GitHub Directory Import Workflow

Overview

The github_directoryImport.yml workflow imports a specific directory from one GitHub repository into another repository. It uses the encoredigitalgroup/directory-import-action to copy files and directories from a source repository to a target location with automatic commit functionality.

Language/Tool Support

• GitHub Repositories: Any public or private GitHub repository
• Directory Operations: File and folder copying across repositories

Features

• Cross-Repository Import: Import directories from external repositories
• Flexible Target Naming: Option to rename the imported directory
• Automatic Commits: Commits imported files with customizable messages
• Path Customization: Specify exact source and target paths

Usage

uses: ./.github/workflows/github_directoryImport.yml
with:
  sourceRepository: "owner/source-repo"
  sourceDirectory: "src/components"
  targetDirectory: "frontend/components"
  targetDirectoryName: "ui-components"
  commitMessage: "[Automated] Import UI components from design system"
secrets:
  token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}

Inputs

Input	Type	Required	Default	Description
sourceRepository	string	✅	-	The source repository to import from (format: "owner/repo")
sourceDirectory	string	✅	-	Path to the directory in the source repository
targetDirectory	string	✅	-	Target directory path in the current repository
targetDirectoryName	string	❌	empty_value	New name for the imported directory
commitMessage	string	❌	[Automated] DirectorySync	Commit message for the import

Secrets

Secret	Required	Description
token	✅	GitHub token with repository access permissions

Workflow Steps

1. Checkout Target Repository: Checks out the current repository where files will be imported
2. Checkout Source Repository: Clones the source repository to a temporary directory
3. Directory Import: Uses the directory-import-action to copy files from source to target

Example Configurations

Basic Directory Import

uses: ./.github/workflows/github_directoryImport.yml
with:
  sourceRepository: "company/shared-components"
  sourceDirectory: "src/ui"
  targetDirectory: "components"
secrets:
  token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}

Import with Custom Naming

uses: ./.github/workflows/github_directoryImport.yml
with:
  sourceRepository: "design-team/component-library"
  sourceDirectory: "packages/buttons"
  targetDirectory: "src/components"
  targetDirectoryName: "button-components"
  commitMessage: "Import button components from design system"
secrets:
  token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}

Documentation Import

uses: ./.github/workflows/github_directoryImport.yml
with:
  sourceRepository: "docs-team/api-documentation"
  sourceDirectory: "openapi"
  targetDirectory: "docs/api"
  commitMessage: "Update API documentation from docs repository"
secrets:
  token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}

Use Cases

Component Library Sync

Keep shared UI components up-to-date across multiple projects:

• Import latest components from a central design system
• Maintain consistency across application frontends
• Automatically update shared utilities and styles

Documentation Sync

Synchronize documentation across repositories:

• Import API specs from backend repositories
• Keep README files and guides updated
• Share configuration templates

Configuration Management

Distribute configuration files and templates:

• Import CI/CD templates
• Share development environment configurations
• Distribute coding standards and linting rules

Requirements

• Repository Access: The token must have read access to the source repository
• Write Permissions: The workflow requires contents: write permission on the target repository
• Valid Paths: Source and target directories must be valid relative paths

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Permission Denied

• Verify the GitHub token has access to the source repository
• Check if the source repository is private and token has appropriate permissions
• Ensure the token has write access to the target repository

Source Directory Not Found

• Verify the source directory path exists in the source repository
• Check for typos in the repository name or directory path
• Ensure the source repository is accessible

Import Fails

• Check if target directory already exists and has conflicting files
• Verify the directory-import-action version is compatible
• Review the action logs for specific error messages

Commit Issues

• Ensure the workflow has contents: write permissions
• Check if there are branch protection rules preventing commits
• Verify the commit message format is valid

Related Workflows

• github_syncBranch.yml: For branch synchronization across repositories
• php_gitStatusCheck.yml: For checking if imported files need processing