{ matrix.PYTHON_VERSION }}
           channels: conda-forge,defaults
           channel-priority: strict
           conda-remove-defaults: true
      - name: Install dependencies
        shell: bash -l {0}
        run: conda env update --file requirements/environment_tests_${{ matrix.QT_BINDING }}_${{ matrix.QT_BINDING_VERSION }}.yml
      - name: Install Package
        shell: bash -l {0}
        run: pip install -e .
      - name: Show environment information
        shell: bash -l {0}
        run: |
          conda info
          conda list
      - name: Run tests
        shell: bash -l {0}
        run: |
          xvfb-run --auto-servernum python example.py
          xvfb-run --auto-servernum pytest -x -vv --cov-report xml --cov=qtawesome qtawesome
      - name: Upload coverage to Codecov
        uses: codecov/codecov-action@v4
        with:
          fail_ci_if_error: true
          verbose: true
        env:
          CODECOV_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CODECOV_TOKEN }}

  linux-qt6:
    name: Linux Py${{ matrix.PYTHON_VERSION }} - ${{ matrix.QT_BINDING }} - ${{ matrix.QT_BINDING_VERSION }}
    timeout-minutes: 15
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    env:
      CI: True
      QT_API:  ${{ matrix.QT_BINDING }}
      PYTHON_VERSION: ${{ matrix.PYTHON_VERSION }}
      RUNNER_OS: 'ubuntu'
    strategy:
      fail-fast: false
      matrix:
        PYTHON_VERSION: ['3.9', '3.13']
        QT_BINDING: ['pyqt6', 'pyside6']
        include:
          - QT_BINDING_VERSION: 'latest'
          - PYTHON_VERSION: '3.13'  # PySide6 but specific version (6.8.3) on Python 3.13
            QT_BINDING: 'pyside6'
            QT_BINDING_VERSION: '6.8.3'
    steps:
      - name: Checkout branch
        uses: actions/checkout@v2
      - name: Install System Packages
        run: |
          sudo apt-get update --fix-missing
          sudo apt-get install -qq pyqt6-dev-tools --fix-missing
      - name: Setup a headless display
        uses: pyvista/setup-headless-display-action@v3
        with:
          qt: true
      - name: Install Conda
        uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v3
        with:
           activate-environment: test
           auto-update-conda: false
           auto-activate-base: false
           python-version: ${{ matrix.PYTHON_VERSION }}
           channels: conda-forge,defaults
           channel-priority: strict
           conda-remove-defaults: true
      - name: Install dependencies
        shell: bash -l {0}
        run: conda env update --file requirements/environment_tests_${{ matrix.QT_BINDING }}_${{ matrix.QT_BINDING_VERSION }}.yml
      - name: Install Package
        shell: bash -l {0}
        run: pip install -e .
      - name: Show environment information
        shell: bash -l {0}
        run: |
          conda info
          conda list
      - name: Run tests
        shell: bash -l {0}
        run: |
          xvfb-run --auto-servernum python example.py
          xvfb-run --auto-servernum pytest -x -vv --cov-report xml --cov=qtawesome qtawesome
      - name: Upload coverage to Codecov
        uses: codecov/codecov-action@v4
        with:
          fail_ci_if_error: true
          verbose: true
        env:
          CODECOV_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CODECOV_TOKEN }}

The same workflow, on Latchkey

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

name: Linux tests
 
on:
  push:
    branches:
    - master
  pull_request:
    branches:
    - master
 
concurrency:
  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
  cancel-in-progress: true
 
jobs:
  linux-qt5:
    name: Linux Py${{ matrix.PYTHON_VERSION }} - ${{ matrix.QT_BINDING }} - ${{ matrix.QT_BINDING_VERSION }}
    timeout-minutes: 15
    runs-on: latchkey-small
    env:
      CI: True
      QT_API:  ${{ matrix.QT_BINDING }}
      PYTHON_VERSION: ${{ matrix.PYTHON_VERSION }}
      RUNNER_OS: 'ubuntu'
    strategy:
      fail-fast: false
      matrix:
        PYTHON_VERSION: ['3.9', '3.13']
        QT_BINDING: ['pyqt5', 'pyside2']
        include:
          - QT_BINDING_VERSION: 'latest'
          - PYTHON_VERSION: '3.10'
            QT_BINDING: 'pyside2'
            QT_BINDING_VERSION: 'latest'
        exclude:
          - PYTHON_VERSION: '3.13'
            QT_BINDING: 'pyside2'
    steps:
      - name: Checkout branch
        uses: actions/checkout@v2
      - name: Install System Packages
        run: |
          sudo apt-get update --fix-missing
          sudo apt-get install -qq pyqt5-dev-tools libxcb-xinerama0 xterm --fix-missing
      - name: Install Conda
        uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v3
        with:
           activate-environment: test
           auto-update-conda: false
           auto-activate-base: false
           python-version: ${{ matrix.PYTHON_VERSION }}
           channels: conda-forge,defaults
           channel-priority: strict
           conda-remove-defaults: true
      - name: Install dependencies
        shell: bash -l {0}
        run: conda env update --file requirements/environment_tests_${{ matrix.QT_BINDING }}_${{ matrix.QT_BINDING_VERSION }}.yml
      - name: Install Package
        shell: bash -l {0}
        run: pip install -e .
      - name: Show environment information
        shell: bash -l {0}
        run: |
          conda info
          conda list
      - name: Run tests
        shell: bash -l {0}
        run: |
          xvfb-run --auto-servernum python example.py
          xvfb-run --auto-servernum pytest -x -vv --cov-report xml --cov=qtawesome qtawesome
      - name: Upload coverage to Codecov
        uses: codecov/codecov-action@v4
        with:
          fail_ci_if_error: true
          verbose: true
        env:
          CODECOV_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CODECOV_TOKEN }}
 
  linux-qt6:
    name: Linux Py${{ matrix.PYTHON_VERSION }} - ${{ matrix.QT_BINDING }} - ${{ matrix.QT_BINDING_VERSION }}
    timeout-minutes: 15
    runs-on: latchkey-small
    env:
      CI: True
      QT_API:  ${{ matrix.QT_BINDING }}
      PYTHON_VERSION: ${{ matrix.PYTHON_VERSION }}
      RUNNER_OS: 'ubuntu'
    strategy:
      fail-fast: false
      matrix:
        PYTHON_VERSION: ['3.9', '3.13']
        QT_BINDING: ['pyqt6', 'pyside6']
        include:
          - QT_BINDING_VERSION: 'latest'
          - PYTHON_VERSION: '3.13'  # PySide6 but specific version (6.8.3) on Python 3.13
            QT_BINDING: 'pyside6'
            QT_BINDING_VERSION: '6.8.3'
    steps:
      - name: Checkout branch
        uses: actions/checkout@v2
      - name: Install System Packages
        run: |
          sudo apt-get update --fix-missing
          sudo apt-get install -qq pyqt6-dev-tools --fix-missing
      - name: Setup a headless display
        uses: pyvista/setup-headless-display-action@v3
        with:
          qt: true
      - name: Install Conda
        uses: conda-incubator/setup-miniconda@v3
        with:
           activate-environment: test
           auto-update-conda: false
           auto-activate-base: false
           python-version: ${{ matrix.PYTHON_VERSION }}
           channels: conda-forge,defaults
           channel-priority: strict
           conda-remove-defaults: true
      - name: Install dependencies
        shell: bash -l {0}
        run: conda env update --file requirements/environment_tests_${{ matrix.QT_BINDING }}_${{ matrix.QT_BINDING_VERSION }}.yml
      - name: Install Package
        shell: bash -l {0}
        run: pip install -e .
      - name: Show environment information
        shell: bash -l {0}
        run: |
          conda info
          conda list
      - name: Run tests
        shell: bash -l {0}
        run: |
          xvfb-run --auto-servernum python example.py
          xvfb-run --auto-servernum pytest -x -vv --cov-report xml --cov=qtawesome qtawesome
      - name: Upload coverage to Codecov
        uses: codecov/codecov-action@v4
        with:
          fail_ci_if_error: true
          verbose: true
        env:
          CODECOV_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.CODECOV_TOKEN }}

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.

3 third-party actions are referenced by a movable tag. Pin them to the commit SHA (Latchkey resolves and applies this automatically) so a repointed tag cannot change what runs.

What Latchkey heals here

This workflow has steps that commonly fail on transient issues (network, registries, flaky browsers). On Latchkey managed runners they are detected, retried, and self-healed instead of failing your build:

Dependency installs

This workflow runs 2 jobs (8 with the matrix expanded) 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 codecov/codecov-action