# Publishing data on Github using Portal.js and Github pages

Use case: you have some data in a Github repo and you'd like to publish it online using "portal" so that it is easy for others to view, explore and use it.

Here we show how you can use portal.js plus github actions to publish your dataset in minutes and keep it updated as you make changes.

The example focuses on the case of a [Frictionless dataset][fd] but it works for any dataset type supported by portal.js. 

We provide three options on how to do this and recommend using the first one unless you really want to get hands on:

* Deploying datasets automatically by setting up a github actions script.
* Deploying datasets from a local bash script with portal code commits
* Deploying datasets from a local bash script without portal code commits

[fd]: https://frictionlessdata.io/data-packages/

## Publish datasets automatically by setting up a github actions script

The github actions below will automatically build and publish a single page, Frictionless dataset to `gh-pages` branch. Follow the steps below to achieve this:

1. Create a secret so we can automatically commit to gh-pages branch (see below)
2. Set up the github action to build portal to your dataset and publish it (see below)
3. Wait for your page to build and then setup github pages (see below)
4. View the results: visit `https://<your github username>/github.io/<dataset repo name>/`

### Step 1

In the dataset repository you want to publish, create a github secret with the name `PORTAL_REPO_NAME` and the value should be the name of the repository. 

See steps on creating a secret [here](https://docs.github.com/en/actions/reference/encrypted-secrets)

<img src="./assets/secrets.png" />

### Step 2

In the dataset repository you want deploy create a `.github/workflow` directory and add a `main.yml` file with the following content (you can also view/download this [action file here]("./actions/single-dataset-ssg.yml"):

```bash
name: github pages

on:
  push:
    branches:
      - master
      - main

jobs:
  run:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v2
    - name: Setup Node
      uses: actions/setup-node@v2.1.2
      with:
        node-version: '12.x'

    - name: Build datasets
      env:
        PORTAL_REPO_NAME: ${{ secrets.PORTAL_REPO_NAME }}
      run: |
        curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/datopian/portal.js/main/scripts/single-dataset-no-commit.sh > portal.sh 
        git config --local user.email "$(git log --format='%ae' HEAD^!)"
        git config --local user.name "$(git log --format='%an' HEAD^!)"
        source ./portal.sh

```

Then, commit and push your code.

```bash
git add .
git commit -m "Build dataset page"
git push 
```

### Step 3

Wait for a while as your page builds, and once you see the green check mark, navigate to your repository's github `pages` in settings, set the `source` to `gh-pages` and folder to `/root`:

<img src='./assets/sdnocommit.png' />


## Deploy single dataset without commiting portal.js code

Users who want to deploy datasets from a local bash script without saving/commiting the portal.js code, can use the script shown below. 

Using this script means you do not have access to the portal.js code used to generate the dataset page, and as such cannot modify/extend it. 

This script creates and commit only the build/output files to the gh-pages branch. Follow the steps below to achieve this.

### Step 1

Clone/Pull the dataset repository you want deploy. For example:

```bash
git clone https://github.com/datasets/finance-vix
cd finance-vix
```

### Step 2

In a terminal, export an env variable with the name of your dataset github repo. For example if deploying https://github.com/datasets/finance-vix, then export the name as:

```bash
export PORTAL_REPO_NAME=finance-vix
```

### Step 3

In the dataset repository's root folder, create a file called `portal.sh` and paste the following content:

```bash
#!/bin/bash
git checkout -b gh-pages
git rm -r --cached . 
rm -rf portal
mkdir -p portal
npx create-next-app portal -e https://github.com/datopian/portal.js/tree/main/examples/dataset-frictionless 
mkdir portal/public/dataset

cp -a ./data portal/public/dataset
cp -a ./datapackage.json portal/public/dataset
cp -a ./README.md portal/public/dataset

PORTAL_DATASET_PATH=$PWD"/portal/public/dataset"
export PORTAL_DATASET_PATH

cd portal
assetPrefix='"/'$PORTAL_REPO_NAME'/"'
basePath='"/'$PORTAL_REPO_NAME'"'
echo 'module.exports = {assetPrefix:' ${assetPrefix}', basePath: '${basePath}' }' > next.config.js ## This ensures css and public folder works
yarn export

cd ..
cp -R -a portal/out/* ./
touch .nojekyll
git add $PWD'/_next' $PWD'/index.html' $PWD'/dataset' $PWD'/404.html' $PWD'/.nojekyll' $PWD'/favicon.ico'
git commit -m "Build new dataset page"
git push origin gh-pages
```

### Step 4

Run the bash script in a terminal with:

```bash
source portal.sh
```

> Note: Use `source` instead of `bash` so that the script can work well with environment variables. 

### Step 5

Go to your repository's github `pages` in setting and set the Branch to gh-pages and folder to root:

<img src='./assets/sdnocommit.png' />

### Step 6

Open your deployed site at `https://<your github username>/github.io/<dataset repo name>`


## Deploy single dataset with portal commit

Users who want access to the portal.js code used for generating the dataset page can use the script shown in the following section. 

This script creates and commit the portal.js code to the root branch and also adds an automated script to deploy to gh-page. Follow the steps below to use this script. 

### Step 1

Create a Github Personal Access Token (PAT). See steps [here](https://docs.github.com/en/github/authenticating-to-github/creating-a-personal-access-token)

### Step 2

In the dataset repository you want to deploy, create a github secret with the name `PORTAL_NEXT_TOKEN`. The value should be the PAT created in step 1. See steps on creating a secret [here](https://docs.github.com/en/actions/reference/encrypted-secrets)

> Note: Without the PAT and the secret configured, the automatic build will fail. 

### Step 3

Clone/Pull the dataset repository you want deploy. For example:

```bash
git clone https://github.com/datasets/finance-vix
cd finance-vix
```

### Step 4

In your computer's terminal/command prompt, export an environment variable with the name of your dataset's github repo.

For example if you want to deploy the dataset at https://github.com/datasets/finance-vix, then export the name using the command:

```bash
export PORTAL_REPO_NAME=finance-vix
```

### Step 5

Create a file called `portal.sh` and paste the following content:

```bash
#!/bin/bash
rm -rf portal
mkdir -p portal
npx create-next-app portal -e https://github.com/datopian/portal.js/tree/main/examples/dataset-frictionless 
mkdir portal/public/dataset

cp -a ./data portal/public/dataset
cp -a ./datapackage.json portal/public/dataset
cp -a ./README.md portal/public/dataset

PORTAL_DATASET_PATH=$PWD"/portal/public/dataset"
export PORTAL_DATASET_PATH

mkdir -p .github && mkdir -p .github/workflows && touch .github/workflows/main.yml
curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/datopian/portal.js/main/scripts/gh-page-builder-action.yml > .github/workflows/main.yml

cd portal
assetPrefix='"/'$PORTAL_REPO_NAME'/"'
basePath='"/'$PORTAL_REPO_NAME'"'
echo 'module.exports = {assetPrefix:' ${assetPrefix}', basePath: '${basePath}' }' > next.config.js ## This ensures css and public folder works

cd ..
git add .
git commit -m "Add dataset build feature"
git push 
```

### Step 6

Run the bash script with:

```bash
source portal.sh
```

> Note: Use `source` instead of `bash` so that the script can work well with environment variables. 

### Step 7

Go to your repository's github `pages` in setting and set the Branch to gh-pages and folder to root:

<img src='./assets/sdnocommit.png' />

### Step 8

Open your deployed site at `https://<your github username>/github.io/<dataset repo name>`
