Deploying code bases to staging and production websites can be done a million ways, with the bare minium manually FTP'ing the files over or at the other end Docker boxes that build and deploy. At VIA, historically we have used 

 to handle this for us. As time has gone on, we found ourselves wanting to move to something more nimble and that fit more of our current workflow. Enter 

GitHub Actions are basically workflows that are trigged by Git actions and live inside GitHub. For example, you want to build and deploy to production when a branch is merged into main.

GitHub Actions makes it easy to automate all your software workflows, now with world-class CI/CD. Build, test, and deploy your code right from GitHub. Make code reviews, branch management, and issue triaging work the way you want.

Actions are written as YAML files and live in the.github folder in the project repo.

For an example scenario, let's say we have a small WordPress website hosted on WP-Engine that needs its theme built as part of the deployment. The workflow will consist of the trigger, setup, build, and deployment.

The trigger is simple, since we want to start the workflow when a branch is merged into main, our production branch.

Next we want to setup the virtual box and dependencies, such as Node. GitHub Actions allows you to configure things such as PHP version, Python version, etc... In this example, we are using latest Ubuntu box, Node 18x, and installing the root and theme Node dependencies. 

Note that npm ci is used instead of npm i, as 

 "in automated environments such as test platforms, continuous integration, and deployment".

Now that everything is setup and installed, the theme can be built

The final step is deployment. With GitHub Actions, there is 

 to share actions, which conveniently there is a 

. To use it, just specify the action and give it your SSH secret key and WP-Engine environment name.

Note that you can store the SSH secret key in the GitHub organization or repo's 

 so it does not appear in the workflow as plaintext.

Now you have a completed workflow that will build and deploy to WP-Engine. As an added bonus, this workflow can be extended for pushing feature branches to staging as well.

Hosting

Replacing Jenkins with GitHub Actions

Data and analytics are the best ways to prove that something isn’t working… or in this case, is working! According to 

, which monitors a website’s availability and performance, our website has had only 10 minutes of downtime in the last 12 months! That’s some seriously solid hosting thanks to 

Now some of you might be thinking “gee, that sounds great and all, but I have literally no idea what you’re talking about.” Don’t worry – its not 

A web hosting service is a company that provides the tools to allow individuals and companies to make their websites available on the internet. Specifically, they provide servers (which are basically high-powered computers) and internet access. The files for your site are stored on the servers which also run specific software to process the code that makes up your website. Depending on your needs, you might have dedicated hosting (a server all to yourself) or shared hosting (you get the picture).

Now you might be thinking “if all I need is a computer and some internet access, can’t I host from home?” Well, yes, technically you could but we’d advise against it. Firstly, think of your home internet access – is it always up? Is your speed and connection always consistent? Then there’s your computer to keep in mind, you’d have to run a web server 24/7. This means that if you ever need to restart your computer, or if it crashes, your website will go down. Finally, unless you know a lot about web security, you’re opening yourself up to outside attack.

Choosing a web hosting service has a lot of variables but here are some tips:

Do you need specific software? Is your site built in, say, PHP? Which version?

Whats the support like? If you’re not a hosting-wiz look for someone with good customer service

Do research into a host’s uptime/downtime

Decide if you need dedicated or shared hosting

Hopefully this is a good start to understanding what hosting is and what to consider when you’re ready to launch your site. When you do launch, consider implementing Pingdom or another service to gather data and monitor your site’s performance.

Website Hosting: It's Not as Complicated as You Think

We are experts are specifying, designing and implementing the hosting setup your website, app or database needs. 

Hosting

Hosting: Blog Posts

Replacing Jenkins with GitHub Actions

Website Hosting: It's Not as Complicated as You Think