Deploy on AWS with GitHub Actions without access keys: OIDC, controls and a really tested rollback
In many teams, deployment to production relies on one person. They know the order of commands, they have the right permissions on the AWS console, and they know what to do when things go wrong. The day they are absent, we don't deploy, or we deploy with our fingers crossed. A deployment pipeline serves to take this knowledge out of one person's head and put it in the repository, under...
This article demonstrates a realistic implementation of continuous deployment using GitHub Actions to AWS, specifically for a containerized application on AWS Elastic Container Service (ECS). The three main ideas highlighted are: no long-term AWS access keys stored in GitHub using OIDC, explicit controls before and after deployment, and a critical rollback feature tested at least once before relying on it.
The examples are generic and should be adapted to individual projects by modifying names, regions, commands, and other specifics. The article emphasizes the importance of a well-defined pipeline, as relying on a single person with access to the AWS console can lead to delays or failed deployments when that person is unavailable.
Written by urgent.news from Dev.to's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
