Integrating Go Test Execution Summary Reports in GitHub Actions

21 Jun 2025

GitHub Actions is a powerful Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) tool that enables developers to automate workflows directly within their repositories. When working with Go projects, generating and publishing test execution summary reports can provide valuable insights into test results, simplifying debugging and tracking. This article outlines how to integrate Go test execution summary reports into your GitHub Actions workflow using only the go-ctrf-json-reporter.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure that you have the following:

Your repository contains Go tests.
You have a GitHub Actions workflow file set up.
The essential tool go-ctrf-json-reporter is installed in your workflow.

Why CTRF?

The Common Test Result Format (CTRF) standardizes test result reporting, providing significant benefits for software testing teams and organizations. Its advantages include a consistent structure for reports, improved communication among stakeholders, and enhanced traceability by linking reports to specific test cases or defects. Additionally, CTRF supports integration with various testing tools, enabling automation in CI/CD pipelines, and facilitates compliance with regulatory standards. The format also allows for easier long-term analysis of test results and accommodates multiple testing types, ultimately leading to improved software quality and more effective testing.

Setting Up GitHub Action for Go Tests with CTRF JSON Reporter

To define a GitHub Action for running Go tests with the go-ctrf-json-reporter, you can create a workflow file (e.g., .github/workflows/execute-tests.yml) in your repository. Below is an example of how to set up the workflow:

name: Go Test with CTRF Reporter
on:
  push:
    branches:
      - main
  workflow_dispatch:
jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout code
        uses: actions/checkout@v2
      - name: Set up Go
        uses: actions/setup-go@v2
        with:
          go-version: '1.16'# Specify the Go version you want to use
      - name: Install Dependencies
        run: go mod tidy
      - name: Execute tests
        run: |
          cd tests
          go test -json -p=4 -timeout 3600s 2>&1 | tee ./gotest.json || true
      - name: Generate test reports
        if: always()
        run: |
          go-ctrf-json-reporter -output ctrf-report.json < gotest.json
      - name: Publish Test Summary Results
        if: always()
        run: npx github-actions-ctrf test_output/ctrf-report.json
      - name: Upload Test Results
        if: always()
        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v2
        with:
          name: test-results
          path: ./gotest.json

Explanation of the Workflow Steps:

Triggering Events: The workflow is triggered on push events to the main branch or can be initiated manually.
Checkout Code: The actions/checkout step checks out your repository code.
Set up Go: The actions/setup-go step sets up the specified version of Go.
Install Dependencies: This step runs go mod tidy to ensure all dependencies are installed.
Execute Tests: Go tests are executed with the json flag, and the output is saved to gotest.json.
Generate Test Reports: The go-ctrf-json-reporter tool processes the JSON output and generates a CTRF-compliant report.
Publish Test Summary Results: The generated CTRF report is published using github-actions-ctrf.
Upload Test Results: Finally, the test results are uploaded as artifacts for future reference.

Benefits of Adding Test Summary Reports

This workflow will help automate the testing process for your Go projects and provide valuable insights through the generated reports.Benefits of Adding Test Summary Reports

Improved Visibility:
- Test summaries provide a quick overview of test results directly in the GitHub Actions interface.
Enhanced Debugging:
- Detailed reports assist in identifying failing tests and their underlying causes.
Integration with External Tools:
- Reports can be processed and integrated with tools like Jira and Xray for better tracking and management.

Conclusion

Integrating Go test execution summary reports into your GitHub Actions workflow using only go-ctrf-json-reporter can streamline your CI/CD pipeline and enhance the visibility of test results. The provided workflow illustrates how to execute tests, generate reports, and publish them effectively. Feel free to adapt this workflow to meet your project’s specific needs and leverage automated reporting in your development process.d reporting in your development process.

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