Github Actions documentation/example for Surfer

[bmann]

I'd like to auto deploy some code from a Github repo, using Github actions after a commit happens, to copy files to Surfer.

Has anyone documented this?

[nebulon]

I don't have any example on hand, but would also be curious how this looks like. Never set up custom Github actions as such. I would assume the surfer cli or just the rest API would be utilized?

[fbartels]

I did not test it, as all my ci is still either in Drone at home or Gitlab at work. But from my understanding it should look like this:

    - name: Deploy to Surfer
      uses: addnab/docker-run-action@v3
      with:
        image: git.9wd.eu/9wd/surfer-action:latest
        run: |
          surfer --version
          surfer put --token $SURFTOKEN --server $SURFURL public/* /

(the referenced container is the surfer image I built and have been using for years)

[bmann]

@fbartels awesome, thank you! Will try this out.

Update: very close!

Using server https://localhost.dwebyvr.org
node:fs:1659
  const stats = binding.stat(
                        ^
Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, stat '/website/*'
    at Object.statSync (node:fs:1659:25)
    at collectFiles (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/cloudron-surfer/cli/actions.js:60:19)
    at /usr/local/lib/node_modules/cloudron-surfer/cli/actions.js:225:40
    at Array.forEach (<anonymous>)
    at Command.put (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/cloudron-surfer/cli/actions.js:221:15)
    at Command.listener [as _actionHandler] (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/cloudron-surfer/node_modules/commander/lib/command.js:494:17)
    at /usr/local/lib/node_modules/cloudron-surfer/node_modules/commander/lib/command.js:1296:65
    at Command._chainOrCall (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/cloudron-surfer/node_modules/commander/lib/command.js:1193:12)
    at Command._parseCommand (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/cloudron-surfer/node_modules/commander/lib/command.js:1296:27)
    at /usr/local/lib/node_modules/cloudron-surfer/node_modules/commander/lib/command.js:1082:27 {
  errno: -2,
  code: 'ENOENT',
  syscall: 'stat',
  path: '/website/*'
}

So somehow have to give it context of the checked out repo I guess?

Here's the file in the repo I'm working with: https://github.com/DWebYVR/localhost_vancouver_webring/blob/main/.github/workflows/surfer.yml

[fbartels]

@bmann said in Github Actions documentation/example for Surfer:

/website/*

This is a bit weird. In the output above it complains that it cannot find /website/, while in your yaml you are passing website/. The first one would be no surprise if it does not work, the second one however should work as ci tools usually open a shell where you will be directly in your git checkout.

I would try to debug this with inserting a few ls and pwd into your yaml to see where you actually are and if this might be a permission issue of some kind.

[rosano]

Got this working for myself:

1. create an environment and define your SURFER_TOKEN / SURFER_HOST secrets there
2. set the environment in your job
3. expose the secrets to the run command

My example assumes:

• environment name alfa
• you want to upload the bravo directory…
• to your server under /charlie/delta

name: Deploy

on: [push]

jobs:
  build_site:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    environment: alfa
    steps:
      - name: Checkout
        uses: actions/checkout@v4

      # … other steps for install, build, etc…

      - name: Install surfer
        run: npm -g install cloudron-surfer

      - name: Upload
        env:
          SURFER_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.SURFER_TOKEN }}
          SURFER_HOST: ${{ secrets.SURFER_HOST }}
        run: surfer put --token "$SURFER_TOKEN" --server "$SURFER_HOST" bravo/* /charlie/delta

[james]

Hello @rosano
We actually published a GitHub action for a more generic use-case.
https://github.com/cloudron-io/cloudron-push-to-app

[rosano]

@james i didn't get an email notification for this reply, good to know!

i think the use case described previously is more for static sites with surfer (my personal preference as github pages can be super slow to create and upload artifacts).

but nonetheless, could you clarify why it seems to push without any docker build step? i'm used to installing custom apps from registries after building so this "push code" concept seems novel.

(edit: my email was outdated… just updated)

[james]

Hello @rosano
The GitHub action is for pushing code from a GitHub repo directly into an app.
Like for surfer or LAMP.