rsync deployments

This GitHub Action (amd64) 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 base-image drinternet/rsync of this action is very small and is based on Alpine 3.17.2 (no cache) which results in fast deployments.

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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 and is relative to it

• 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

• remote_key_pass - The remote ssh key passphrase (if any)

* = Required

Required secret(s)

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

Always use secrets when dealing with sensitive inputs!

For simplicity, we are using DEPLOY_* as the secret variables throughout the examples.

Example usage

Simple:

name: DEPLOY
on:
  push:
    branches:
    - master

jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
    - name: rsync deployments
      uses: burnett01/rsync-deployments@6.0.0
      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/checkout@v3
    - name: rsync deployments
      uses: burnett01/rsync-deployments@6.0.0
      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, remote_user and remote_path inputs.

jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
    - name: rsync deployments
      uses: burnett01/rsync-deployments@6.0.0
      with:
        switches: -avzr --delete
        path: src/
        remote_path: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_PATH }}
        remote_host: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_HOST }}
        remote_port: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_PORT }}
        remote_user: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_USER }}
        remote_key: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_KEY }}

If your private key is passphrase protected you should use:

jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
    - name: rsync deployments
      uses: burnett01/rsync-deployments@6.0.0
      with:
        switches: -avzr --delete
        path: src/
        remote_path: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_PATH }}
        remote_host: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_HOST }}
        remote_port: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_PORT }}
        remote_user: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_USER }}
        remote_key: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_KEY }}
        remote_key_pass: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_KEY_PASS }}

---

Version 5.0, 5.1 & 5.2

Check here:

• https://github.com/Burnett01/rsync-deployments/tree/5.0 (alpine 3.11.x)
• https://github.com/Burnett01/rsync-deployments/tree/5.1 (alpine 3.14.1)
• https://github.com/Burnett01/rsync-deployments/tree/5.2 (alpine 3.15.0)
• https://github.com/Burnett01/rsync-deployments/tree/5.2.1 (alpine 3.16.1)
• https://github.com/Burnett01/rsync-deployments/tree/5.2.2 (alpine 3.17.2)

---

Version 4.0 & 4.1

Check here:

• https://github.com/Burnett01/rsync-deployments/tree/4.0
• https://github.com/Burnett01/rsync-deployments/tree/4.1

Version 4.0 & 4.1 use the drinternet/rsync:1.0.1 base-image.

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Version 3.0 (EOL)

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 (EOL)

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)

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

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

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Acknowledgements

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

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Media

This action was featured in multiple blogs across the globe:

Disclaimer: The author & co-authors are not responsible for the content of the site-links below.

• 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/

• https://matthias-andrasch.eu/blog/2021/tutorial-webseite-mittels-github-actions-deployment-zu-uberspace-uebertragen-rsync/

• https://mikael.koutero.me/posts/hugo-github-actions-deploy-rsync/

• https://cdmana.com/2021/02/20210208122400688I.html

• https://jishuin.proginn.com/p/763bfbd38928

• https://cloud.tencent.com/developer/article/1786522

• http://www.ningco.cn/github_action_deploy_blog/

• https://qdmana.com/2021/01/20210127094413405u.html