manage npm release workflow (SVG-Edit/svgedit)

The manage npm release workflow from SVG-Edit/svgedit, explained and optimized by Latchkey.

What it does

This is the manage npm release workflow from the SVG-Edit/svgedit 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

name: manage npm release

on:
  release:
    types: [created]

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v3
        with:
          node-version: 20.x
      - run: |
          npm ci
          npm run build --workspace=packages/svgcanvas
          npm run lint
          npm run test
          npm run build

  publish-npm:
    needs: build
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v3
        with:
          node-version: 20
          registry-url: https://registry.npmjs.org/
      - run: npm publish
        env:
          NODE_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN}}

The same workflow, on Latchkey

Estimated ~20% faster on cache hits, plus fewer wasted runs and a safer supply chain. Added and changed lines are highlighted.

name: manage npm release
 
on:
  release:
    types: [created]
 
jobs:
  build:
    timeout-minutes: 30
    runs-on: latchkey-small
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v3
        with:
          cache: 'npm'
          node-version: 20.x
      - run: |
          npm ci
          npm run build --workspace=packages/svgcanvas
          npm run lint
          npm run test
          npm run build
 
  publish-npm:
    timeout-minutes: 30
    needs: build
    runs-on: latchkey-small
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v3
        with:
          cache: 'npm'
          node-version: 20
          registry-url: https://registry.npmjs.org/
      - run: npm publish
        env:
          NODE_AUTH_TOKEN: ${{secrets.GITHUB_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.
• Cache dependency installs on the setup step so they are served from cache.
• Add a job timeout so a hung step cannot burn hours of runner time.

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

Actions used in this workflow