Note
GitHub-hosted runners are not currently supported on GitHub Enterprise Server. You can see more information about planned future support on the GitHub public roadmap.
Introduction
This guide shows you how to create a workflow that performs a Docker build, and then publishes Docker images to Docker Hub or GitHub Packages. With a single workflow, you can publish images to a single registry or to multiple registries.
Note
If you want to push to another third-party Docker registry, the example in the "Publishing images to GitHub Packages" section can serve as a good template.
Prerequisites
We recommend that you have a basic understanding of workflow configuration options and how to create a workflow file. For more information, see "Writing workflows."
You might also find it helpful to have a basic understanding of the following:
- "Using secrets in GitHub Actions"
- "Automatic token authentication"
- "Working with the Docker registry"
About image configuration
This guide assumes that you have a complete definition for a Docker image stored in a GitHub repository. For example, your repository must contain a Dockerfile, and any other files needed to perform a Docker build to create an image.
You can use pre-defined annotation keys to add metadata including a description, a license, and a source repository to your container image. For more information, see "Working with the Container registry."
In this guide, we will use the Docker build-push-action
action to build the Docker image and push it to one or more Docker registries. For more information, see build-push-action
.
Note
GitHub Actions on GitHub Enterprise Server may have limited access to actions on GitHub.com or GitHub Marketplace. For more information, see "Managing access to actions from GitHub.com" and contact your GitHub Enterprise site administrator.
Publishing images to Docker Hub
Each time you create a new release on GitHub Enterprise Server, you can trigger a workflow to publish your image. The workflow in the example below runs when the release
event triggers with the published
activity type.
In the example workflow below, we use the Docker login-action
and build-push-action
actions to build the Docker image and, if the build succeeds, push the built image to Docker Hub.
To push to Docker Hub, you will need to have a Docker Hub account, and have a Docker Hub repository created. For more information, see "Pushing a Docker container image to Docker Hub" in the Docker documentation.
The login-action
options required for Docker Hub are:
username
andpassword
: This is your Docker Hub username and password. We recommend storing your Docker Hub username and password as secrets so they aren't exposed in your workflow file. For more information, see "Using secrets in GitHub Actions."
The metadata-action
option required for Docker Hub is:
images
: The namespace and name for the Docker image you are building/pushing to Docker Hub.
The build-push-action
options required for Docker Hub are:
tags
: The tag of your new image in the formatDOCKER-HUB-NAMESPACE/DOCKER-HUB-REPOSITORY:VERSION
. You can set a single tag as shown below, or specify multiple tags in a list.push
: If set totrue
, the image will be pushed to the registry if it is built successfully.
# This workflow uses actions that are not certified by GitHub. # They are provided by a third-party and are governed by # separate terms of service, privacy policy, and support # documentation. # GitHub recommends pinning actions to a commit SHA. # To get a newer version, you will need to update the SHA. # You can also reference a tag or branch, but the action may change without warning. name: Publish Docker image on: release: types: [published] jobs: push_to_registry: name: Push Docker image to Docker Hub runs-on: [self-hosted] permissions: packages: write contents: read steps: - name: Check out the repo uses: actions/checkout@v4 - name: Log in to Docker Hub uses: docker/login-action@f4ef78c080cd8ba55a85445d5b36e214a81df20a with: username: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }} password: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }} - name: Extract metadata (tags, labels) for Docker id: meta uses: docker/metadata-action@9ec57ed1fcdbf14dcef7dfbe97b2010124a938b7 with: images: my-docker-hub-namespace/my-docker-hub-repository - name: Build and push Docker image id: push uses: docker/build-push-action@3b5e8027fcad23fda98b2e3ac259d8d67585f671 with: context: . file: ./Dockerfile push: true tags: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.tags }} labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
# This workflow uses actions that are not certified by GitHub.
# They are provided by a third-party and are governed by
# separate terms of service, privacy policy, and support
# documentation.
# GitHub recommends pinning actions to a commit SHA.
# To get a newer version, you will need to update the SHA.
# You can also reference a tag or branch, but the action may change without warning.
name: Publish Docker image
on:
release:
types: [published]
jobs:
push_to_registry:
name: Push Docker image to Docker Hub
runs-on: [self-hosted]
permissions:
packages: write
contents: read
steps:
- name: Check out the repo
uses: actions/checkout@v4
- name: Log in to Docker Hub
uses: docker/login-action@f4ef78c080cd8ba55a85445d5b36e214a81df20a
with:
username: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }}
password: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}
- name: Extract metadata (tags, labels) for Docker
id: meta
uses: docker/metadata-action@9ec57ed1fcdbf14dcef7dfbe97b2010124a938b7
with:
images: my-docker-hub-namespace/my-docker-hub-repository
- name: Build and push Docker image
id: push
uses: docker/build-push-action@3b5e8027fcad23fda98b2e3ac259d8d67585f671
with:
context: .
file: ./Dockerfile
push: true
tags: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.tags }}
labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
The above workflow checks out the GitHub repository, uses the login-action
to log in to the registry, and then uses the build-push-action
action to: build a Docker image based on your repository's Dockerfile
; push the image to Docker Hub, and apply a tag to the image.
Publishing images to GitHub Packages
Note
Container registry is currently in beta for GitHub Enterprise Server and subject to change.
Both GitHub Packages and subdomain isolation must be enabled to use Container registry. For more information, see "Working with the Container registry."
Each time you create a new release on GitHub Enterprise Server, you can trigger a workflow to publish your image. The workflow in the example below runs when a change is pushed to the release
branch.
In the example workflow below, we use the Docker login-action
and build-push-action
actions to build the Docker image, and if the build succeeds, push the built image to GitHub Packages.
The login-action
options required for GitHub Packages are:
registry
: Must be set tocontainers.HOSTNAME
.username
: You can use the${{ github.actor }}
context to automatically use the username of the user that triggered the workflow run. For more information, see "Accessing contextual information about workflow runs."password
: You can use the automatically-generatedGITHUB_TOKEN
secret for the password. For more information, see "Automatic token authentication."
The build-push-action
options required for GitHub Packages are:
-
push
: If set totrue
, the image will be pushed to the registry if it is built successfully. -
tags
: Must be set in the formatcontainers.HOSTNAME/OWNER/REPOSITORY/IMAGE_NAME:VERSION
.For example, for an image named
octo-image
stored on GitHub Enterprise Server athttps://HOSTNAME/octo-org/octo-repo
, thetags
option should be set tocontainers.HOSTNAME/octo-org/octo-repo/octo-image:latest
. You can set a single tag as shown below, or specify multiple tags in a list.
Note
- This workflow uses actions that are not certified by GitHub. They are provided by a third-party and are governed by separate terms of service, privacy policy, and support documentation.
- GitHub recommends pinning actions to a commit SHA. To get a newer version, you will need to update the SHA. You can also reference a tag or branch, but the action may change without warning.
# name: Create and publish a Docker image # Configures this workflow to run every time a change is pushed to the branch called `release`. on: push: branches: ['release'] # Defines two custom environment variables for the workflow. These are used for the Container registry domain, and a name for the Docker image that this workflow builds. env: REGISTRY: containers.HOSTNAME IMAGE_NAME: ${{ github.repository }} # There is a single job in this workflow. It's configured to run on the latest available version of Ubuntu. jobs: build-and-push-image: runs-on: [self-hosted] # Sets the permissions granted to the `GITHUB_TOKEN` for the actions in this job. permissions: contents: read packages: write # steps: - name: Checkout repository uses: actions/checkout@v4 # Uses the `docker/login-action` action to log in to the Container registry registry using the account and password that will publish the packages. Once published, the packages are scoped to the account defined here. - name: Log in to the Container registry uses: docker/login-action@65b78e6e13532edd9afa3aa52ac7964289d1a9c1 with: registry: ${{ env.REGISTRY }} username: ${{ github.actor }} password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }} # This step uses [docker/metadata-action](https://github.com/docker/metadata-action#about) to extract tags and labels that will be applied to the specified image. The `id` "meta" allows the output of this step to be referenced in a subsequent step. The `images` value provides the base name for the tags and labels. - name: Extract metadata (tags, labels) for Docker id: meta uses: docker/metadata-action@9ec57ed1fcdbf14dcef7dfbe97b2010124a938b7 with: images: ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }} # This step uses the `docker/build-push-action` action to build the image, based on your repository's `Dockerfile`. If the build succeeds, it pushes the image to GitHub Packages. # It uses the `context` parameter to define the build's context as the set of files located in the specified path. For more information, see "[Usage](https://github.com/docker/build-push-action#usage)" in the README of the `docker/build-push-action` repository. # It uses the `tags` and `labels` parameters to tag and label the image with the output from the "meta" step. - name: Build and push Docker image id: push uses: docker/build-push-action@f2a1d5e99d037542a71f64918e516c093c6f3fc4 with: context: . push: true tags: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.tags }} labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
name: Create and publish a Docker image
on:
push:
branches: ['release']
Configures this workflow to run every time a change is pushed to the branch called release
.
env:
REGISTRY: containers.HOSTNAME
IMAGE_NAME: ${{ github.repository }}
Defines two custom environment variables for the workflow. These are used for the Container registry domain, and a name for the Docker image that this workflow builds.
jobs:
build-and-push-image:
runs-on: [self-hosted]
There is a single job in this workflow. It's configured to run on the latest available version of Ubuntu.
permissions:
contents: read
packages: write
Sets the permissions granted to the GITHUB_TOKEN
for the actions in this job.
steps:
- name: Checkout repository
uses: actions/checkout@v4
- name: Log in to the Container registry
uses: docker/login-action@65b78e6e13532edd9afa3aa52ac7964289d1a9c1
with:
registry: ${{ env.REGISTRY }}
username: ${{ github.actor }}
password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
Uses the docker/login-action
action to log in to the Container registry registry using the account and password that will publish the packages. Once published, the packages are scoped to the account defined here.
- name: Extract metadata (tags, labels) for Docker
id: meta
uses: docker/metadata-action@9ec57ed1fcdbf14dcef7dfbe97b2010124a938b7
with:
images: ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}
This step uses docker/metadata-action to extract tags and labels that will be applied to the specified image. The id
"meta" allows the output of this step to be referenced in a subsequent step. The images
value provides the base name for the tags and labels.
- name: Build and push Docker image
id: push
uses: docker/build-push-action@f2a1d5e99d037542a71f64918e516c093c6f3fc4
with:
context: .
push: true
tags: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.tags }}
labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
This step uses the docker/build-push-action
action to build the image, based on your repository's Dockerfile
. If the build succeeds, it pushes the image to GitHub Packages.
It uses the context
parameter to define the build's context as the set of files located in the specified path. For more information, see "Usage" in the README of the docker/build-push-action
repository.
It uses the tags
and labels
parameters to tag and label the image with the output from the "meta" step.
#
name: Create and publish a Docker image
# Configures this workflow to run every time a change is pushed to the branch called `release`.
on:
push:
branches: ['release']
# Defines two custom environment variables for the workflow. These are used for the Container registry domain, and a name for the Docker image that this workflow builds.
env:
REGISTRY: containers.HOSTNAME
IMAGE_NAME: ${{ github.repository }}
# There is a single job in this workflow. It's configured to run on the latest available version of Ubuntu.
jobs:
build-and-push-image:
runs-on: [self-hosted]
# Sets the permissions granted to the `GITHUB_TOKEN` for the actions in this job.
permissions:
contents: read
packages: write
#
steps:
- name: Checkout repository
uses: actions/checkout@v4
# Uses the `docker/login-action` action to log in to the Container registry registry using the account and password that will publish the packages. Once published, the packages are scoped to the account defined here.
- name: Log in to the Container registry
uses: docker/login-action@65b78e6e13532edd9afa3aa52ac7964289d1a9c1
with:
registry: ${{ env.REGISTRY }}
username: ${{ github.actor }}
password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
# This step uses [docker/metadata-action](https://github.com/docker/metadata-action#about) to extract tags and labels that will be applied to the specified image. The `id` "meta" allows the output of this step to be referenced in a subsequent step. The `images` value provides the base name for the tags and labels.
- name: Extract metadata (tags, labels) for Docker
id: meta
uses: docker/metadata-action@9ec57ed1fcdbf14dcef7dfbe97b2010124a938b7
with:
images: ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}
# This step uses the `docker/build-push-action` action to build the image, based on your repository's `Dockerfile`. If the build succeeds, it pushes the image to GitHub Packages.
# It uses the `context` parameter to define the build's context as the set of files located in the specified path. For more information, see "[Usage](https://github.com/docker/build-push-action#usage)" in the README of the `docker/build-push-action` repository.
# It uses the `tags` and `labels` parameters to tag and label the image with the output from the "meta" step.
- name: Build and push Docker image
id: push
uses: docker/build-push-action@f2a1d5e99d037542a71f64918e516c093c6f3fc4
with:
context: .
push: true
tags: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.tags }}
labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
The above workflow is triggered by a push to the "release" branch. It checks out the GitHub repository, and uses the login-action
to log in to the Container registry. It then extracts labels and tags for the Docker image. Finally, it uses the build-push-action
action to build the image and publish it on the Container registry.
Publishing images to Docker Hub and GitHub Packages
Note
Container registry is currently in beta for GitHub Enterprise Server and subject to change.
Both GitHub Packages and subdomain isolation must be enabled to use Container registry. For more information, see "Working with the Container registry."
In a single workflow, you can publish your Docker image to multiple registries by using the login-action
and build-push-action
actions for each registry.
The following example workflow uses the steps from the previous sections ("Publishing images to Docker Hub" and "Publishing images to GitHub Packages") to create a single workflow that pushes to both registries.
# This workflow uses actions that are not certified by GitHub. # They are provided by a third-party and are governed by # separate terms of service, privacy policy, and support # documentation. # GitHub recommends pinning actions to a commit SHA. # To get a newer version, you will need to update the SHA. # You can also reference a tag or branch, but the action may change without warning. name: Publish Docker image on: release: types: [published] jobs: push_to_registries: name: Push Docker image to multiple registries runs-on: [self-hosted] permissions: packages: write contents: read steps: - name: Check out the repo uses: actions/checkout@v4 - name: Log in to Docker Hub uses: docker/login-action@f4ef78c080cd8ba55a85445d5b36e214a81df20a with: username: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }} password: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }} - name: Log in to the Container registry uses: docker/login-action@65b78e6e13532edd9afa3aa52ac7964289d1a9c1 with: registry: containers.HOSTNAME username: ${{ github.actor }} password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }} - name: Extract metadata (tags, labels) for Docker id: meta uses: docker/metadata-action@9ec57ed1fcdbf14dcef7dfbe97b2010124a938b7 with: images: | my-docker-hub-namespace/my-docker-hub-repository containers.HOSTNAME/${{ github.repository }} - name: Build and push Docker images id: push uses: docker/build-push-action@3b5e8027fcad23fda98b2e3ac259d8d67585f671 with: context: . push: true tags: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.tags }} labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
# This workflow uses actions that are not certified by GitHub.
# They are provided by a third-party and are governed by
# separate terms of service, privacy policy, and support
# documentation.
# GitHub recommends pinning actions to a commit SHA.
# To get a newer version, you will need to update the SHA.
# You can also reference a tag or branch, but the action may change without warning.
name: Publish Docker image
on:
release:
types: [published]
jobs:
push_to_registries:
name: Push Docker image to multiple registries
runs-on: [self-hosted]
permissions:
packages: write
contents: read
steps:
- name: Check out the repo
uses: actions/checkout@v4
- name: Log in to Docker Hub
uses: docker/login-action@f4ef78c080cd8ba55a85445d5b36e214a81df20a
with:
username: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }}
password: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}
- name: Log in to the Container registry
uses: docker/login-action@65b78e6e13532edd9afa3aa52ac7964289d1a9c1
with:
registry: containers.HOSTNAME
username: ${{ github.actor }}
password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
- name: Extract metadata (tags, labels) for Docker
id: meta
uses: docker/metadata-action@9ec57ed1fcdbf14dcef7dfbe97b2010124a938b7
with:
images: |
my-docker-hub-namespace/my-docker-hub-repository
containers.HOSTNAME/${{ github.repository }}
- name: Build and push Docker images
id: push
uses: docker/build-push-action@3b5e8027fcad23fda98b2e3ac259d8d67585f671
with:
context: .
push: true
tags: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.tags }}
labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
The above workflow checks out the GitHub Enterprise Server repository, uses the login-action
twice to log in to both registries and generates tags and labels with the metadata-action
action.
Then the build-push-action
action builds and pushes the Docker image to Docker Hub and the Container registry.