Is it possible to use this action without creating environments?

[jason-curtis]

I'm pretty confused about the whole GitHub deployments feature. The documentation seems to be mostly about generic GitHub Actions, and not specifically actions that register a deployment on GitHub. So thank you for creating this Action; its existence has helped clear some things up for me!

Right now I'm working in a private repository, owned by an organization, on the free plan. It seems like the deployments feature is enabled for this repository, since I have this UI on my PRs:

However, I can't actually create any environments because that feature isn't available on private repos: https://docs.github.com/en/actions/deployment/targeting-different-environments/using-environments-for-deployment#creating-an-environment

Is there a way to still register deployments without creating environments?

[JaegerCaiser]

No, the GitHub deployments API is not accessible for creating deployments in private repositories on free accounts, as this functionality inherently requires the use of environments. Deployments in GitHub are designed to track and manage software deployments to specific environments (such as staging, production, or custom setups), and environments provide controls like required reviewers, deployment branches, and secrets. Without access to environments, you cannot create or manage deployments via the API.

Key Details:

• Environments and Deployments: Environments are a feature that allows you to define deployment targets with protections and configurations. When creating a deployment via the REST API (POST /repos/{owner}/{repo}/deployments), you must specify an environment parameter (e.g., a string like "production"). This associates the deployment with an environment, enabling features like deployment status updates and approvals. If no environment is specified, the deployment may not integrate properly with GitHub's deployment ecosystem, and the API will enforce this requirement in practice for meaningful use.

• Availability Limitations: Environments are available for all public repositories. However, for private repositories, they are only supported for organizations on paid plans (GitHub Team or GitHub Enterprise Cloud). Free plans (GitHub Free for organizations or individuals) do not include access to environments for private repos, making deployments unattainable.

• Implications for Free Accounts: On a free organization plan, while you can use GitHub Actions for CI/CD, the deployment tracking and status features (which rely on environments) are restricted. This means the deployments API endpoint will return errors or not function as expected if attempted without a valid environment.

For more details, see:

• Using environments for deployment – Explains environment creation and availability.
• REST API endpoints for deployments – Details the API parameters, including the required environment field.
• GitHub's plans – Outlines feature availability across different plans, including environments for private repos.
• About deployments – Provides an overview of how deployments and environments work together.