Can a Local Image in a GitHub Repository be Displayed in a Workflow’s Step Summary Using Markdown?

If you’re a developer or a GitHub user, you might have wondered whether it’s possible to display a local image in a GitHub repository within a workflow’s step summary using Markdown. In this article, we’ll dive into the world of GitHub workflows, Markdown, and image rendering to answer this question and provide you with a comprehensive guide on how to achieve this feat.

What is a GitHub Workflow?

A GitHub workflow is a set of automated tasks that are triggered by specific events, such as code changes or pull requests. These workflows are defined using YAML files and can perform various actions, including building, testing, and deploying code. Workflows can also include step summaries, which provide a concise overview of the workflow’s execution.

What is Markdown?

Markdown is a lightweight markup language that allows users to create formatted text using plain text syntax. It’s widely used in GitHub to format text in issues, pull requests, and README files. Markdown supports various formatting options, including headings, bold and italic text, lists, and even images.

The Problem: Displaying Local Images in Workflow Step Summaries

When it comes to displaying images in GitHub workflow step summaries, things get a bit tricky. By default, Markdown doesn’t support rendering local images from a GitHub repository. This is because Markdown is rendered client-side, and GitHub’s workflow runner doesn’t have direct access to the repository’s file system.

So, is it possible to display a local image in a GitHub repository within a workflow’s step summary using Markdown? The short answer is no, not directly. But don’t worry, we’ll show you some creative workarounds to achieve this goal.

Workaround 1: Using GitHub’s CDN (Content Delivery Network)

One way to display a local image in a workflow step summary is by using GitHub’s CDN. You can upload your image to a GitHub release or a repository’s assets folder, and then reference it using the `https://raw.githubusercontent.com/` URL.

<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/your-username/your-repo-name/main/path/to/image.png" alt="Image description">

Replace `your-username`, `your-repo-name`, and `path/to/image.png` with your actual GitHub username, repository name, and image path.

Pros and Cons

• Easy to implement
• Works for public repositories
• Image is cached by GitHub’s CDN
• May not work for private repositories (depending on GitHub’s CDN policies)
• May not work if the image is not publicly accessible

Workaround 2: Using an External Image Hosting Service

Another approach is to upload your image to an external image hosting service, such as AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage, or even Dropbox. Then, you can reference the image URL in your Markdown code.

<img src="https://example.com/path/to/image.png" alt="Image description">

Replace `https://example.com/path/to/image.png` with the actual URL of your image.

Pros and Cons

• Works for private and public repositories
• Flexible and scalable
• Requires additional setup and configuration
• May incur costs depending on the hosting service

Workaround 3: Using a GitHub Actions Cache

GitHub Actions provides a cache mechanism that allows you to store files between workflow runs. You can use this cache to store your image and then reference it in your Markdown code.

name: My Workflow
on: [push]
jobs:
  my-job:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Cache image
        uses: actions/cache@v2
        id: cache-image
        with:
          path: path/to/image.png
          key: $GITHUB_SHA

      - name: Display image
        run: |
          echo "![Image description](https:// raw.githubusercontent.com/${GITHUB_REPO}/ ${GITHUB_SHA}/path/to/image.png)" >> summary.md

This example assumes you have a `path/to/image.png` file in your repository, and you want to display it in a `summary.md` file.

Pros and Cons

• Works for private and public repositories
• Easy to implement
• Cache is stored on GitHub’s servers
• May not work if the cache is invalidated

Conclusion

While it’s not possible to directly display a local image in a GitHub repository within a workflow’s step summary using Markdown, there are creative workarounds that can help you achieve this goal. By using GitHub’s CDN, an external image hosting service, or a GitHub Actions cache, you can display your local image in a workflow step summary.

Remember to weigh the pros and cons of each approach and choose the one that best fits your needs. Happy coding!

Workaround	Pros	Cons
GitHub’s CDN	Easy to implement, works for public repositories, image is cached	May not work for private repositories, may not work if image is not publicly accessible
External Image Hosting Service	Works for private and public repositories, flexible and scalable	Requires additional setup and configuration, may incur costs
GitHub Actions Cache	Works for private and public repositories, easy to implement, cache is stored on GitHub’s servers	May not work if cache is invalidated

By following these workarounds, you can successfully display a local image in a GitHub repository within a workflow’s step summary using Markdown. Remember to stay creative and adapt to the ever-changing world of GitHub workflows and Markdown!

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