rsync deployments

This GitHub Action deploys files in GITHUB_WORKSPACE to a remote folder via rsync over ssh.

Use this action in a CD workflow which leaves deployable code in GITHUB_WORKSPACE.

The underlaying base-image of the docker-image is very small (Alpine (no cache)) which results in fast deployments.

Inputs

• switches* - The first is for any initial/required rsync flags, eg: -avzr --delete

• rsh - Remote shell commands

• path - The source path. Defaults to GITHUB_WORKSPACE

• remote_path* - The deployment target path

• remote_host* - The remote host

• remote_port - The remote port. Defaults to 22

• remote_user* - The remote user

• remote_key* - The remote ssh key

* = Required

Required secret

This action needs a DEPLOY_KEY secret variable. This should be the private key part of a ssh key pair. The public key part should be added to the authorized_keys file on the server that receives the deployment. This should be set in the Github secrets section and then referenced as the remote_key input.

Example usage

Simple:

name: DEPLOY
on:
  push:
    branches:
    - master

jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
    - uses: actions/[email protected]
    - name: rsync deployments
      uses: burnett01/[email protected]
      with:
        switches: -avzr --delete
        path: src/
        remote_path: /var/www/html/
        remote_host: example.com
        remote_user: debian
        remote_key: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_KEY }}

Advanced:

jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
    - uses: actions/[email protected]
    - name: rsync deployments
      uses: burnett01/[email protected]
      with:
        switches: -avzr --delete --exclude="" --include="" --filter=""
        path: src/
        remote_path: /var/www/html/
        remote_host: example.com
        remote_port: 5555
        remote_user: debian
        remote_key: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_KEY }}

For better security, I suggest you create additional secrets for remote_host, remote_port and remote_user inputs.

jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
    - uses: actions/[email protected]
    - name: rsync deployments
      uses: burnett01/[email protected]
      with:
        switches: -avzr --delete
        path: src/
        remote_path: /var/www/html/
        remote_host: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_HOST }}
        remote_port: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_PORT }}
        remote_user: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_USER }}
        remote_key: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_KEY }}

Version 3.0

Looking for version 3.0?

Check here: https://github.com/Burnett01/rsync-deployments/tree/3.0

Version 3.0 uses the alpine:latest base-image directly.
Consider upgrading to 4.0 that uses a docker-image drinternet/rsync:1.0.1 that is
based on alpine:latestand heavily optimized for rsync.

Version 2.0

Looking for version 2.0?

Check here: https://github.com/Burnett01/rsync-deployments/tree/2.0

Version 2.0 uses a larger base-image (ubuntu:latest).
Consider upgrading to 3.0 for even faster deployments.

Version 1.0 (EOL)

Looking for version 1.0?

Check here: https://github.com/Burnett01/rsync-deployments/tree/1.0

Please note that version 1.0 has reached end of life state.

Acknowledgements

• This project is a fork of Contention/rsync-deployments
• Base image JoshPiper/rsync-docker

Media

This action was featured in multiple blogs across the globe:

• https://leobrack.co.uk/blog/2020-02-15-automatically-push-changes-to-your-live-site-with-github-actions

• https://blog.maniak.co/ci-cd-for-wordpress/

• https://elijahverdoorn.com/2020/04/14/automating-deployment-with-github-actions/

• https://www.vektor-inc.co.jp/post/github-actions-deploy/

• https://ews.ink/tech/blog-deploy-2/

• https://webpick.info/automatiser-avec-github-actions/