Deploy Hugo static site using Github Actions on Github page

If you already have static site built using Hugo, and whenever you need to update or add new post on website you have to build the site locally and push the changes to github. then you might consider using Github Actions. It is free for public repository use.

I have Two branches

master (This branch I deploy on github pages)
code (where I keep Development code, I will create deployment build from this branch and store into master)

All you need to do is

create a Github access token from here https://github.com/settings/tokens/new
add access token value as repository secret at <repository-url>/settings/secrets/actions where key isTOKEN this key we are going to use in Action
create Action

Create Action

To create Action go to actions tab of your repository and select set up a workflow yourself →

copy and paste this action

    name: hugo CI

    on:
      push:
        branches: [ code ]

    jobs:
      deploy:
        environment: github-pages
        runs-on: ubuntu-18.04
        steps:
          - name: Git checkout
            uses: actions/checkout@v2

          #(Optional) If you have the theme added as submodule and Update theme step(next step) is not working then delete themes directory  
          - name: Clone theme
            run: git submodule add <theme's github repo> themes/<theme name> --depth=1
                # e.g git submodule add https://github.com/adityatelange/hugo-PaperMod.git themes/PaperMod --depth=1

          #(Optional) If you have the theme added as submodule, you can pull it and use the most updated version
          - name: Update theme
            run: git submodule update --init --recursive

          - name: Setup hugo
            uses: peaceiris/actions-hugo@v2
            with:
              hugo-version: "0.87.0"

          - name: Build
            run: hugo --minify
          
           # just for logging the Repo name and branch 
          - name: Log Repo
            run: echo "💡 The ${{ github.repository }} repository has been cloned to the runner."
          - name: Log Branch
            run: echo " current branch  is ${{ github.ref }} "

          - name: Deploy
            uses: peaceiris/actions-gh-pages@v3
            with:
              personal_token: ${{ secrets.TOKEN }}
              external_repository: <username>/<reponame> # e.g whoami-shubham/hugo-blog
              publish_dir: ./public
              publish_branch: master
            #   cname: example.com

make sure branch you are choosing are correct. after editing click on start commit button to commit changes and

That’s all we need to setup a GitHub Action.

Create Action#

Create Action