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Container GitOps Pipeline

Reusable GitHub Actions workflows for container-based GitOps pipelines. Build Docker images and Helm charts with semantic versioning, multi-arch support, and automated GitOps deployment.

Features

  • 🏷️ Semantic Versioning - Automated releases with semantic-release
  • 🖥️ Multi-Architecture - Native amd64 and arm64 builds via GitHub runners (no QEMU)
  • 🔄 GitOps Ready - Works with gitops-image-replacer for Docker images and gitops-replacer for Helm charts
  • 📦 OCI Registry - Push Docker images and Helm charts to any OCI-compliant registry
  • ⚡ Zero Config - Sensible defaults, no .releaserc.json required
  • 📌 Pinned Dependencies - All tools versioned and managed via Renovate

How it works

Docker Image Versioning

flowchart LR
    subgraph Branches
        feature["feature/*"]
        develop["develop"]
        main["main"]
    end

    subgraph Tags
        sha[":abc1234"]
        semver[":1.2.3"]
        minor[":1.2"]
        latest[":latest"]
    end

    feature --> sha
    develop --> sha
    main -->|"release"| semver
    main -->|"release"| minor
    main -->|"release"| latest

    classDef shaStyle fill:#1e88e5,stroke:#1565c0,color:#fff
    classDef semverStyle fill:#43a047,stroke:#2e7d32,color:#fff
    classDef latestStyle fill:#fb8c00,stroke:#ef6c00,color:#fff

    class sha shaStyle
    class semver,minor semverStyle
    class latest latestStyle

Helm Chart Versioning

flowchart LR
    subgraph Branches
        feature["feature/*"]
        develop["develop"]
        main["main"]
    end

    subgraph Versions
        pre["0.0.0-abc1234"]
        semver["1.2.3"]
    end

    feature --> pre
    develop --> pre
    main -->|"release"| semver

    classDef preStyle fill:#7b1fa2,stroke:#6a1b9a,color:#fff
    classDef semverStyle fill:#43a047,stroke:#2e7d32,color:#fff

    class pre preStyle
    class semver semverStyle

GitOps Deployment

flowchart LR
    subgraph Artifacts
        image["Docker Image<br/>:2.1.0"]
        chart["Helm Chart<br/>1.5.3"]
    end

    subgraph GitOps["GitOps Repository"]
        values["values.yaml<br/><i>image: :2.1.0</i>"]
        appCR["Application CR<br/><i>chart: 1.5.3</i>"]
    end

    subgraph Cluster["Kubernetes"]
        argocd["ArgoCD"]
        app["Deployment"]
    end

    image -->|"gitops-image-replacer"| values
    chart -->|"gitops-replacer"| appCR
    values --> argocd
    appCR --> argocd
    argocd -->|"sync"| app

    classDef artifactStyle fill:#1e88e5,stroke:#1565c0,color:#fff
    classDef gitopsStyle fill:#fb8c00,stroke:#ef6c00,color:#fff
    classDef clusterStyle fill:#43a047,stroke:#2e7d32,color:#fff

    class image,chart artifactStyle
    class values,appCR gitopsStyle
    class argocd,app clusterStyle

Quick Start

Add .github/workflows/build.yaml to your repository:

name: Build
on:
  push:
    branches: [main, develop]

jobs:
  build:
    uses: slauger/container-gitops-pipeline/.github/workflows/docker-build.yaml@v1
    with:
      image_name: my-app
    secrets: inherit

Add .github/workflows/build.yaml to your repository:

name: Build
on:
  push:
    branches: [main, develop]

jobs:
  build:
    uses: slauger/container-gitops-pipeline/.github/workflows/helm-oci.yaml@v1
    with:
      chart_path: '.'
    secrets: inherit

That's it! Your images/charts will automatically build and push on every commit.

Next Steps