Enhancing Security and Scalability with Reusable Workflows in GitHub and Pipeline Templates in Azure

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Chris_Ayers

Introduction​




In the world of modern software development, efficiency, security, and scalability are paramount. Leveraging template workflows and reusable workflows in CI/CD pipelines can significantly enhance these aspects. This blog explores the security and scalability benefits of using template and reusable workflows in both GitHub Actions and Azure DevOps.



Understanding Template and Reusable Workflows​




GitHub Actions​


GitHub Actions allows you to automate your workflows for various tasks, including CI/CD. One powerful feature is the ability to reuse workflows across multiple repositories. This not only ensures consistency but also streamlines the setup process. For more details, you can visit the official GitHub documentation on reusable workflows.



Azure DevOps​


Similarly, Azure DevOps offers the ability to use templates in your pipelines. This feature allows you to define common logic once and reuse it across multiple pipelines, promoting DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) principles. More information can be found in the Azure DevOps documentation on templates.



Security Benefits​




Consistent Security Policies​


By using templates and reusable workflows, you can enforce consistent security policies across all your projects. This ensures that critical security steps, such as code scanning, dependency checks, and secret management, are always included in your workflows.



Reduced Human Error​


Manual setup of workflows across multiple repositories increases the risk of human error. Templates and reusable workflows minimize this risk by providing a single source of truth, reducing the chances of missing or misconfiguring security steps.



Scalability Benefits​




Streamlined Onboarding​


Templates and reusable workflows make it easier to onboard new projects and teams. By providing a standardized set of workflows, new repositories can quickly adopt best practices without reinventing the wheel.



Easier Maintenance​


Maintaining a single set of templates or reusable workflows is significantly easier than managing individual workflows for each repository. The templates can be stored in a separate repository dedicated to templates, allowing consistent build, test, scan, and deployment steps. Updates to the workflow can be made in one place and propagated across all projects, ensuring that improvements and fixes are consistently applied.



Practical Examples​




GitHub Actions​


Consider a scenario where you need to perform a security scan on your codebase. By defining a reusable workflow that includes this step, you can ensure that all your repositories benefit from the same security checks.







Code: 
# .github/workflows/reusable-security-scan.yml
name: Reusable Security Scan

on: [push]

jobs:
  security_scan:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
    - name: Checkout code
      uses: actions/checkout@v2
    - name: Run security scan
      run: |
        npm install
        npm audit







This workflow can then be reused in multiple repositories:







Code: 
# .github/workflows/main.yml
name: Main Workflow

on: [push]

jobs:
  call-security-scan:
    uses: ./.github/workflows/reusable-security-scan.yml







Azure DevOps​


In Azure DevOps, you can create a template for running unit tests and use it across multiple pipelines:







Code: 
# templates/unit-tests.yml
parameters:
  - name: testFiles
    type: string
    default: '**/*.test.js'

steps:
  - task: Npm@1
    inputs:
      command: 'install'
  - script: npm test $(testFiles)
    displayName: 'Run unit tests'







This template can be included in various pipelines:







Code: 
# azure-pipelines.yml
trigger:
- main

jobs:
- template: templates/unit-tests.yml
  parameters:
    testFiles: 'src/**/*.test.js'







Conclusion​


Using reusable workflows in GitHub Actions and template pipelines in Azure DevOps not only enhances security and scalability but also simplifies the management of CI/CD pipelines. By centralizing your workflow logic, you can ensure consistency, reduce errors, and streamline the onboarding process for new projects and teams.



For more information, check out the official documentation for GitHub Actions reusable workflows and Azure DevOps pipeline templates.

Happy coding!

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