How to Publish Docker Containers with GitHub Action

name: Publish Docker
on:
  push:
    branches:
      - master

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      - name: Publish to Registry
        uses: elgohr/Publish-Docker-Github-Action@v5
        with:
          name: myDocker/repository
          username: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }}
          password: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}

Publish Docker Containers

GitHub Action to build and push Docker containers using the Git branch as the Docker tag.

This GitHub Action allows you to build and push Docker containers automatically. It uses the Git branch as the Docker tag, making the master branch the “latest” tag by default. This makes it easy to handle container versioning and automate the process of publishing to a Docker registry.

How to Push Docker Images to a Custom Registry​

You can push images to a custom registry by specifying the registry option. For example, when pushing to GitHub Container Registry:

with:
  name: owner/repository/image
  username: ${{ github.actor }}
  password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
  registry: ghcr.io

How to Use Snapshot Tagging in Docker Builds​

The snapshot option allows you to push an additional image tagged with a unique timestamp and Git SHA. This helps avoid overwriting older builds with the same SHA, particularly when external dependencies are involved.

with:
  name: myDocker/repository
  username: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }}
  password: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}
  snapshot: true

How to Use a Different Default Branch for Docker Builds​

If you're using a branch other than master as the default, you can specify it using the default_branch option. This allows for proper tagging of images when pushing from branches like trunk or main.

with:
  name: myDocker/repository
  username: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }}
  password: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}
  default_branch: trunk

How to Build with a Specific Dockerfile​

If you have multiple Dockerfiles and want to explicitly build a specific one, use the dockerfile option to specify the file's name.

with:
  name: myDocker/repository
  username: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }}
  password: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}
  dockerfile: MyDockerFileName

How to Use a Different Working Directory for Docker Builds​

If your project is located in a subdirectory, you can change the working directory for building the image by using the workdir option.

with:
  name: myDocker/repository
  username: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }}
  password: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}
  workdir: mySubDirectory

How to Change the Docker Build Context​

The context option allows you to change the Docker build context, which is useful when your build files are located in a different directory.

with:
  name: myDocker/repository
  username: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }}
  password: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}
  context: myContextDirectory

How to Pass Build Arguments to Docker​

The buildargs option lets you pass a list of environment variables as build arguments. These variables are masked in logs for security.

- name: Publish to Registry
  uses: elgohr/Publish-Docker-Github-Action@v5
  env:
    MY_FIRST: variableContent
    MY_SECOND: variableContent
  with:
    name: myDocker/repository
    username: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }}
    password: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}
    buildargs: MY_FIRST,MY_SECOND

How to Use Additional Build Options in Docker​

You can configure additional build options using the buildoptions argument. For example, you can compress images or remove intermediate containers with specific flags.

- name: Publish to Registry
  uses: elgohr/Publish-Docker-Github-Action@v5
  with:
    name: myDocker/repository
    username: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }}
    password: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}
    buildoptions: "--compress --force-rm"

How to Build Multi-Platform Docker Images​

To build multi-platform Docker images, you can specify target architectures with the platforms option. This is especially useful for ensuring compatibility across different hardware setups.

- name: Set up Docker Buildx
  uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v2
- name: Publish to Registry
  uses: elgohr/Publish-Docker-Github-Action@v5
  with:
    name: myDocker/repository
    username: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }}
    password: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}
    platforms: linux/amd64,linux/arm64