GitHub Actions is a CI/CD (Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment) platform built directly into GitHub. It lets developers automate workflows such as building, testing, and deploying code every time changes are pushed to a repository.

Here’s a breakdown of how it works and why it’s useful:

🧩 Core Concepts

Workflow – A YAML file that defines an automated process. It lives in .github/workflows/ in your repo.

Event – A trigger that starts the workflow (e.g., a push, pull request, or scheduled time).

Job – A set of steps that run together, usually on the same virtual machine.

Step – An individual task, such as running a command or using a prebuilt “action.”

Action – A reusable script that performs a specific function, like setting up Node.js or deploying to AWS.