Get GitHub Token

Learn how to obtain GitHub tokens from sfp server for repository authentication in custom workflows without requiring a GitHub App

The get-github-token action fetches a GitHub authentication token from sfp server for repository operations. This provides a centralized way to obtain GitHub tokens without configuring GitHub Apps in each workflow, making it ideal for cross-repository operations and simplified authentication.

Overview

Many custom workflows need GitHub tokens for operations like cloning repositories, creating PRs, or posting comments. The get GitHub token action provides:

Centralized token management through sfp server
No GitHub App configuration required in workflows
Automatic token caching (50 minutes) to reduce API calls
Automatic retries with built-in retry logic for reliability
Secure token handling with automatic masking in logs
Fast execution without requiring Docker images

This makes it perfect for:

Cross-repository operations (accessing other repos)
Workflows that don't have GitHub App credentials
Centralized authentication management
Simplified workflow setup

How It Works

The action retrieves tokens from sfp server's authentication API:

Prerequisites

Before using this action:

sfp server is configured with GitHub integration:
- SFP_SERVER_URL as a variable
- SFP_SERVER_TOKEN as a secret
Repository is registered in sfp server as a project
No Docker image required - This action runs natively on Node.js

Referencing the Action

The get-github-token action is located in your sfops repository:

uses: ${{ sfops.repo_owner }}/${{ sfops.action_repository }}/get-github-token@main

Basic Usage

Simple Token Retrieval

Get a token for the current repository:

name: Custom Workflow
on:
  workflow_dispatch:

jobs:
  use-token:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Get GitHub Token
        id: get-token
        uses: ${{ sfops.repo_owner }}/${{ sfops.action_repository }}/get-github-token@main
        with:
          sfp-server-url: ${{ vars.SFP_SERVER_URL }}
          sfp-server-token: ${{ secrets.SFP_SERVER_TOKEN }}

      - name: Use Token for Git Operations
        run: |
          git clone https://x-access-token:${{ steps.get-token.outputs.token }}@github.com/${{ github.repository }}.git

Cross-Repository Access

Get a token for a different repository:

- name: Get Token for Dashboard Repo
  id: dashboard-token
  uses: ${{ sfops.repo_owner }}/${{ sfops.action_repository }}/get-github-token@main
  with:
    sfp-server-url: ${{ vars.SFP_SERVER_URL }}
    sfp-server-token: ${{ secrets.SFP_SERVER_TOKEN }}
    repository: my-org/sfops-dashboard

- name: Clone Dashboard Repository
  run: |
    git clone https://x-access-token:${{ steps.dashboard-token.outputs.token }}@github.com/my-org/sfops-dashboard.git

Use with Other Actions

Combine with other sfops actions that need GitHub tokens:

jobs:
  fetch-and-deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Get GitHub Token
        id: gh-token
        uses: ${{ sfops.repo_owner }}/${{ sfops.action_repository }}/get-github-token@main
        with:
          sfp-server-url: ${{ vars.SFP_SERVER_URL }}
          sfp-server-token: ${{ secrets.SFP_SERVER_TOKEN }}

      - name: Fetch All Environments
        id: fetch-envs
        uses: ${{ sfops.repo_owner }}/${{ sfops.action_repository }}/fetchAllEnvs@main
        with:
          gh_token: ${{ steps.gh-token.outputs.token }}
          filter: "type:release"

Input Reference

Input	Required	Default	Description
`sfp-server-url`	Yes	-	URL to sfp server instance
`sfp-server-token`	Yes	-	sfp server authentication token
`repository`	No	`${{ github.repository }}`	Repository in `owner/repo` format

Output Reference

Output	Description
`token`	GitHub installation token (masked in logs)

Comparison: get-github-token vs GitHub App Token

sfops provides two ways to obtain GitHub tokens. Choose based on your needs:

get-github-token (sfp server)

- name: Get Token via sfp server
  id: token
  uses: ${{ sfops.repo_owner }}/${{ sfops.action_repository }}/get-github-token@main
  with:
    sfp-server-url: ${{ vars.SFP_SERVER_URL }}
    sfp-server-token: ${{ secrets.SFP_SERVER_TOKEN }}

Best for:

Workflows using sfp server
Cross-repository operations
Centralized token management
Simplified setup (no App ID/private key needed)

actions/create-github-app-token

- uses: actions/create-github-app-token@v1
  id: app-token
  with:
    app-id: ${{ vars.SFOPSBOT_APP_ID }}
    private-key: ${{ secrets.SFOPSBOT_APP_PRIVATE_KEY }}

Best for:

Direct GitHub App authentication
Workflows not using sfp server
Fine-grained permission control
Standard sfops workflows

Common Use Cases

Dashboard Updates

Update the sfops dashboard repository:

- name: Get Token
  id: token
  uses: ${{ sfops.repo_owner }}/${{ sfops.action_repository }}/get-github-token@main
  with:
    sfp-server-url: ${{ vars.SFP_SERVER_URL }}
    sfp-server-token: ${{ secrets.SFP_SERVER_TOKEN }}
    repository: ${{ vars.DASHBOARD_REPO }}

- name: Update Dashboard
  uses: ${{ sfops.repo_owner }}/${{ sfops.action_repository }}/updateGitRepo@main
  with:
    gh_token: ${{ steps.token.outputs.token }}
    target-repo: ${{ vars.DASHBOARD_REPO }}
    # ... other inputs

PR Comments

Post comments on pull requests:

- name: Get Token
  id: token
  uses: ${{ sfops.repo_owner }}/${{ sfops.action_repository }}/get-github-token@main
  with:
    sfp-server-url: ${{ vars.SFP_SERVER_URL }}
    sfp-server-token: ${{ secrets.SFP_SERVER_TOKEN }}

- name: Add PR Comment
  uses: ${{ sfops.repo_owner }}/${{ sfops.action_repository }}/add-pr-comment@main
  with:
    repo-token: ${{ steps.token.outputs.token }}
    message: "Deployment complete!"
    message-id: deployment-status

Multi-Repository Operations

Operate across multiple repositories:

jobs:
  sync-repos:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    strategy:
      matrix:
        repo: [repo-a, repo-b, repo-c]
    steps:
      - name: Get Token for ${{ matrix.repo }}
        id: token
        uses: ${{ sfops.repo_owner }}/${{ sfops.action_repository }}/get-github-token@main
        with:
          sfp-server-url: ${{ vars.SFP_SERVER_URL }}
          sfp-server-token: ${{ secrets.SFP_SERVER_TOKEN }}
          repository: my-org/${{ matrix.repo }}

      - name: Clone and Process
        run: |
          git clone https://x-access-token:${{ steps.token.outputs.token }}@github.com/my-org/${{ matrix.repo }}.git
          cd ${{ matrix.repo }}
          # Process repository