starter-workflows/README.md

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## Starter Workflows

These are the workflow files for helping people get started with GitHub Actions.  They're presented whenever you start to create a new GitHub Actions workflow.

**If you want to get started with GitHub Actions, you can use these starter workflows by clicking the "Actions" tab in the repository where you want to create a workflow.**

<img src="https://d3vv6lp55qjaqc.cloudfront.net/items/353A3p3Y2x3c2t2N0c01/Image%202019-08-27%20at%203.25.07%20PM.png" max-width="75%"/>

### Directory structure

* [ci](ci): solutions for Continuous Integration workflows
* [deployments](deployments): solutions for Deployment workflows
* [automation](automation): solutions for automating workflows
* [code-scanning](code-scanning): solutions for [Code Scanning](https://github.com/features/security)
* [pages](pages): solutions for Pages workflows
* [icons](icons): svg icons for the relevant template

Each workflow must be written in YAML and have a `.yml` extension. They also need a corresponding `.properties.json` file that contains extra metadata about the workflow (this is displayed in the GitHub.com UI).

For example: `ci/django.yml` and `ci/properties/django.properties.json`.

### Valid properties

* `name`: the name shown in onboarding. This property is unique within the repository.
* `description`: the description shown in onboarding
* `iconName`: the icon name in the relevant folder, for example, `django` should have an icon `icons/django.svg`. Only SVG is supported at this time. Another option is to use [octicon](https://primer.style/octicons/). The format to use an octicon is `octicon <<icon name>>`. Example: `octicon person`
* `creator`: creator of the template shown in onboarding. All the workflow templates from an author will have the same `creator` field.
* `categories`: the categories that it will be shown under. Choose at least one category from the list [here](#categories). Further, choose the categories from the list of languages available [here](https://github.com/github/linguist/blob/master/lib/linguist/languages.yml) and the list of tech stacks available [here](https://github.com/github-starter-workflows/repo-analysis-partner/blob/main/tech_stacks.yml). When a user views the available templates, those templates that match the language and tech stacks will feature more prominently.

### Categories
* continuous-integration
* deployment
* testing
* code-quality
* code-review
* dependency-management
* monitoring
* Automation
* utilities
* Pages
* Hugo

### Variables
These variables can be placed in the starter workflow and will be substituted as detailed below:

* `$default-branch`: will substitute the branch from the repository, for example `main` and `master`
* `$protected-branches`: will substitute any protected branches from the repository
* `$cron-daily`: will substitute a valid but random time within the day

## How to test templates before publishing

### Disable template for public
The template author adds a `labels` array in the template's `properties.json` file with a label `preview`. This will hide the template from users, unless user uses query parameter `preview=true` in the URL.
Example `properties.json` file:
```json
{
    "name": "Node.js",
    "description": "Build and test a Node.js project with npm.",
    "iconName": "nodejs",
    "categories": ["Continuous integration", "JavaScript", "npm", "React", "Angular", "Vue"],
    "labels": ["preview"]
}
```

For viewing the templates with `preview` label, provide query parameter `preview=true` to the  `new workflow` page URL. Eg. `https://github.com/<owner>/<repo_name>/actions/new?preview=true`.

### Enable template for public
Remove the `labels` array from `properties.json` file to publish the template to public