GitHub Actions Fix and Workflows Improvements

The CKAN Core Dev Team is tackling recent challenges with GitHub Actions caused by the switch to non-root images, while enhancing workflows for building, testing, and deploying. With a mix of quick fixes and long-term improvements, the focus is on keeping development experience smooth and reliable.

The problem

When CKAN switched its images to non-root for better security, GitHub Actions broke. This created roadblocks for developers, especially when running automated tests. Since dev images are primarily for local use and are not production-critical, the team decided to recommend running these images as root in the context of GitHub actions.

Quick fix: reverting to root

Ian Ward suggested rolling back dev images to root, and the team largely supported this. Brett submitted a pull request (PR #88) to make the change, allowing workflows to return to normal. This decision focuses on keeping development frictionless while ensuring security standards remain high for production images.

Automation improvements

Adrià has been working on automating the build and test processes (PR #89). This effort has uncovered a few small bugs across versions, but it’s also laying the foundation for a more reliable pipeline. Once complete, developers will benefit from faster feedback and fewer manual steps. The publishing of images to the Docker Hub has also been automated, increasing the efficiency and security of the process.

Summary

The CKAN team is making smart decisions to keep developers productive while improving the system for the long haul. Balancing immediate needs with future goals, they’re setting the stage for a smoother development experience.

You can find more details in the relevant release notes.