Upgrading GitHub Actions Artifacts from V3 to V4 A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

In the evolving world of software development, continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) play a pivotal role. Among the tools that make CI/CD seamless, GitHub Actions stands out for its versatility and integration with GitHub. A crucial component of GitHub Actions is the use of artifacts. In this post, we’ll delve into upgrading GitHub Actions artifacts from version 3 to version 4, discussing the benefits, steps, and best practices.

Understanding GitHub Actions Artifacts

Artifacts in GitHub Actions are files created during a workflow run. They can be anything from compiled code, logs, test results, or binary files. These artifacts are essential for sharing data between jobs in a workflow or preserving data after a workflow completes.

The Need for Upgrading

Version 4 of GitHub Actions artifacts introduces performance improvements and new features. However, it also comes with changes that might affect existing workflows. Upgrading to version 4 ensures that your workflows remain efficient and take advantage of the latest improvements.

Preparing for the Upgrade

Before upgrading, it’s crucial to understand the changes version 4 brings. These include modifications to artifact naming conventions and handling. Prepare by reviewing your existing workflows and considering how these changes might affect them. Backup your current workflows and test the upgrade in a controlled environment.

Step-by-Step Upgrade Guide

1- Update Artifact Actions: Replace actions/upload-artifact@v3 and actions/download-artifact@v3 with actions/upload-artifact@v4 and actions/download-artifact@v4 in your workflows.
2- Unique Artifact Names: Version 4 requires unique artifact names within a workflow run. Ensure that each artifact you upload has a distinct name.
3- Handling Dynamic Names: If you use dynamic names for artifacts, particularly in matrix builds, make sure these are consistently generated and accessed across jobs.

Example Scenario

Let’s consider a workflow that builds and tests a .NET application on both Ubuntu and Windows. In version 3, the workflow might upload artifacts without considering unique naming across the matrix jobs. With version 4, you need to modify the workflow to ensure unique names, perhaps by including the matrix OS and job number in the artifact name.

CI Workflow with Artifacts V3:

Here’s how the CI part of the workflow might look with artifacts version 3:

jobs:
  build-and-test:
    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
    strategy:
      matrix:
        os: [ubuntu-latest, windows-latest]
    steps:
      # ... (steps to setup environment, checkout code)
      - name: Build
        run: dotnet build
      - name: Test
        run: dotnet test
      - name: Upload Test Results
        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
        with:
          name: test-results
          path: path/to/test-results

CD Workflow with Artifacts V3:

The CD part deploys the application, assuming test results are positive:

jobs:
  deploy:
    needs: build-and-test
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Download Test Results
        uses: actions/download-artifact@v3
        with:
          name: test-results
          path: path/to/downloaded-test-results
      # ... (steps to deploy application)

Upgraded CI/CD Workflow with Artifacts V4:

Now, let’s upgrade this workflow to use artifacts version 4, ensuring unique artifact names:

jobs:
  build-and-test:
    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
    outputs:
      os: ${{ matrix.os }}
      run_number: ${{ github.run_number }}
    strategy:
      matrix:
        os: [ubuntu-latest, windows-latest]
    steps:
      # ... (steps to setup environment, checkout code)
      - name: Build
        run: dotnet build
      - name: Test
        run: dotnet test
      - name: Upload Test Results
        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
        with:
          name: test-results-${{ matrix.os }}-${{ github.run_number }}
          path: path/to/test-results

  deploy:
    needs: build-and-test
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Download Test Results for Ubuntu
        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
        with:
          name: test-results-ubuntu-latest-${{ needs.build-and-test.outputs.os }}-${{ needs.build-and-test.outputs.run_number }}
          path: path/to/downloaded-test-results
      - name: Download Test Results for Windows
        uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
        with:
          name: test-results-windows-latest-${{ needs.build-and-test.outputs.os }}-${{ needs.build-and-test.outputs.run_number }}
          path: path/to/downloaded-test-results
      # ... (steps to deploy application)

In this upgraded workflow:

• We modify the artifact upload step to use dynamic naming based on the OS and run number.
• During the deployment, we download the specific artifacts for each OS.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Upgrading might present challenges like failing to find artifacts during download. This often happens due to mismatches in dynamic naming. Ensure that the names used in the upload step match exactly with those in the download step.

Best Practices

• Consistently name your artifacts, especially in matrix builds.
• Regularly review your workflows to leverage new features and improvements.
• Keep your workflows simple and readable.

Feedback and Questions

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If you found this guide beneficial, don’t hesitate to share it with your network. Until the next guide, happy coding!