Skip to main content

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.

In this guide, we’ll set up automated unit tests for our Solar System application using GitHub Actions. You’ll learn how to:
  • Create and configure a workflow file
  • Install Node.js dependencies
  • Securely manage environment variables
  • Trigger the workflow on feature branches

​
1. Create a Feature Branch

First, clone the repository and switch to a new feature branch to keep main stable: 
git clone https://github.com/your-org/solar-system.git
cd solar-system
git checkout -b feature/unit-testing-workflow main
Open the project in your editor to get started.
The image shows a GitHub repository page for a project named "solar-system," displaying the file structure and recent commits. The repository is public and has no stars or forks.

​
2. Open in Visual Studio Code

You can launch VS Code locally or use the GitHub.dev web editor by appending .dev to the repo URL.
The image shows a code editor with a file named "solar-system.yml" open, displaying a directory structure on the left. The interface suggests it's a GitHub repository being viewed in a development environment.
Make sure the GitHub Actions extension is installed for syntax highlighting and workflow previews.
The image shows a Visual Studio Code interface with the GitHub Actions extension page open, displaying details about the extension and a file explorer on the left.

​
3. Define the Workflow File

Create a new file at .github/workflows/solar-system.yml with the following contents: 
name: Solar System Workflow

on:
  workflow_dispatch:
  push:
    branches:
      - main
      - 'feature/*'

jobs:
  unit-testing:
    name: Unit Testing
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    env:
      MONGO_URI: 'mongodb+srv://supercluster.d3jj.mongodb.net/superData'
      MONGO_USERNAME: ${{ vars.MONGO_USERNAME }}
      MONGO_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.MONGO_PASSWORD }}
    steps:
      - name: Checkout Repository
        uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Setup Node.js Environment
        uses: actions/setup-node@v3
        with:
          node-version: 18
          cache: 'npm'

      - name: Install Dependencies
        run: npm install

      - name: Run Unit Tests
        run: npm test
This workflow:
  • Triggers on manual dispatch and pushes to main or feature/*
  • Runs on ubuntu-latest
  • Checks out the code, sets up Node.js v18, installs dependencies, and runs npm test
Do not store sensitive credentials directly in the workflow. Use repository secrets and variables for any sensitive data.
The image shows a GitHub page for the "setup-node" action, detailing its functionality and usage for managing Node.js versions in GitHub Actions. It includes a code snippet for configuring the action.

​
4. Enable GitHub Actions Tab

If you cannot see the Actions tab:
  1. Go to Settings > Actions > General
  2. Select Allow all actions and reusable workflows
  3. Click Save
The image shows the settings page of a GitHub repository, specifically focusing on actions permissions and artifact log retention options. The "Disable actions" option is selected.
Once enabled, the Actions tab will appear in your repository.
The image shows a GitHub Actions setup page with options to configure workflows like Docker image, Node.js package publishing, and Jekyll using Docker.

​
5. Commit and Push

Commit your new workflow and push to the feature branch: 
git add .github/workflows/solar-system.yml
git commit -m "Add unit testing workflow"
git push origin feature/unit-testing-workflow
Pushing this branch automatically triggers the workflow run.

​
6. Inspect Workflow Run

Visit the Actions tab to monitor progress. If a unit test fails, you might see an error like: 
MongooseError: The 'uri' parameter to 'openUri' must be a string, got "undefined"...
The image shows a GitHub Actions workflow interface with a failed unit testing job. It includes details of the setup process and logs related to the failure.

​
7. Provide Environment Variables

Our app.js connects to MongoDB using environment variables: 
// app.js (excerpt)
mongoose.connect(process.env.MONGO_URI, {
  user: process.env.MONGO_USERNAME,
  pass: process.env.MONGO_PASSWORD,
  useNewUrlParser: true,
  useUnifiedTopology: true
});
At the workflow level (shown in Step 3), we reference:
VariableTypeUsage
MONGO_URIHardcoded (for demo)MongoDB connection string
MONGO_USERNAMERepository variableMongoDB username (vars)
MONGO_PASSWORDRepository secretMongoDB password (secrets)
Best practice is to store connection strings and credentials in secrets and variables. Rotate secrets regularly and grant least-privilege access.
Add these via Settings > Secrets and variables > Actions:
  1. Name: MONGO_PASSWORD (Secret)
    Value: SuperPassword
The image shows a GitHub repository settings page where a new secret named "MONGO_PASSWORD" with the value "SuperPassword" is being added.
  1. Name: MONGO_USERNAME (Variable)
    Value: superuser
The image shows a GitHub settings page where a new action variable is being added, with the name "MONGO_USERNAME" and the value "superuser."

​
8. Re-run the Workflow

After adding secrets and variables, commit any remaining changes: 
git add .github/workflows/solar-system.yml
git commit -m "Configure environment variables for MongoDB"
git push origin feature/unit-testing-workflow
Your workflow should now succeed, connecting to MongoDB and executing all tests.

​
Next Steps

Next, we’ll explore how to upload test artifacts so you can review detailed test reports after your runner completes.

Watch Video