> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://notes.kodekloud.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Modify Dev Deployment Job to use Environment tags
> This article explains how to modify a GitHub Actions deployment job to utilize environment tags for managing replica counts and enforcing environment policies.
Now that you’ve configured a GitHub Actions environment with protection rules, secrets, and variables, let’s update the **dev-deploy** job so it automatically picks up the right replica count and enforces your environment policies.
## Prerequisites
* A GitHub repository with an **development** environment that has:
* One protection rule (e.g., required reviewers or wait timer)
* One secret
* Two environment-level variables
* A working Kubernetes cluster for the `development` namespace
* A Docker build job named `docker` in your workflow
Environment-level variables override repository-level variables. In our example, the repository variable `REPLICAS` is set to `2`, while in the **development** environment it’s set to `1`.
## Verify Current Kubernetes Deployment
Before modifying the workflow, let’s confirm the existing deployment in the `development` namespace:
```bash theme={null}
kubectl -n development get deployments.apps
# NAME READY UP-TO-DATE AVAILABLE AGE
kubectl -n development get pods
# NAME READY STATUS RESTARTS AGE
# solar-system-6db5dfbrf8c-96qcz 1/1 Running 0 26m
# solar-system-6db5dfbrf8c-psbxx 1/1 Running 0 26m
```
You should see two replicas running (`2/2`). Now we’ll update the `dev-deploy` job in `.github/workflows/solar-system.yml`.
## Adding the `environment` Block
Within a GitHub Actions job:
* `env:` defines environment variables for all steps.
* `environment:` applies GitHub environment protection rules and can display a URL in the Actions UI.
### Step 1: Basic `environment` Definition
Replace or augment the `env:` block with:
```yaml theme={null}
jobs:
dev-deploy:
needs: docker
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
# Variables for all steps:
env:
APP_INGRESS_URL: ${{ steps.set-ingress-host-address.outputs.APP_INGRESS_HOST }}
# Enforce your GitHub environment rules:
environment:
name: development
url: https://
steps:
- name: Checkout Repo
uses: actions/checkout@v4
- name: Install kubectl CLI
uses: azure/setup-kubectl@v3
with:
version: 'v1.26.0'
- name: Set Kubeconfig file
uses: azure/k8s-set-context@v3
with:
method: kubeconfig
```
### Step 2: Populate the `url:` Field
Use the output of your `set-ingress-host-address` step so that Actions shows a direct link to the deployed service:
```yaml theme={null}
jobs:
dev-deploy:
needs: docker
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
environment:
name: development
url: https://${{ steps.set-ingress-host-address.outputs.APP_INGRESS_HOST }}
outputs:
APP_INGRESS_URL: ${{ steps.set-ingress-host-address.outputs.APP_INGRESS_HOST }}
steps:
- name: Checkout Repo
uses: actions/checkout@v4
- name: Install kubectl CLI
uses: azure/setup-kubectl@v3
with:
version: 'v1.26.0'
- name: Set Kubeconfig file
uses: azure/k8s-set-context@v3
```
### Step 3: Full Workflow Snippet
Below is the relevant section from `.github/workflows/solar-system.yml` after adding `environment`:
```yaml theme={null}
.github/workflows/solar-system.yml:
jobs:
unit-testing: {}
code-coverage: {}
docker: {}
dev-deploy:
needs: docker
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
environment:
name: development
url: https://${{ steps.set-ingress-host-address.outputs.APP_INGRESS_HOST }}
outputs:
APP_INGRESS_URL: ${{ steps.set-ingress-host-address.outputs.APP_INGRESS_HOST }}
steps:
- name: Checkout Repo
uses: actions/checkout@v4
- name: Install kubectl CLI
uses: azure/setup-kubectl@v3
with:
version: 'v1.26.0'
- name: Set Kubeconfig file
uses: azure/k8s-set-context@v3
```
## Observing the Protection Rule in Action
When you push these changes, the **dev-deploy** job will pause at the `environment` step, waiting out the protection rule’s timer:
Clicking on the paused job reveals the wait timer and any bypass options available to admins:
Only HTTP/S URLs are supported in the `environment.url` field.
Once approved, the summary displays the environment URL for easy access.
## Tracking Deployments Across Environments (Public Beta)
GitHub’s public beta for deployment tracking shows a history of every deployment per environment under **Actions → Deployments**. You can review commit details, branch names, timestamps, and durations in one interface.
Developers and managers can:
* Inspect past deployments
* Compare changes
* Sign off on releases
***
## Quick Reference Table
| Field | Description |
| ---------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| name | The GitHub environment name (e.g., `development`, `staging`) |
| url | The HTTP/S link displayed in the Actions UI for quick access |
| protection | Rules such as required reviewers, wait timers, or secrets usage |
## Scope and Precedence of Variables
| Scope | Precedence | Example `REPLICAS` Value |
| ----------- | ---------- | ------------------------ |
| Environment | High | `1` |
| Repository | Low | `2` |
***
## Key Snippet for `dev-deploy`
```yaml theme={null}
dev-deploy:
needs: docker
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
environment:
name: development
url: https://${{ steps.set-ingress-host-address.outputs.APP_INGRESS_HOST }}
outputs:
APP_INGRESS_URL: ${{ steps.set-ingress-host-address.outputs.APP_INGRESS_HOST }}
```
## Links and References
* [GitHub Actions Environments](https://docs.github.com/actions/deployment/targeting-different-environments/using-environments-for-deployment)
* [Kubernetes `kubectl` Overview](https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/kubectl/overview/)
* [azure/setup-kubectl GitHub Action](https://github.com/azure/setup-kubectl)
* [azure/k8s-set-context GitHub Action](https://github.com/azure/k8s-set-context)