Build docs/ folder workflow (VerbalExpressions/JSVerbalExpressions)

The Build docs/ folder workflow from VerbalExpressions/JSVerbalExpressions, explained and optimized by Latchkey.

What it does

This is the Build docs/ folder workflow from the VerbalExpressions/JSVerbalExpressions 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: Build docs/ folder
on: pull_request
jobs:
    test:
        name: Build docs/ folder
        runs-on: ubuntu-latest
        steps:
            - uses: actions/checkout@v2
            - uses: actions/setup-ruby@v1
            - run: |
                  cd docs
                  gem install bundler --version '~> 1'
                  bundle install
                  bundle exec jekyll build
            - run: |
                  git add -A                      # Make sure new files are accounted
                  git diff --exit-code --cached   # Expect no changes in git

The same workflow, on Latchkey

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

name: Build docs/ folder
on: pull_request
concurrency:
    group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
    cancel-in-progress: true
 
jobs:
    test:
        timeout-minutes: 30
        name: Build docs/ folder
        runs-on: latchkey-small
        steps:
            - uses: actions/checkout@v2
            - uses: actions/setup-ruby@v1
            - run: |
                  cd docs
                  gem install bundler --version '~> 1'
                  bundle install
                  bundle exec jekyll build
            - run: |
                  git add -A                      # Make sure new files are accounted
                  git diff --exit-code --cached   # Expect no changes in git
 

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• Cancel superseded runs when a branch or PR gets a newer push.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.

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 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