Integration Guide

Your First Warp with GitHub Actions

Revolutionize your CI/CD pipeline by triggering GitHub Actions workflows at precise moments with WarpTrigger. Schedule deployments, maintenance tasks, and automated processes beyond GitHub's cron limitations

Intermediate⏱️ 30 minutes🔗 GitHub Actions

📋Prerequisites

✓A WarpTrigger account (free trial available)

✓GitHub repository with Actions enabled

✓GitHub Personal Access Token with repo and workflow permissions

✓Basic knowledge of GitHub Actions and YAML workflows

✓Understanding of webhook concepts and API authentication

Part 1: Understanding GitHub Actions Integration

Learn how WarpTrigger enhances GitHub Actions with precise scheduling beyond the limitations of GitHub's built-in cron triggers.

Why WarpTrigger + GitHub Actions?

GitHub Actions cron triggers have significant limitations: they're UTC-only, can be delayed up to 15 minutes, and don't support complex scheduling patterns. WarpTrigger solves these issues.

GitHub Actions limitations:
• UTC timezone only
• Minimum 5-minute intervals
• Up to 15-minute delays during high load
• No relative scheduling ("in 2 hours")
• No business day logic
• Limited cron expression support

WarpTrigger advantages:
• Any timezone support
• Precise timing (second-level accuracy)
• Relative and absolute scheduling
• Business day and holiday awareness
• Complex recurrence patterns
• Guaranteed execution timing

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Integration Architecture Overview

WarpTrigger triggers GitHub Actions workflows using the repository_dispatch event, allowing for dynamic payload passing and precise timing control.

Flow: WarpTrigger → GitHub API → repository_dispatch → Workflow Trigger
Timing: Precise, timezone-aware, flexible
Payload: Custom JSON data for dynamic workflows
Authentication: Personal Access Token or GitHub App

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Choose Your Trigger Strategy

Select the best approach for your use case: repository_dispatch for custom events, workflow_dispatch for manual-style triggers, or webhook for maximum flexibility.

repository_dispatch:
• Best for automated triggers
• Supports custom event types
• Can pass client_payload data
• Requires minimal workflow changes

workflow_dispatch:
• Great for manual-style automation
• Supports input parameters
• More visible in GitHub UI
• Requires workflow modification

Webhook approach:
• Maximum flexibility
• Can trigger multiple workflows
• Requires webhook handling workflow
• Best for complex scenarios

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Part 2: Setting Up GitHub Repository and Workflows

Configure your GitHub repository and create workflows that respond to WarpTrigger events.

Create a GitHub Personal Access Token

Generate a token with the necessary permissions to trigger workflows from external services like WarpTrigger.

Required scopes:
• repo (full repository access)
• workflow (workflow permissions)
• actions:read (optional, for monitoring)
• actions:write (for workflow management)

GitHub Settings → Developer settings → Personal access tokens → Tokens (classic)

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💡Note: Store this token securely - you'll need it to configure WarpTrigger's GitHub integration.

Design Your Workflow File

Create a GitHub Actions workflow file that listens for repository_dispatch events from WarpTrigger.

# .github/workflows/warp-triggered-deploy.yml
name: WarpTrigger Scheduled Deployment

on:
  repository_dispatch:
    types: [warp-deploy-prod, warp-deploy-staging]

jobs:
  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout code
        uses: actions/checkout@v4
      
      - name: Extract deployment info
        id: deployment-info
        run: |
          echo "environment=${{ github.event.client_payload.environment }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
          echo "version=${{ github.event.client_payload.version }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
          echo "notify_slack=${{ github.event.client_payload.notify_slack }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
      
      - name: Deploy to ${{ steps.deployment-info.outputs.environment }}
        run: |
          echo "Deploying version ${{ steps.deployment-info.outputs.version }}"
          echo "Target environment: ${{ steps.deployment-info.outputs.environment }}"
          # Your deployment commands here
          ./deploy.sh ${{ steps.deployment-info.outputs.environment }}
      
      - name: Notify Slack on success
        if: success() && steps.deployment-info.outputs.notify_slack == 'true'
        uses: 8398a7/action-slack@v3
        with:
          status: success
          channel: '#deployments'
          message: 'Deployment successful: ${{ steps.deployment-info.outputs.version }} → ${{ steps.deployment-info.outputs.environment }}'
        env:
          SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL: ${{ secrets.SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL }}

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Add Environment-Specific Workflows

Create separate workflows for different environments and purposes to maintain clean separation of concerns.

# .github/workflows/warp-maintenance.yml
name: Scheduled Maintenance Tasks

on:
  repository_dispatch:
    types: [warp-maintenance, warp-cleanup]

jobs:
  maintenance:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      
      - name: Database cleanup
        if: github.event.action == 'warp-cleanup'
        run: |
          echo "Running database cleanup"
          ./scripts/cleanup-db.sh
      
      - name: Update dependencies
        if: github.event.client_payload.update_deps == 'true'
        run: |
          npm update
          git config --local user.email "[email protected]"
          git config --local user.name "GitHub Action"
          git add package-lock.json
          git commit -m "chore: update dependencies [skip ci]" || exit 0
          git push

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Implement Conditional Logic

Use GitHub Actions conditional expressions to create sophisticated workflows that respond differently based on WarpTrigger payload data.

# .github/workflows/smart-deployment.yml
name: Smart Deployment Workflow

on:
  repository_dispatch:
    types: [warp-smart-deploy]

jobs:
  validate-payload:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    outputs:
      should-deploy: ${{ steps.validation.outputs.should-deploy }}
      environment: ${{ steps.validation.outputs.environment }}
      run-tests: ${{ steps.validation.outputs.run-tests }}
    steps:
      - id: validation
        run: |
          # Validate payload and set outputs
          if [[ "${{ github.event.client_payload.force_deploy }}" == "true" ]]; then
            echo "should-deploy=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
          elif [[ "${{ github.event.client_payload.environment }}" == "staging" ]]; then
            echo "should-deploy=true" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
          else
            echo "should-deploy=false" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
          fi
          
          echo "environment=${{ github.event.client_payload.environment || 'staging' }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
          echo "run-tests=${{ github.event.client_payload.run_tests || 'true' }}" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT

  test:
    needs: validate-payload
    if: needs.validate-payload.outputs.run-tests == 'true'
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - name: Run tests
        run: npm test

  deploy:
    needs: [validate-payload, test]
    if: needs.validate-payload.outputs.should-deploy == 'true' && (needs.test.result == 'success' || needs.test.result == 'skipped')
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    environment: ${{ needs.validate-payload.outputs.environment }}
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - name: Deploy
        run: echo "Deploying to ${{ needs.validate-payload.outputs.environment }}"

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Test Your Workflows Locally

Use GitHub's repository_dispatch API to test your workflows before connecting WarpTrigger.

curl -X POST \
  -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" \
  -H "X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2022-11-28" \
  https://api.github.com/repos/OWNER/REPO/dispatches \
  -d '{
    "event_type": "warp-deploy-prod",
    "client_payload": {
      "environment": "production",
      "version": "v1.2.3",
      "notify_slack": true,
      "run_tests": false
    }
  }'

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Part 3: Creating Your GitHub Actions Warp

Configure WarpTrigger to send precisely timed repository_dispatch events to your GitHub repository.

Plan Your Deployment Schedule

Design a deployment strategy that takes advantage of WarpTrigger's advanced scheduling capabilities beyond GitHub's limitations.

Deployment patterns:
• "every Tuesday at 2 AM PST" (production deploys)
• "every weekday at 6 PM EST" (staging deploys)
• "in 30 minutes" (hotfix deployments)
• "next business day at 9 AM" (feature releases)
• "every 2nd Friday of the month at 10 AM" (major updates)
• Custom business logic: skip holidays, handle timezones

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💡Note: Consider your team's availability, user traffic patterns, and maintenance windows when planning automated deployments.

Access WarpTrigger Dashboard

Log into your WarpTrigger account and navigate to 'My Warps' to create your GitHub Actions integration.

Create a New GitHub Actions Warp

Click 'Create New Warp' and configure it specifically for GitHub repository_dispatch integration.

Production Deployment - Tuesday 2AM PST

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Configure Advanced Scheduling

Set up your precise timing requirements using WarpTrigger's flexible scheduling system.

Schedule: "every Tuesday at 2:00 AM Pacific/Los_Angeles"
Timezone: Pacific/Los_Angeles (automatically handles DST)
Recurrence: Weekly
Skip conditions: Skip if Tuesday is a holiday

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💡Note: WarpTrigger automatically handles daylight saving time transitions and can skip holidays or weekends as needed.

Design Your Repository Dispatch Payload

Create a JSON payload that provides context and configuration data to your GitHub Actions workflow.

{
  "event_type": "warp-deploy-prod",
  "client_payload": {
    "environment": "production",
    "version": "{{latest_git_tag}}",
    "triggered_by": "warptrigger_scheduled",
    "timestamp": "{{execution_time}}",
    "deployment_config": {
      "run_tests": false,
      "notify_slack": true,
      "rollback_on_failure": true,
      "maintenance_mode": false
    },
    "approvals": {
      "required": false,
      "bypass_reason": "scheduled_deployment"
    },
    "notifications": {
      "channels": ["#deployments", "#engineering"],
      "mention_on_failure": ["@platform-team"]
    }
  }
}

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Configure GitHub API Integration

Set up the HTTP request to GitHub's repository_dispatch API endpoint with proper authentication.

URL: https://api.github.com/repos/YOUR_OWNER/YOUR_REPO/dispatches
Method: POST
Headers:
  Accept: application/vnd.github+json
  Authorization: Bearer YOUR_GITHUB_TOKEN
  X-GitHub-Api-Version: 2022-11-28
  User-Agent: WarpTrigger/1.0
  Content-Type: application/json

bash

Add Error Handling and Monitoring

Configure your Warp to handle API failures gracefully and provide monitoring capabilities.

Error handling options:
• Retry failed requests (3 attempts, exponential backoff)
• Fallback notification (Slack/email on failure)
• Alternative deployment triggers
• Rollback procedures

Monitoring setup:
• Log all dispatch events
• Track workflow execution success
• Monitor deployment outcomes
• Alert on consecutive failures

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Save and Test Your Integration

Save your Warp configuration and perform comprehensive testing to ensure reliable operation.

💡Note: Always test with a staging repository first to validate your configuration before deploying to production workflows.

Part 4: Advanced GitHub Actions Integration Patterns

Implement sophisticated automation patterns that leverage both WarpTrigger's scheduling and GitHub Actions' workflow capabilities.

Multi-Environment Deployment Pipelines

Create complex deployment pipelines that automatically progress through multiple environments with appropriate timing and validation.

# WarpTrigger sequence:
1. Staging Deploy: "every weekday at 4 PM EST"
2. Integration Tests: "15 minutes after staging deploy"
3. Production Deploy: "every Tuesday at 2 AM PST" (if staging successful)
4. Health Check: "5 minutes after production deploy"
5. Rollback Monitor: "30 minutes after production deploy"

# GitHub Actions workflow coordination:
- Each Warp triggers different event_type
- Workflows check previous deployment status
- Conditional logic based on test results
- Automatic rollback on failure detection

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Dependency and Security Updates

Automate dependency updates, security patches, and maintenance tasks with sophisticated scheduling and validation.

# .github/workflows/automated-maintenance.yml
name: Automated Maintenance

on:
  repository_dispatch:
    types: [warp-security-update, warp-dependency-update]

jobs:
  security-updates:
    if: github.event.action == 'warp-security-update'
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - name: Update security dependencies
        run: |
          npm audit fix
          if [ -n "$(git diff --name-only)" ]; then
            git config --local user.email "[email protected]"
            git config --local user.name "Security Bot"
            git add .
            git commit -m "security: automated security dependency updates"
            git push
            
            # Create PR for review
            gh pr create --title "Security Updates $(date +%Y-%m-%d)" \
              --body "Automated security dependency updates triggered by WarpTrigger"
          fi
        env:
          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}

  dependency-updates:
    if: github.event.action == 'warp-dependency-update'
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - name: Update dependencies
        run: |
          npm update
          npm audit
          # Only proceed if tests pass
          npm test
          
          if [ -n "$(git diff --name-only)" ]; then
            git config --local user.email "[email protected]"
            git config --local user.name "Maintenance Bot"
            git add .
            git commit -m "chore: automated dependency updates"
            
            # Create PR with detailed information
            gh pr create --title "Dependency Updates $(date +%Y-%m-%d)" \
              --body "$(npm outdated || echo 'All dependencies up to date')"
          fi
        env:
          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}

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Dynamic Workflow Generation

Use WarpTrigger payloads to dynamically generate workflow configurations and handle complex deployment scenarios.

# Dynamic matrix strategy based on WarpTrigger payload
name: Dynamic Testing

on:
  repository_dispatch:
    types: [warp-test-matrix]

jobs:
  setup:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    outputs:
      matrix: ${{ steps.matrix.outputs.matrix }}
    steps:
      - id: matrix
        run: |
          # Generate matrix based on payload
          ENVIRONMENTS="${{ github.event.client_payload.environments }}"
          NODE_VERSIONS="${{ github.event.client_payload.node_versions }}"
          
          # Create dynamic matrix
          echo "matrix=$(jq -n --arg envs "$ENVIRONMENTS" --arg nodes "$NODE_VERSIONS" '{
            "include": [
              foreach ($envs | split(",")) as $env (
                foreach ($nodes | split(",")) as $node (
                  {}; {"environment": $env, "node_version": $node}
                )
              )
            ]
          }')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT

  test:
    needs: setup
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    strategy:
      matrix: ${{ fromJson(needs.setup.outputs.matrix) }}
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: ${{ matrix.node_version }}
      - name: Test on ${{ matrix.environment }}
        run: |
          npm install
          NODE_ENV=${{ matrix.environment }} npm test

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Monitoring and Observability Integration

Integrate comprehensive monitoring and observability into your WarpTrigger + GitHub Actions workflows.

# Enhanced workflow with monitoring
name: Production Deployment with Monitoring

on:
  repository_dispatch:
    types: [warp-deploy-prod]

jobs:
  pre-deployment-health:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Check system health
        run: |
          # Check external dependencies
          curl -f https://api.service1.com/health
          curl -f https://api.service2.com/health
          
      - name: Notify deployment start
        uses: 8398a7/action-slack@v3
        with:
          status: custom
          custom_payload: |
            {
              "text": "🚀 Production deployment started",
              "attachments": [{
                "color": "warning",
                "fields": [
                  {"title": "Version", "value": "${{ github.event.client_payload.version }}", "short": true},
                  {"title": "Triggered by", "value": "WarpTrigger (Scheduled)", "short": true},
                  {"title": "Repository", "value": "${{ github.repository }}", "short": true},
                  {"title": "Timestamp", "value": "${{ github.event.client_payload.timestamp }}", "short": true}
                ]
              }]
            }
        env:
          SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL: ${{ secrets.SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL }}

  deploy:
    needs: pre-deployment-health
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - name: Deploy with monitoring
        run: |
          # Start deployment monitoring
          echo "DEPLOYMENT_ID=$(date +%s)" >> $GITHUB_ENV
          
          # Deploy application
          ./deploy.sh production
          
          # Verify deployment
          ./scripts/verify-deployment.sh
          
      - name: Post-deployment monitoring
        run: |
          # Set up monitoring alerts
          ./scripts/setup-monitoring.sh ${{ env.DEPLOYMENT_ID }}
          
          # Schedule health checks
          curl -X POST "${{ secrets.WARPTRIGGER_API_URL }}/warps" \
            -H "Authorization: Bearer ${{ secrets.WARPTRIGGER_TOKEN }}" \
            -d '{
              "name": "Post-deploy health check - ${{ env.DEPLOYMENT_ID }}",
              "schedule": "in 10 minutes",
              "payload": {
                "event_type": "warp-health-check",
                "client_payload": {
                  "deployment_id": "${{ env.DEPLOYMENT_ID }}",
                  "environment": "production"
                }
              }
            }'

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Cross-Repository Coordination

Orchestrate complex deployments that span multiple repositories and services using WarpTrigger as the coordination layer.

# Multi-repository deployment coordination
# WarpTrigger Warp 1: Trigger database migration
{
  "event_type": "warp-db-migration",
  "client_payload": {
    "migration_version": "v2.1.0",
    "coordinate_with": ["api-repo", "frontend-repo"],
    "coordination_token": "unique-deployment-session-id"
  }
}

# WarpTrigger Warp 2: (5 minutes later) Trigger API deployment
{
  "event_type": "warp-api-deploy",
  "client_payload": {
    "wait_for_migration": true,
    "coordination_token": "unique-deployment-session-id",
    "trigger_frontend": true
  }
}

# WarpTrigger Warp 3: (2 minutes later) Trigger frontend deployment
{
  "event_type": "warp-frontend-deploy",
  "client_payload": {
    "api_version": "v2.1.0",
    "coordination_token": "unique-deployment-session-id",
    "final_step": true
  }
}

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💡Note: Use coordination tokens and status checking to ensure proper sequencing across multiple repositories and prevent race conditions.

🎉

Congratulations!

You've successfully set up GitHub Actions with WarpTrigger! Your automation is now ready to handle time-based triggers with precision.

🚀What's Next?

Advanced CI/CD Patterns

Learn sophisticated CI/CD automation patterns that combine multiple tools with WarpTrigger orchestration.

Learn More→

Enterprise Deployment Strategies

Discover enterprise-grade deployment automation with complex approval workflows and monitoring integration.

Learn More→

Multi-Cloud Deployment Coordination

Coordinate deployments across multiple cloud providers and infrastructure platforms.

Learn More→

📚Related Guides

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Custom Webhook Integration→

Advanced Scheduling Patterns→

DevOps Automation Best Practices→

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