README Template

Add GitHub data to your README.md, or any other file.

A GitHub action that provides template strings that are replaced with their respective values when the action runs.

By default, it takes TEMPLATE.md and outputs README.md.

Inputs

name	required	type	default	description
token	yes	string		GitHub personal access token used to fetch data. Pass a secret by for instance using `${{ secrets.README_TEMPLATE_TOKEN }}`. Go here to generate one with the `read:user` scope
template	yes	string	`"TEMPLATE.md"`	Template file path
readme	yes	string	`"README.md"`	Output file path

Example usage

Check out EXAMPLE_TEMPLATE.md and EXAMPLE_OUTPUT.md for more examples and their outputs.

Workflow:

name: Readme Template
on:
  schedule:
    - cron: '0 */2 * * *' # every 2 hours
  push:
    branches: [ master ]
jobs:
  publish:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v2
      with:
        fetch-depth: 0
    - name: Generate README.md
      uses: probablykasper/readme-template-action@v1
      with:
        token: ${{ secrets.README_TEMPLATE_TOKEN }}
        template: TEMPLATE.md
        output: README.md
    - name: Update README.md
      run: |
        if [[ "$(git status --porcelain)" != "" ]]; then
          git config user.name "GitHub Action"
          git config user.email "action@github.com"
          git add .
          git commit -m "Auto-update README.md"
          git push
        fi

TEMPLATE.md:

My most starred repos:
| ⭐️Stars   | 📦Repo    | 📚Description |
| --------- | ----------- | -------------- |
{{ loop 3_MOST_STARRED_REPOS }}
| {{ REPO_STARS }} | [{{ REPO_FULL_NAME }}]({{ REPO_URL }}) | {{ REPO_DESCRIPTION }} |
{{ end 3_MOST_STARRED_REPOS }}

This generates the following output in my case:

My most starred repos:

⭐️Stars	📦Repo	📚Description
10	probablykasper/chester-syntax	A pretty Atom syntax theme based on Lonely Planet colours
4	probablykasper/homebrew-tap	My Homebrew casks and formulas
2	probablykasper/cryp	Cryptocurrency portfolio tracker
1	probablykasper/notifier	Flutter app for scheduling notifications
1	probablykasper/colorboy	Easy terminal coloring for Node.js, macOS/Linux

Variables

Normal variables you can put into your template file

Variable	Example
{{ USERNAME }}	probablykasper
{{ NAME }}	Kasper
{{ EMAIL }}	email@example.com
{{ USER_ID }}	MDQ6VXNlcjExMzE1NDky
{{ BIO }}	Fullstack developer from Norway
{{ COMPANY }}	Microscopicsoft
{{ LOCATION }}	Norway
{{ TWITTER_USERNAME }}	probablykasper
{{ AVATAR_URL }}	https://avatars0.githubusercontent.com/u/11315492?u=c501da00e9b817ffc78faab6c630f236ac2738cf&v=4
{{ WEBSITE_URL }}	https://kasper.space/
{{ SIGNUP_TIMESTAMP }}	2015-03-04T14:48:35Z
{{ SIGNUP_DATE }}	March 4th 2015
{{ SIGNUP_DATE2 }}	2015-03-04
{{ SIGNUP_YEAR }}	2015
{{ SIGNUP_AGO }}	5 years ago
{{ TOTAL_REPOS_SIZE_KB }}	707453
{{ TOTAL_REPOS_SIZE_MB }}	707.5
{{ TOTAL_REPOS_SIZE_GB }}	0.71
{{ TOTAL_REPOSITORIES }}	46
{{ CURRENT_REPO_FULL_NAME }}	probablykasper/readme-template-action

Variables you can put inside `repo` loops

Variable	Example
{{ REPO_NAME }}	cpc
{{ REPO_FULL_NAME }}	probablykasper/cpc
{{ REPO_DESCRIPTION }}	Text calculator with support for units and conversion
{{ REPO_URL }}	https://github.com/probablykasper/cpc
{{ REPO_HOMEPAGE_URL }}	https://rust-lang.org/
{{ REPO_CREATED_TIMESTAMP }}	2019-12-05T22:45:04Z
{{ REPO_PUSHED_TIMESTAMP }}	2020-08-20T20:13:22Z
{{ REPO_FORK_COUNT }}	2
{{ REPO_ID }}	MDEwOlJlcG9zaXRvcnkyMjYyMDE5NTU=
{{ REPO_CREATED_DATE }}	December 5th 2019
{{ REPO_CREATED_DATE2 }}	2019-12-05
{{ REPO_CREATED_YEAR }}	2019
{{ REPO_CREATED_AGO }}	9 months ago
{{ REPO_PUSHED_DATE }}	August 20th 2020
{{ REPO_PUSHED_DATE2 }}	2020-08-20
{{ REPO_PUSHED_YEAR }}	2020
{{ REPO_PUSHED_AGO }}	3 days ago
{{ REPO_STARS }}	5
{{ REPO_LANGUAGE }}	Rust
{{ REPO_OWNER_USERNAME }}	probablykasper
{{ REPO_SIZE_KB }}	1268285
{{ REPO_SIZE_MB }}	1268.3
{{ REPO_SIZE_GB }}	1.27

Loops

These are the built-in loops you can use. Data is only fetched for loops you use.

Loop	Type	Description
`3_MOST_STARRED_REPOS`	repos	Fetches your 3 most starred repos. Uses the following parameters: first: 3, privacy: PUBLIC, ownerAffiliations:[OWNER], orderBy: { field:STARGAZERS, direction: DESC }
`3_NEWEST_REPOS`	repos	Fetches your 3 most starred repos. Uses the following parameters: first: 3, privacy: PUBLIC, ownerAffiliations:[OWNER], orderBy: { field:CREATED_AT, direction: DESC }
`3_RECENTLY_PUSHED_REPOS`	repos	Fetches your 3 most starred repos. Uses the following parameters: first: 3, privacy: PUBLIC, ownerAffiliations:[OWNER], orderBy: { field:PUSHED_AT, direction: DESC }

Advanced usage

Check out EXAMPLE_TEMPLATE.md and EXAMPLE_OUTPUT.md to see examples and their outputs.

For advanced usage, add a code block like this to your template:

```js
// {{ TEMPLATE: }}
module.exports = {
    // ... custom vairables/loops
}
// {{ :TEMPLATE }}

List specific repos

Get a list of specific repos

  CUSTOM_PINNED_REPOS: {
    type: 'specificRepos',
    repos: [ 'vidl', 'golang/go', 'probablykasper/embler' ],
  },

Repos with custom parameters

Get repos using custom parameters:

  "2_MOST_STARRED_REPOS": {
    type: 'repos',
    params: `
      first: 2,
      privacy: PUBLIC,
      ownerAffiliations:[OWNER],
      orderBy: { field:STARGAZERS, direction: DESC },
    `,
  },

Modify variables

Add a modifyVariables function to overwrite/add variables:

  CUSTOM_PINNED_REPOS: {
    type: 'specificRepos',
    repos: [ 'vidl' ],
    modifyVariables: function(repo, moment, user) {
      repo.REPO_CREATED_MYDATE = moment(repo.REPO_CREATED_TIMESTAMP).format('YYYY MMMM Do')
      return repo
    },
  },

Custom queries

  LATEST_VIDL_RELEASE: {
    type: 'customQuery',
    loop: false,
    query: async (octokit, moment, user) => {
      // You can do anything  you want with the GitHub API here.
      const result = await octokit.graphql(`
        query {
          repository(name: "vidl", owner: "${user.USERNAME}") {
            releases(last: 1) {
              edges {
                node {
                  url
                  publishedAt
                  tagName
                }
              }
            }
          }
        }
      `)
      const release = result.repository.releases.edges[0].node
      const date = new Date(release.publishedAt)
      // We have `loop: false`, so we return an object.
      // If we had `loop: true`, we would return an array of objects.
      return {
        VIDL_RELEASE_TAG: release.tagName,
        VIDL_RELEASE_URL: release.url,
        VIDL_RELEASE_WHEN: moment(release.publishedAt).fromNow(),
      }
    }
  }

Dev instructions

First, to get started:

Install Node.js
Run npm install
Go here to generate a GitHub personal access token with the read:user scope.
Create a .env file like this, with your token:

INPUT_TOKEN=mytoken
INPUT_TEMPLATE=EXAMPLE_TEMPLATE.md
INPUT_OUTPUT=EXAMPLE_OUTPUT.md

Now you can test the action by running the following command:

npm run test

Build:

npm run build

probablykasper/readme-template-action