# 007: Ship Docs Faster, Master GitHub Actions

¡Hola, Tech Writing Friends!

Did you know that continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) are key to faster, more reliable docs and software releases?

Let’s talk about automating docs workflows by creating a CI/CD Pipeline in GitHub.

What’s the big deal?

Whenever a change is made to your docs, testing, building, and deploying can feel like reinventing the wheel if you rely solely on manual efforts.

Manual workflows lead to:

• Errors from repetitive, human-driven processes.

• Slow deployment cycles that block innovation.

• A chaotic feedback loop for both devs and diverse stakeholder teams.

How do some writers solve this problem?

If you enjoy making your life harder, one approach is to set up manual pipelines or use scattered tools that don’t integrate. Cobble some scripts together and hope for the best!

The result?

Error-prone, fragile setups that take more time to maintain than they save.

Why don’t manual docs workflows cut it?

Your “Frankenstein pipelines” can’t scale.

They’re hard to debug, lack transparency, and waste valuable time on repetitive tasks that should be automated.

How GitHub Actions solves it

GitHub Actions makes creating a CI/CD pipeline within your repository ridiculously easy.

Here’s what makes it special:

• Seamless integration: GitHub Actions lives in your repo—no extra tools needed.

• Reusable workflows: Use pre-built actions from the GitHub marketplace to save time.

• Automated everything: From testing to deployment, GitHub Actions automates it all.

Step-by-step: Create a CI/CD pipeline in GitHub

Step 1: Define your workflow file.

Create a .github/workflows/main.yml file in your repository. This file defines your pipeline steps.

Here’s an example:

Step 2: Automate testing.

Make sure to include tests in your pipeline to catch issues early.

The npm test step ensures your code is reliable before deployment.

Step 3: Deploy your code.

Add a deployment step to your workflow.

For example, deploy to AWS or Azure using GitHub Actions or your preferred hosting platform.

Your next action steps

Ready to automate your docs workflows?

Here’s how to get started:

1. Define your pipeline goals: What steps (e.g., testing, deployment) should your pipeline include?

2. Set up a GitHub Actions workflow file: Use the example above to create your .yml file.

3. Test and iterate: Run your pipeline, debug any issues, and refine your steps.

Happy docs automating! 🛠️

Hasta luego,

Quetzalli