Update checkout action to specific commit.

Change Summary

This git diff reflects a minor but significant update to the GitHub Actions workflow file release.yml. The primary change is the update of the actions/checkout action from a specific version (v4) to a commit hash (08eba0b27e820071cde6df949e0beb9ba4906955).

Technical Details

• File Modified: .github/workflows/release.yml
• Change:
  • The actions/checkout action was updated from version v4 to a specific commit hash 08eba0b27e820071cde6df949e0beb9ba4906955.
  • This change was made within the steps section of the release job.

Key Learnings & Insights

• Reasoning Behind the Change:
  • Pinning to a specific commit hash instead of a version tag ensures that the workflow uses a known, stable state of the actions/checkout action. This can prevent potential issues that might arise from future updates to the v4 tag.
• Problem-Solving Approach:
  • The team likely encountered an issue or inconsistency with the latest v4 release, prompting a switch to a specific commit to ensure reproducibility and stability.
• Best Practices:
  • Using specific commit hashes for actions in CI/CD pipelines is a best practice for maintaining consistency across different runs, especially in critical release workflows.
• Trade-offs:
  • While pinning to a commit hash provides stability, it also means that the workflow won’t automatically benefit from future improvements or bug fixes in the actions/checkout action unless manually updated.

Impact Assessment

• System Impact:
  • This change ensures that the release workflow remains consistent and reliable, reducing the risk of failures due to updates in the actions/checkout action.
• Performance & Security:
  • There should be no negative performance or security implications from this change. However, the workflow will not automatically receive security patches unless updated manually.
• Breaking Changes:
  • None. This is a non-breaking change aimed at stabilizing the release process.

Developer Notes

• Gotchas:
  • Remember that the workflow is now tied to a specific commit of the actions/checkout action. Any future updates to this action will require manually updating the commit hash.
• Future Improvements:
  • Consider setting up a process to regularly review and update the pinned actions to ensure they are up-to-date with security patches and improvements.
• Context for Future Developers:
  • This change was made to ensure workflow stability. If issues arise with the pinned commit, evaluate whether updating to a newer version or commit is necessary.