/github-actions

Skill: Workflow Wiring and Artifact Downloads

Use this workflow to run iOS simulator and Android emulator builds in cloud CI and expose artifact metadata for scripted retrieval.

Minimum Required Inputs

Set these before first run:

• iOS scheme: exact Xcode scheme name (for example YourApp).
• Android variant: Gradle variant for emulator artifacts (usually Debug).
• Branch strategy: branches for push and pull_request triggers (default below uses main).
• Retention days: artifact retention period passed to upload steps (for example 7).

Repo-Compat Checklist (Before First Run)

• Confirm the iOS scheme exists and builds locally.
• Confirm pod install works in CI context from iOS source dir.
• Confirm android/gradlew is executable (chmod +x android/gradlew if needed).
• Confirm npx react-native config resolves valid project.ios.sourceDir and project.android.sourceDir.

Quick Config

1. Create .github/workflows/mobile-build.yml.
2. Call local composite actions from this skill (github-actions/ios-build, github-actions/android-build).
3. Keep actions/upload-artifact@v4 output IDs.
4. Retrieve with gh run download or gh api.

When to Use

• Need one pipeline for simulator/emulator artifacts.
• Need PR, push, and manual dispatch triggers.
• Need deterministic artifact retrieval in CI/CD or external tooling.

Workflow Template (.github/workflows/mobile-build.yml)

name: RN Cloud Build

on:
  # Baseline trigger strategy: validate incoming changes and direct branch updates.
  push:
    branches: [main]
  pull_request:
    branches: [main]
  workflow_dispatch:
    inputs:
      ios_scheme:
        description: iOS scheme name
        required: true
        default: YourApp
        type: string
      ios_configuration:
        description: iOS configuration
        required: true
        default: Debug
        type: string
      android_variant:
        description: Android Gradle variant
        required: true
        default: Debug
        type: string
      artifact_retention_days:
        description: Artifact retention days
        required: true
        default: '7'
        type: string

permissions:
  contents: read
  actions: read

env:
  IOS_SCHEME: YourApp
  IOS_CONFIGURATION: Debug
  ANDROID_VARIANT: Debug
  ARTIFACT_RETENTION_DAYS: '7'

jobs:
  ios:
    name: iOS simulator build
    runs-on: macos-latest
    outputs:
      artifact_name: ${{ steps.build.outputs.artifact-name }}
      artifact_id: ${{ steps.build.outputs.artifact-id }}
      artifact_url: ${{ steps.build.outputs.artifact-url }}
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Resolve Node version from package.json engines
        id: node-version
        run: |
          set -euo pipefail
          NODE_SPEC="$(python3 - <<'PY'
import json
from pathlib import Path
pkg = Path('package.json')
if not pkg.exists():
    print('22')
else:
    data = json.loads(pkg.read_text())
    print((data.get('engines', {}).get('node') or '22').strip())
PY
          )"
          echo "value=$NODE_SPEC" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"

      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: ${{ steps.node-version.outputs.value }}
          cache: npm

      - name: Install JS dependencies
        run: npm ci

      - name: Install CocoaPods dependencies
        run: |
          set -euo pipefail
          IOS_SOURCE_DIR="$(npx react-native config | node -e "const fs=require('fs');const j=JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(0,'utf8'));process.stdout.write(j.project?.ios?.sourceDir || 'ios')")"
          cd "$IOS_SOURCE_DIR"
          pod install --repo-update

      # Optional: only add ruby/setup-ruby when this repo enforces Ruby tooling
      # (for example via .ruby-version and Bundler workflow).
      # - uses: ruby/setup-ruby@v1
      #   with:
      #     bundler-cache: true

      - name: Resolve iOS inputs
        id: ios-inputs
        run: |
          if [[ "${{ github.event_name }}" == "workflow_dispatch" ]]; then
            echo "scheme=${{ inputs.ios_scheme }}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
            echo "config=${{ inputs.ios_configuration }}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
            echo "retention=${{ inputs.artifact_retention_days }}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
          else
            echo "scheme=${{ env.IOS_SCHEME }}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
            echo "config=${{ env.IOS_CONFIGURATION }}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
            echo "retention=${{ env.ARTIFACT_RETENTION_DAYS }}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
          fi

      - name: Build iOS simulator
        id: build
        uses: ./.github/actions/github-actions/ios-build
        with:
          scheme: ${{ steps.ios-inputs.outputs.scheme }}
          configuration: ${{ steps.ios-inputs.outputs.config }}
          artifact-prefix: rn-ios-simulator
          artifact-retention-days: ${{ steps.ios-inputs.outputs.retention }}

  android:
    name: Android emulator build
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    outputs:
      artifact_name: ${{ steps.build.outputs.artifact-name }}
      artifact_id: ${{ steps.build.outputs.artifact-id }}
      artifact_url: ${{ steps.build.outputs.artifact-url }}
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - uses: actions/setup-java@v4
        with:
          distribution: temurin
          java-version: '17'
          cache: gradle

      - name: Resolve Node version from package.json engines
        id: node-version
        run: |
          set -euo pipefail
          NODE_SPEC="$(python3 - <<'PY'
import json
from pathlib import Path
pkg = Path('package.json')
if not pkg.exists():
    print('22')
else:
    data = json.loads(pkg.read_text())
    print((data.get('engines', {}).get('node') or '22').strip())
PY
          )"
          echo "value=$NODE_SPEC" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"

      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: ${{ steps.node-version.outputs.value }}
          cache: npm

      - name: Install JS dependencies
        run: npm ci

      - name: Resolve Android inputs
        id: android-inputs
        run: |
          if [[ "${{ github.event_name }}" == "workflow_dispatch" ]]; then
            echo "variant=${{ inputs.android_variant }}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
            echo "retention=${{ inputs.artifact_retention_days }}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
          else
            echo "variant=${{ env.ANDROID_VARIANT }}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
            echo "retention=${{ env.ARTIFACT_RETENTION_DAYS }}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
          fi

      - name: Build Android emulator APK
        id: build
        uses: ./.github/actions/github-actions/android-build
        with:
          variant: ${{ steps.android-inputs.outputs.variant }}
          artifact-prefix: rn-android-emulator
          artifact-retention-days: ${{ steps.android-inputs.outputs.retention }}

  summary:
    name: Build summary
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    needs: [ios, android]
    steps:
      - name: Publish artifact metadata
        run: |
          {
            echo "## RN Cloud Build Artifacts"
            echo ""
            echo "- iOS simulator (.app.tar.gz): name=${{ needs.ios.outputs.artifact_name }}, id=${{ needs.ios.outputs.artifact_id }}"
            echo "- Android emulator (.apk): name=${{ needs.android.outputs.artifact_name }}, id=${{ needs.android.outputs.artifact_id }}"
            echo ""
            echo "Artifact URLs (auth required):"
            echo "- iOS: ${{ needs.ios.outputs.artifact_url }}"
            echo "- Android: ${{ needs.android.outputs.artifact_url }}"
          } >> "$GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY"

CocoaPods and Ruby Notes

• Run pod install from ios/ or from project.ios.sourceDir resolved via npx react-native config.
• Do not assume Bundler or pinned Ruby is always required.
• ruby/setup-ruby is optional and should be added only when repo policy enforces Ruby tooling (for example .ruby-version and Bundler-managed pods).

Troubleshooting

Download Artifacts with gh

# 1) Find recent runs for this workflow
gh run list --workflow "RN Cloud Build" --limit 10

# 2) Download by run id + artifact name
gh run download <run-id> -n <artifact-name> -D ./artifacts

# 3) Inspect artifacts for a run (IDs + names)
gh api repos/<owner>/<repo>/actions/runs/<run-id>/artifacts \
  --jq '.artifacts[] | {id, name, size_in_bytes, expired}'

Download Artifacts with Direct REST API

# List repo artifacts
curl -sS \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
  -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
  "https://api.github.com/repos/<owner>/<repo>/actions/artifacts" | jq '.artifacts[] | {id, name}'

# Download one artifact zip by ID
curl -L \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
  -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
  "https://api.github.com/repos/<owner>/<repo>/actions/artifacts/<artifact-id>/zip" \
  -o artifact.zip

Common Pitfalls

• Forgetting to set permissions.actions: read for API-driven artifact listing.
• Assuming artifact URLs are public; they require authenticated access.
• Not pinning artifact names, making gh run download -n brittle.

Related Skills

• gha-ios-composite-action.md
• gha-android-composite-action.md