Dev
Mock CI Pipeline Config Generator
GitHub Actions workflows have a precise YAML structure — triggers, job declarations, runner specifications, and steps — and writing one from memory for a tutorial or a new project always means looking up which key goes where. This tool generates an example CI workflow that covers the common steps: checkout, Node.js setup, npm ci, lint, test, and build, triggered on pushes to main and on pull requests. There are no inputs. The generated workflow randomises the Node.js version among 18, 20, and 22. Every other element of the structure is fixed and represents a conventional starting point: ubuntu-latest runner, actions/checkout@v4, actions/setup-node@v4, and npm-based commands. Copy the YAML into .github/workflows/ to use it as a scaffold, or paste it into documentation and tutorials. YAML indentation is significant — two spaces per level — so preserve the indentation exactly when you edit. Adapt the Node version, step commands, and any secrets or environment variables to your own project before relying on the pipeline.
How to use
- Choose your options above
- Click Generate
- Copy your result
Detailed instructions
- Click Generate to produce a CI config.
- Copy the YAML into a workflow file.
- Adapt the steps to your project.
- Mind the significant indentation.
Use Cases
- •Learning CI pipeline config
- •Documenting a CI workflow
- •Demoing pipeline structure
- •Seeding an example workflow
- •Testing a YAML parser
Tips
- →YAML indentation is significant.
- →Adapt the steps to your project.
- →CI catches problems early.
- →Match tool versions to your setup.
FAQ
what does the generated workflow include
A GitHub Actions workflow named CI that triggers on pushes to main and on pull_request events. The single job runs on ubuntu-latest and has five steps: checkout (actions/checkout@v4), Node setup (actions/setup-node@v4) with a randomised version (18, 20, or 22), then npm ci, npm run lint, npm test, and npm run build.
can I use this for a non-node project
The generated config is Node-specific — it uses npm ci and npm run commands. For Python, Go, or other stacks you would replace the setup action and all the run steps with the appropriate equivalents. Use the generated YAML to understand the structure, then swap in your language's toolchain.
why does yaml indentation matter so much in ci configs
YAML uses indentation (spaces, never tabs) to express nesting. In a workflow file, a step indented under steps is part of the job; if the indentation is wrong by even two spaces, the YAML parser sees a different structure entirely and GitHub Actions rejects the workflow with a parse error.
how is a github actions workflow different from a gitlab ci or circleci config
All three use YAML to define pipelines but with different top-level structures and keywords. GitHub Actions uses 'on' triggers, 'jobs', and 'steps'. GitLab CI uses 'stages' and jobs with 'script' keys. CircleCI uses 'workflows' and 'jobs' with 'steps'. This generator produces GitHub Actions syntax only.
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