GitHub Actions: GovAI artefact-bound compliance gate

See also: cli-reference.md (verify-evidence-pack, submit-evidence-pack, exit codes), api-reference.md (/bundle-hash, /api/export/:run_id, /compliance-summary), customer-quickstart.md (minimal curl + govai check).

This repository publishes a reusable composite GitHub Action that installs the GovAI CLI from PyPI (aigov-py==0.2.1, same version as python/pyproject.toml) and runs the production semantic path:

1. govai submit-evidence-pack — replays CI-generated evidence events from <artifacts_path>/<run_id>.json to the hosted ledger.
2. govai verify-evidence-pack — mandatory: hosted GET /bundle-hash digest events_content_sha256 matches evidence_digest_manifest.json. By default the action also passes --require-export: cross-check GET /api/export/:run_id against that digest (set input require_export: false only if you accept a weaker audit cross-check). Then a VALID compliance verdict from GET /compliance-summary.

PyPI pin: the install pin must match version in python/pyproject.toml for the tag you use; drift breaks CI vs local reproducibility.

Version bump checklist (keep in lockstep)#

When you bump the released version (tag / PyPI publish), update these together so the action runtime, workflow usage, Python pin, and docs remain consistent:

• action.yml (root composite action)
• .github/actions/govai-check/action.yml (local action implementation)
• .github/workflows/compliance.yml (hosted gate workflow pin/usage)
• python/pyproject.toml (PyPI package version)
• docs/github-action.md (this doc, including the pin shown in examples)

Export cross-check (require_export): the composite action defaults require_export to true, so verify-evidence-pack runs with --require-export. That is part of the full audit guarantee in CI: hosted GET /api/export/:run_id must be available and consistent with the digest chain, not only GET /compliance-summary. Set require_export: false only when you explicitly accept a weaker gate.

Ledger tenant vs X-GovAI-Project: ledger isolation is derived only from the API key (GOVAI_API_KEYS_JSON). The project input sets X-GovAI-Project for optional metadata / usage labels; it does not isolate ledger data.

A green job using this action therefore means CI artefacts were anchored by digest on the ledger and evaluated as VALID — not merely that the hosted API accepted an ad-hoc or synthetic submission.

govai check alone does not prove artefact continuity; treat it as a policy readout without cryptographic binding to CI outputs. Prefer submit-evidence-pack + verify-evidence-pack for anything that behaves as a release gate.

CI integration: this composite action is the artefact-bound CI integration. The currently supported customer-facing decision endpoint is GET /compliance-summary. Runtime decision APIs are separate hardening work and are not documented as available in this branch.

Golden path (local, deterministic)#

If you want a minimal copy/paste example that uses the same evidence pack format as CI (<run_id>.json + evidence_digest_manifest.json) and shows BLOCKED → VALID, see:

• docs/golden-path.md

Synthetic smoke workflow (explicitly labelled)#

Manual workflow .github/workflows/govai-smoke.yml is labelled SYNTHETIC SMOKE TEST ONLY. It pushes scripted curls and optionally runs govai check; it runs only on workflow_dispatch — not automatically on merges to main. Use it for demos and connectivity probes, never as proof of artefact-bound production compliance.

Authoritative artefact-bound production gate for this repo: .github/workflows/compliance.yml, govai-compliance-gate (after evidence_pack).

Configure branch protection so this job is required before merges#

Required (production): require the .github/workflows/compliance.yml workflow and, specifically, a job that runs the same artefact-bound path as govai-compliance-gate (hosted submit-evidence-pack + verify-evidence-pack with real CI artefacts). You may also require the composite action from this repo with downloaded artefacts if that is your only hosted gate.

Do not treat the following as sufficient for production on their own:

• .github/workflows/govai-smoke.yml — manual synthetic smoke only (workflow_dispatch), not an artefact-bound merge gate.
• govai check (or a job that only runs check) — policy readout without cryptographic binding to CI evidence_digest_manifest.json.

Point required checks at the workflow/job that invokes submit-evidence-pack + verify-evidence-pack with real CI artefacts.

Action behaviour#

• Sets up Python 3.11
• Installs aigov-py==0.2.1 from PyPI
• Validates artifacts_path is an existing directory
• Runs submit-evidence-pack then verify-evidence-pack with --path and --run-id (passes --require-export by default; set require_export: false to omit)
• Exit codes propagated from verify-evidence-pack: 1 ERROR (infra/digest/export), 2 INVALID, 3 BLOCKED, 4 USAGE (python/aigov_py/cli_exit.py)

Official action reference#

Publish path (example):

your-org/your-repo@<tag> (root action.yml), or ./.github/actions/govai-check for forks.

Inputs#

Required repository secrets / variables#

• GOVAI_AUDIT_BASE_URL (repository variable recommended)
• GOVAI_API_KEY (secret)

Minimal usage (caller supplies downloaded artefact dir)#

jobs:
  govai-hosted-gate:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
        with:
          name: evidence_packs
          path: artefacts

      - name: Artefact-bound GovAI gate
        uses: MonikaDvorackova/aigov-compliance-engine@v1
        with:
          run_id: ${{ vars.GOVAI_RUN_ID }}
          artifacts_path: artefacts
          base_url: ${{ vars.GOVAI_AUDIT_BASE_URL }}
          api_key: ${{ secrets.GOVAI_API_KEY }}

Minimal “example customer repo” layout (what your repo should contain)#

This is the smallest practical shape that is easy to copy and hard to misuse. Your repo produces:

• evidence_digest_manifest.json (digest manifest)
• <run_id>.json (evidence bundle)

and then runs the composite action against the directory that contains both.

Suggested layout:

.
├── .github/workflows/compliance.yml
└── artefacts/
    ├── evidence_digest_manifest.json
    └── <run_id>.json

Minimal workflow snippet (caller supplies artefacts, then gates):

name: compliance
on:
  pull_request:
    branches: [ main ]

jobs:
  govai:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

      # Your pipeline step(s) must create / download:

Example misconfiguration (USAGE / exit 4)#

Missing artifacts_path, api_key, or missing directory → action exits 4 with ::error:: annotations.

Verdict semantics#

Server-aligned verdict meanings (same order as GET /compliance-summary):

• INVALID — evaluation explicitly failed (evaluation_passed == false).
• BLOCKED — missing required evidence, missing risk/human approval, not yet promoted, digest/trace prerequisites not met, or any other “not yet eligible” state.
• VALID — evaluation passed, approvals satisfied, promotion recorded.

Operational probes: see docs/hosted-backend-deployment.md → “HTTP startup and operational probes” for the canonical contract of GET /health (liveness-only, after successful startup) vs GET /ready (authoritative readiness: DB + migrations + ledger writability).

Runtime decision API (non-CI)#

For non-CI enforcement, call GET /compliance-summary with the same run_id after evidence submission. Runtime decision APIs are planned separately and are not part of this branch.

Billing (minimal)#

Hosted service exposes POST /stripe/webhook (Stripe-signed, idempotent event log) and GET /billing/usage-summary (Bearer auth). See billing.md for limitations and env vars.

Local dev (this repo)#

- uses: ./.github/actions/govai-check
  with:
    run_id: ${{ needs.build.outputs.report_run_id }}
    artifacts_path: downloaded-artefacts-dir
    base_url: ${{ vars.GOVAI_AUDIT_BASE_URL }}
    api_key: ${{ secrets.GOVAI_API_KEY }}

CLI install (without composite action)#

python -m pip install --upgrade pip
python -m pip install "aigov-py==0.2.1"
govai verify-evidence-pack --path ./artefacts --run-id "$GOVAI_RUN_ID"

See also: customer-quickstart.md (update install pin after release tagging).