How to Get Dependabot to Run Test Suite in GitHub Actions: A Step-by-Step Guide

Prerequisites

Before we start, ensure you have the following:

• A GitHub repository with Dependabot set up.
• A test suite written in a language supported by GitHub Actions (e.g., Node.js, Python, Ruby).
• A basic understanding of GitHub Actions and YAML files.

Step 1: Create a New GitHub Actions Workflow

Log in to your GitHub account and navigate to your repository. Click on the “Actions” tab and then click on the “New workflow” button.

Step 2: Define Your Workflow File

Name your workflow file (e.g., `.github/workflows/dependabot-tests.yml`) and add the following YAML code:

name: Dependabot Tests

on:
  pull_request:
    branches:
      - main

jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout code
        uses: actions/checkout@v2

      - name: Install dependencies
        run: |
          npm install
          # or pip install -r requirements.txt for Python

      - name: Run tests
        run: |
          npm run test
          # or python -m unittest for Python

      - name: Dependabot approval
        env:
          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
          DEPENDABOT_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.DEPENDABOT_TOKEN }}
        run: |
          curl -X POST \
            https://api.dependabot.com/v2/updates \
            -H 'Authorization: Bearer ${DEPENDABOT_TOKEN}' \
            -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
            -d '{"update_request":{"repository_ids":["YOUR_REPO_ID"],"updates":[{"dependency_name":"DEPENDENCY_NAME","version_req":">= VERSION"}]}}'

Replace `YOUR_REPO_ID` with your GitHub repository ID, `DEPENDENCY_NAME` with the name of the dependency you want to update, and `VERSION` with the desired version.

Step 3: Save and Test Your Workflow

Save your workflow file and commit the changes. Then, create a new pull request to trigger the workflow.

Wait for the workflow to complete. If everything is set up correctly, you should see the test results in the GitHub Actions UI.

Step 4: Configure Dependabot to Run the Test Suite

In your `dependabot.yml` file, add the following configuration:

updates:
  - package-ecosystem: "npm"
    directory: "/"
    schedule:
      - daily
    ignore:
      - dependency-name: "jest"
    reviewers:
      - github_username: "your-github-username"
    labels:
      - "dependencies"
    pull-request-branch: "dependabot/${PACKAGE_MANAGER}/your-dependency-name"
    commit-message: "Update your-dependency-name to ${VERSION}"
    opener:
      - github_username: "your-github-username"
    assignees:
      - github_username: "your-github-username"
    test-workflow: ".github/workflows/dependabot-tests.yml"

Replace `package-ecosystem` with your package manager (e.g., `npm`, `pip`), `directory` with the directory containing your dependencies, and `github_username` with your GitHub username.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you encounter any issues during setup, check the following:

• Dependabot token not set**: Ensure you have set the `DEPENDABOT_TOKEN` environment variable in your GitHub Actions workflow.
• Test suite not running**: Verify that your test suite is correctly configured and running locally. If it’s not, troubleshoot the issue before trying to run it in GitHub Actions.
• Workflow file syntax errors**: Check your YAML file for syntax errors. You can use online tools like YAML Validator to validate your file.