🚀 GitHub Actions Learning Repository

Welcome to your hands-on learning journey with GitHub Actions! This repository is designed for beginners and intermediate developers who want to master CI/CD automation.

📚 What You'll Learn

✅ GitHub Actions fundamentals (workflows, jobs, steps)
✅ Automating builds and tests
✅ CI/CD pipeline creation
✅ Deploying applications to Azure App Service
✅ Working with secrets and environment variables
✅ Real-world workflow examples

🎯 Target Audience

Beginners to CI/CD
Developers wanting to automate their workflows
Students learning DevOps practices
Anyone interested in GitHub Actions

📋 Prerequisites & Setup

Requirements

A GitHub account
Git installed locally
Node.js v16+ installed
(Optional) Azure account for deployment tasks

Quick Setup (5 minutes)

Fork this repository
```
# Click "Fork" button on GitHub
```

Clone your fork

git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/github-actions-learning.git
cd github-actions-learning

Install dependencies for sample app
```
cd sample-app
npm install
npm start
```
Visit http://localhost:3000 - you should see the welcome page!
Run tests locally
```
npm test
```
All tests should pass ✅

📚 Learning Content & Documentation

1️⃣ Start Here: Quick Start (5 minutes)

Getting started immediately:

Fork the repository
Clone: git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/github-actions-learning.git
Install: cd sample-app && npm install
Run: npm start (visit http://localhost:3000)
Test: npm test

2️⃣ Read Documentation (45-60 minutes)

Go through these in order in the docs/ folder:

01-what-is-github-actions.md - Concepts & basics (10 min)
02-workflow-basics.md - YAML syntax & structure (15 min)
03-triggers-and-events.md - When workflows run (10 min)
04-jobs-and-steps.md - Execution model (15 min)
05-secrets-and-env.md - Security & configuration (10 min)
06-build-and-test.md - CI/CD patterns (15 min)
07-deploy-to-azure.md - Cloud deployment (10 min)

3️⃣ Complete All Tasks (2-4 hours)

Follow TASKS.md for 10+ hands-on exercises organized by difficulty:

Level	Tasks	Time	Skills
🌟 Beginner	1-3	30 min	Fundamentals & basics
⭐⭐ Intermediate	4-7	1-2 hours	Workflow creation & automation
⭐⭐⭐ Advanced	8-10	2-3 hours	Production-ready patterns

4️⃣ Example Workflows

Three production-ready workflows to learn from:

hello-world.yml - Basic workflow, manual triggers
build-test.yml - CI/CD pipeline with matrix testing
deploy-azure-app-service.yml - Production deployment

🏅 Earn Digital Badges

Complete tasks at each level and submit your work to earn prestigious badges!

🌟 Beginner Badge

Complete Tasks 1-3

Steps:

Complete all Beginner tasks in TASKS.md
Take screenshots of successful workflow runs
Fork the repo → Create branch working-beginner-yourname
Create file .github/submissions/beginner-yourname.md with evidence
Commit → Push → Create Pull Request
Submit link via 🎖️ Badge Submission issue (select "Beginner")
Automatic labels applied: submission, beginner, pending-review
Auto-assigned to reviewer for approval

Proof needed:

Task 1: Hello World workflow running ✅
Task 2: Workflow triggered by push event ✅
Task 3: Local tests passing with npm test ✅

⭐⭐ Intermediate Badge

Complete Tasks 4-7

Steps:

Complete all Intermediate tasks in TASKS.md
Gather workflow execution screenshots and logs
Fork the repo → Create branch working-intermediate-yourname
Create file .github/submissions/intermediate-yourname.md with evidence
Commit → Push → Create Pull Request
Submit link via 🎖️ Badge Submission issue (select "Intermediate")
Automatic labels applied: submission, intermediate, pending-review
Auto-assigned to reviewer for approval

Proof needed:

Task 4: Custom workflow running on develop branch ✅
Task 5: Environment variables displaying in logs ✅
Task 6: GitHub secrets access (masked in logs) ✅
Task 7: Matrix testing across 3 Node versions in parallel ✅

⭐⭐⭐ Advanced Badge

Complete Tasks 8-10

Steps:

Complete all Advanced tasks in TASKS.md
Gather comprehensive screenshots and workflow logs
Fork the repo → Create branch working-advanced-yourname
Create file .github/submissions/advanced-yourname.md with evidence
Commit → Push → Create Pull Request
Submit link via 🎖️ Badge Submission issue (select "Advanced")
Automatic labels applied: submission, advanced, pending-review
Auto-assigned to reviewer for approval

Proof needed:

Task 8: Artifacts uploaded & downloaded between jobs ✅
Task 9: Conditional execution (deploy on main only) ✅
Task 10: PR created with template & issue using template ✅

🎯 Submission Process Simplified

One Simple Way to Submit

Fork the repo (click Fork button)

Clone your fork

git clone https://github.com/YOUR-USERNAME/github-actions-learning.git
cd github-actions-learning

Create working branch (use this naming: working-<level>-<yourname>)
```
git checkout -b working-beginner-john
```
Complete your tasks from TASKS.md and gather evidence (screenshots)

Create submission file in .github/submissions/

# Create this folder if it doesn't exist
mkdir -p .github/submissions

# Create file: beginner-john.md (for Beginner)
# or: intermediate-john.md (for Intermediate)
# or: advanced-john.md (for Advanced)

Add evidence to your file (screenshots, workflow links, etc.)

Commit your changes

git add .github/submissions/beginner-john.md
git commit -m "feat: add beginner badge submission"
git push origin working-beginner-john

Create Pull Request on GitHub with your branch
Submit Tracking Issue via 🎖️ Badge Submission
- Select your level (Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced)
- Paste your PR link
- Labels & assignment happen automatically!

That's it! 🎉 Automatic labels and assignment handle the rest.

✅ What Happens After Submission

Step	Automatic	Manual
Level Selection	N/A	You choose in issue
Labels Added	✅ Auto (submission + level)	N/A
Assignment	✅ Auto (@nisalgunawardhana)	N/A
Review	Manual (2-5 days)	Reviewer checks evidence
Feedback	Comments on PR	If revisions needed
Approval	Issue closed	Badge awarded! 🏅

📋 Submission File Template

Create a simple markdown file with your evidence:

# Beginner Badge Submission - Your Name

**Date:** January 2026
**Status:** Submitted for Review

## Tasks Completed

- [x] Task 1: Run Your First Workflow
- [x] Task 2: Understand Workflow Triggers
- [x] Task 3: Build and Test Locally

## Evidence

### Task 1: Hello World Workflow
[Screenshot showing successful workflow run]

### Task 2: Push Trigger
[Screenshot showing workflow triggered automatically on push]

### Task 3: Local Tests
[Screenshot showing npm test output - all passing]

## Notes
Any challenges faced or additional context.

---

Submitted & ready for review! ✅

That's all you need! No complex templates, just clear evidence.

🗂️ Repository Structure

github-actions-learning/
├── README.md                          # Main guide (this file)
├── TASKS.md                           # All learning tasks (10+)
├── CONTRIBUTING.md                    # How to contribute
├── LICENSE                            # MIT License
│
├── docs/                              # Learning documentation
│   ├── 01-what-is-github-actions.md
│   ├── 02-workflow-basics.md
│   ├── 03-triggers-and-events.md
│   ├── 04-jobs-and-steps.md
│   ├── 05-secrets-and-env.md
│   ├── 06-build-and-test.md
│   └── 07-deploy-to-azure.md
│
├── images/                            # Digital badges
│   ├── Beginner.png
│   ├── Intermediate.png
│   └── Advanced.png
│
├── .github/
│   ├── workflows/                     # Example workflows
│   │   ├── hello-world.yml
│   │   ├── build-test.yml
│   │   └── deploy-azure-app-service.yml
│   ├── submissions/                   # Your badge submissions go here
│   ├── ISSUE_TEMPLATE/
│   │   ├── badge_submission.md        # 🎖️ Submit badge (auto-labels & assigns!)
│   │   ├── bug_report.md              # Report bugs
│   │   ├── feature_request.md         # Suggest improvements
│   │   ├── documentation.md           # Improve docs
│   │   └── question.md                # Ask questions
│   └── PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md       # PR template
│
└── sample-app/                        # Sample Node.js app
    ├── src/server.js
    ├── tests/server.test.js
    ├── package.json
    └── README.md

🔄 Learning & Development Workflow

For Self-Paced Learning

Preparation (5 min)
- Fork repository
- Clone to your machine
- Setup sample app
Study (45-60 min)
- Read documentation in docs/ folder
- Understand concepts
- Review example workflows
Practice (2-4 hours)
- Complete TASKS.md exercises
- Run workflows
- Modify and experiment
Submit (10 min)
- Create submission file with evidence
- Push to GitHub
- Create PR and submit tracking issue
- Auto-labels and auto-assigns!
Review (2-5 days)
- Reviewer checks your work
- Feedback if needed
- Badge awarded! 🏅

For Team/Classroom Use

Setup
- Clone this repository to your organization
- Share link with team/students
Students Fork & Learn
- Each student forks the repo
- Creates working-* branch
- Completes tasks locally
Submit via PR
- Creates submission file
- Opens PR on main repo
- Submits tracking issue with level selection
Auto-Organization
- Labels apply automatically (submission, beginner/intermediate/advanced)
- Assignment automatic
- Reviewers can focus on quality
Feedback & Approval
- Reviewer provides feedback
- Student makes revisions if needed
- Badge awarded on approval

🎓 Complete Task List

🌟 Beginner Tasks (30 min total)

#	Task	Time	What You Learn
1	Run Your First Workflow	5 min	Trigger workflows manually, read logs
2	Understand Workflow Triggers	10 min	Automatic triggers on push
3	Build and Test Locally	15 min	Run app & tests locally

Submit: 🎖️ Beginner Badge Issue → Select "Beginner" → Auto-labels & assigns!

⭐⭐ Intermediate Tasks (1-2 hours total)

#	Task	Time	What You Learn
4	Create a Custom Workflow	15 min	Build workflows from scratch
5	Add Environment Variables	10 min	Configure with env vars
6	Use GitHub Secrets	10 min	Handle sensitive data securely
7	Matrix Testing	15 min	Test multiple Node versions

Submit: 🎖️ Intermediate Badge Issue → Select "Intermediate" → Auto-labels & assigns!

⭐⭐⭐ Advanced Tasks (2-3 hours total)

#	Task	Time	What You Learn
8	Upload and Download Artifacts	20 min	Share data between jobs
9	Conditional Execution	15 min	Run steps conditionally
10	Create a PR and Use Issue Templates	20 min	Contribute to projects

Submit: 🎖️ Advanced Badge Issue → Select "Advanced" → Auto-labels & assigns!

🏆 Bonus Challenges

Challenge 1: Deploy to Azure - Production deployment
Challenge 2: Add Code Coverage - Quality metrics
Challenge 3: Custom Action - Reusable automation

🔧 Example Workflows Explained

1. Hello World Workflow

File: .github/workflows/hello-world.yml

name: Hello World
on: push
jobs:
  hello:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - run: echo "Hello, GitHub Actions!"

Learn: Basic workflow structure, triggers, steps
Related Tasks: Task 1, Task 2

2. Build & Test Workflow

File: .github/workflows/build-test.yml

Uses matrix testing across Node versions, installs dependencies, runs tests.

Learn: Matrix strategies, dependencies, caching
Related Tasks: Task 3, Task 7

3. Deploy to Azure Workflow

File: .github/workflows/deploy-azure-app-service.yml

Builds and deploys app to Azure App Service.

Learn: Production deployment, secrets, conditional execution
Related Tasks: Task 6, Challenge 1

📚 Documentation Overview

Doc	Topics	Duration	Level
01-what-is-github-actions.md	What & why GitHub Actions	10 min	Beginner
02-workflow-basics.md	Workflow structure & YAML	15 min	Beginner
03-triggers-and-events.md	When workflows run	10 min	Beginner
04-jobs-and-steps.md	Jobs, steps, runners	15 min	Intermediate
05-secrets-and-env.md	Configuration & security	10 min	Intermediate
06-build-and-test.md	CI/CD pipelines	15 min	Intermediate
07-deploy-to-azure.md	Azure deployment	10 min	Advanced

Total Learning Time: ~1.5 hours of documentation
Total Task Time: 3-6 hours of hands-on practice

💡 Tips for Success

Learning Tips

Start sequentially - Don't skip around
Read the docs first - Foundation matters
Run the examples - See it in action
Modify workflows - Experiment & break things
Read the logs - GitHub Actions logs tell you everything
Add comments - Document what you learn

Task Completion Tips

Screenshot everything - For badge submission
Take your time - Quality > Speed
Experiment with modifications - "What if I..."
Get stuck? - Create a Question issue
Found a problem? - Report Bug report

Submission Tips

Create clear submission files - Organize evidence well
Use descriptive commit messages - Help reviewers understand
Follow branch naming - working-level-yourname
Set level in issue - Triggers auto-labels
Link your PR - Include it in submission issue

🤝 How to Contribute

If you find issues or have improvements:

Report Issues
- Use bug_report.md
- Use feature_request.md
- Use documentation.md
Contribute Code
- Fork repository
- Create branch: feature/your-feature
- Make changes
- Create PR using PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md
- See CONTRIBUTING.md for details
Share Knowledge
- Improve documentation
- Create clearer examples
- Help others in issues

📞 Support & Questions

Getting Help

Check Documentation - Start with docs/ folder
Review Examples - Look at workflows in .github/workflows/
Check TASKS.md - Find similar examples
Create Issue - Use question.md template
Contact Maintainer - @nisalgunawardhana

Common Issues

Q: My workflow isn't running?
A: Check the trigger event. See 03-triggers-and-events.md

Q: How do I use secrets safely?
A: See 05-secrets-and-env.md

Q: How do I deploy to Azure?
A: See 07-deploy-to-azure.md and Challenge 1

🎖️ Badge Submission Tracking

Submission Flow

Start → Learn → Complete Tasks → Create Branch → Submit File 
  → Push PR → Submit Issue → Auto-Labels & Assign → Review → Badge! 🏅

Automatic Workflow

You choose level in badge submission issue
System auto-adds labels - submission, beginner/intermediate/advanced
System auto-assigns - @nisalgunawardhana
Reviewer reviews - 2-5 days
Feedback or approval - You're notified
Badge awarded! - Congratulations! 🎉

No Manual Labeling Needed! ✨

Just select your level in the issue → Everything else is automatic!

📊 Repository Statistics

📚 7 Learning Modules in docs/
🔧 3 Example Workflows ready to use
📝 10+ Hands-On Tasks organized by level
💻 Sample Node.js App with tests
📄 Multiple Issue Templates for contributions
🎖️ Badge System with auto-organization

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

⭐ Show Your Support

⭐ Star this repository
🔀 Share with friends/colleagues
📢 Tell others about it
🤝 Contribute improvements
💬 Provide feedback

Ready to get started? Begin with setup above or jump to TASKS.md! 🚀

Questions? Create an ❓ Question Issue

Happy Learning! 🎓

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README.md

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README.md

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🚀 GitHub Actions Learning Repository

📚 What You'll Learn

🎯 Target Audience

📋 Prerequisites & Setup

Requirements

Quick Setup (5 minutes)

📚 Learning Content & Documentation

1️⃣ Start Here: Quick Start (5 minutes)

2️⃣ Read Documentation (45-60 minutes)

3️⃣ Complete All Tasks (2-4 hours)

4️⃣ Example Workflows

🏅 Earn Digital Badges

🌟 Beginner Badge

⭐⭐ Intermediate Badge

⭐⭐⭐ Advanced Badge

🎯 Submission Process Simplified

One Simple Way to Submit

✅ What Happens After Submission

📋 Submission File Template

🗂️ Repository Structure

🔄 Learning & Development Workflow

For Self-Paced Learning

For Team/Classroom Use

🎓 Complete Task List

🌟 Beginner Tasks (30 min total)

⭐⭐ Intermediate Tasks (1-2 hours total)

⭐⭐⭐ Advanced Tasks (2-3 hours total)

🏆 Bonus Challenges

🔧 Example Workflows Explained

1. Hello World Workflow

2. Build & Test Workflow

3. Deploy to Azure Workflow

📚 Documentation Overview

💡 Tips for Success

Learning Tips

Task Completion Tips

Submission Tips

🤝 How to Contribute

📞 Support & Questions

Getting Help

Common Issues

🎖️ Badge Submission Tracking

Submission Flow

Automatic Workflow

No Manual Labeling Needed! ✨

📊 Repository Statistics

📄 License

⭐ Show Your Support