Branch Shift

Version updated for https://github.com/ws2git/branch-shift to version v1.

• This action is used across all versions by ? repositories.

Go to the GitHub Marketplace to find the latest changes.

Release notes

Just so you know – the initial stable release of Branch Shift is announced. This GitHub Action is designed to facilitate the programmatic renaming of branches within a repository, addressing the need for automated branch hygiene and adherence to naming conventions in continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.

✨ Core Functionality and Architecture

This Action operates through an encapsulated Node.js runtime environment (runs: using: 'node16'), utilizing the GitHub REST API for execution. The branch renaming process is conducted in two discrete steps to ensure transactional integrity:

1. Reference Creation: A new reference is established (i.e., the target branch name) pointing to the same SHA as the source branch.
2. Source Deletion: The original branch reference is subsequently deleted.

Required Parameters

Successful execution is contingent upon the mandatory provision of the following input parameters:

• github_token: Authentication token, ideally with repo scope.
• owner: Repository owner (user or organization).
• repo: Target repository identifier.
• branch: The current branch reference to be modified.
• new_name: The desired branch reference name.

🚀 Implementation and Integration

Integration is achieved by invoking the action within a standard GitHub Actions workflow. The following workflow snippet illustrates a common implementation, utilizing the workflow_dispatch trigger for on-demand execution and input validation.

Example Workflow (.github/workflows/branch_ops.yml):

name: Branch Rename Utility

on:
  # Execution is initiated manually through the GitHub Actions UI.
  workflow_dispatch:
    inputs:      
      owner:
        description: 'Repository Owner'
        required: true
        default: ${{ github.repository_owner }}
      repo:
        description: 'Repository Identifier'
        required: true
        default: ${{ github.event.repository.name }}
      branch:
        description: 'Current Branch Reference'
        required: true        
      new_name:
        description: 'Target Branch Reference'
        required: true

jobs:
  exec_branch_shift:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    permissions:
      # Elevated write permissions on contents are mandated for branch manipulation.
      contents: write 
    steps:
      - name: Execute Branch Shift Operation
        # Action is referenced via the version tag for immutable execution.
        uses: ws2git/branch-shift@v1 
        
        with:
          # Authentication is performed using a high-privilege PAT Secret.
          github_token: ${{ secrets.YOUR_PAT }} 
          owner: ${{ github.event.inputs.owner }}
          repo: ${{ github.event.inputs.repo }}
          branch: ${{ github.event.inputs.branch }}
          new_name: ${{ github.event.inputs.new_name }}

🛡️ Authentication and Authorization

Due to the destructive nature of the reference deletion step, the provision of a token with elevated authorization is critical. It is strongly recommended that a Personal Access Token (PAT) with the repo scope be utilized and securely referenced via GitHub Secrets (e.g., secrets.YOUR_PAT), as the default ${{ github.token }} may frequently lack the requisite permissions for branch modification within restricted organizational contexts.

🔗 Documentation and Support

For comprehensive details concerning inputs, operational methodology, and security considerations, the primary README.md document should be consulted.

Bug reports and feature requests are welcome and should be submitted via the Issue.

• ws2git
• GitHub Actions