Backstage Actions

This repository contains GitHub actions related to Backstage. The goal of the current actions are to help manage the maintenance of the main Backstage repository.

Usage

Each action in this repo can be used by referring to the foldername, for example:

- name: yarn install
  uses: backstage/actions/yarn-install@v0.5.9
  with:
    cache-prefix: ${{ runner.os }}-v${{ matrix.node-version }}

Releases

Releases are generated manually via GitHub. Create the version tag for the next release, click "Generate release notes", and then publish the release.

TODO

• Get this repo set up with two initial actions, one for PR sync, and one for cron polling.

• Migrate all existing custom workflow scripts from backstage/backstage into these new actions.

  • Migrate .github/workflows/automate_merge_renovate_prs.yaml
  • Migrate .github/workflows/automate_review-labels-scheduled.yaml
  • Migrate .github/workflows/automate_review-labels.yaml
  • Migrate .github/workflows/sync_approve_renovate_pr.yaml
  • Migrate .github/workflows/sync_issue-labels.yml
  • Migrate .github/workflows/verify_dco.yaml
  • Maybe migrate .github/workflows/sync_dependabot-changesets.yml?
  • Maybe migrate .github/workflows/sync_renovate-changesets.yml?

• New features targeting the maintenance project board:

  • Remove items from the board instead of setting the status to "Done".
  • Automate the move to the "Changes Requested" column.
  • Custom logic for adding PRs to the board, skip PRs that do not have DCO, but add them once they do.

• Assigning PRs:

  • Pros:
    • Less context switching for reviewers
    • Higher throughput
    • PRs are assigned to people familiar with the code
    • Goalie workload is reduced
    • Goalie can join the mob
  • Cons:
    • Needs tooling / processes
  • Risks:
    • When do we review PRs then? Needs dedicated time?
    • Assigning PRs based on familiarity can lead to silos
    • Stale waiting on reviewer because of unknown reasons? Vacations or sickness?

• PR WoW changes?

  assign -> triage -> needs review -> merge/close
              |             ^
              v             |
          external          v
                     changes requested
  

  Assign: The PR is assigned to a random user

  Triage:

  • If the PR is touching only files that are owned by a particular group, then remove the assignment, and external state, or remove from the board?

• TODO:

  • Random Assign -> [x] Each PR that is opened should randomly be assigned to a mammal -> [x] Try to automate pulp PRs as external (if only containing docs or search label) -> [x] Exclude OOO members, make this action input and store the state in a secret -> [x] Do not assign author to their own PR -> [x] Add added timestamp -> [x] Add changed timestamp
  • Triage -> [ ] add new triage result states as needed
  • Needs review -> [x] use the built-in changes request automation
  • Changes requested -> [x] build automation for moving PRs back to 'Re-Review' when needed, migrate awaiting review label workflow to this
  • Merge/close -> [x] remove from board
  • Verify that it works with forks

Docs

• Creating a JavaScript action
• actions/github-script