CI/CD Integration
=================

Charon's CLI supports full automation of game data workflows — validation, export, translation,
code generation, and backup — making it straightforward to integrate into any continuous
integration or deployment pipeline.

.. contents:: On this page
   :local:
   :depth: 2

----

Installation in CI
------------------

Install the ``dotnet-charon`` tool as part of your pipeline setup step. The tool requires the
.NET 8 (or later) runtime to be present.

.. tab-set::

   .. tab-item:: GitHub Actions

      .. code-block:: yaml

         - name: Setup .NET
           uses: actions/setup-dotnet@v4
           with:
             dotnet-version: '8.x'

         - name: Install Charon
           run: dotnet tool install -g dotnet-charon

   .. tab-item:: GitLab CI

      .. code-block:: yaml

         before_script:
           - apt-get install -y dotnet-sdk-8.0
           - dotnet tool install -g dotnet-charon
           - export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/.dotnet/tools"

   .. tab-item:: Shell script (any runner)

      .. code-block:: bash

         dotnet tool install -g dotnet-charon
         export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/.dotnet/tools"
         charon VERSION

----

Authentication
--------------

Provide the API key for remote data sources via the ``CHARON_API_KEY`` environment variable.
Store it as a CI secret; never hard-code it in pipeline files.

.. code-block:: yaml

   # GitHub Actions — secrets.CHARON_API_KEY defined in repository settings
   env:
     CHARON_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.CHARON_API_KEY }}

.. code-block:: bash

   # Shell — set before running any charon command
   export CHARON_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"
   charon DATA EXPORT --dataBase "https://charon.live/view/data/MyGame/main/" ...

Alternatively, pass credentials explicitly with ``--credentials``. The environment variable
takes precedence when both are supplied.

----

Exit Codes
----------

Charon exits with ``0`` on success. It exits with ``1`` or any positive code in these cases:

- A fatal error occurred (bad parameters, file not found, network failure).
- ``DATA VALIDATE`` produced errors **and** ``--output`` was set to ``err``.

All other cases — including a validation report that contains errors written to a file —
exit with ``0``. Design your pipeline steps accordingly.

----

Common Pipeline Recipes
-----------------------

Validate on every pull request
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

.. code-block:: yaml

   # .github/workflows/validate.yml
   name: Validate game data

   on: [pull_request]

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

         - uses: actions/setup-dotnet@v4
           with: { dotnet-version: '8.x' }

         - run: dotnet tool install -g dotnet-charon

         - name: Validate integrity
           run: |
             charon DATA VALIDATE \
               --dataBase gamedata.json \
               --validationOptions checkRequirements checkReferences checkFormat \
               --output err
           # Exits 1 and fails the workflow if errors are found

Export and publish on tag
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

.. code-block:: yaml

   # .github/workflows/publish.yml
   name: Publish game data

   on:
     push:
       tags: ['v*']

   jobs:
     publish:
       runs-on: ubuntu-latest
       env:
         CHARON_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.CHARON_API_KEY }}

       steps:
         - uses: actions/checkout@v4
         - uses: actions/setup-dotnet@v4
           with: { dotnet-version: '8.x' }
         - run: dotnet tool install -g dotnet-charon

         - name: Backup before publish
           run: |
             charon DATA BACKUP \
               --dataBase "https://charon.live/view/data/MyGame/main/" \
               --output backup_${{ github.ref_name }}.zip

         - name: Validate
           run: |
             charon DATA VALIDATE \
               --dataBase "https://charon.live/view/data/MyGame/main/" \
               --validationOptions checkRequirements checkReferences \
               --output err

         - name: Export published data (JSON)
           run: |
             charon DATA EXPORT \
               --dataBase "https://charon.live/view/data/MyGame/main/" \
               --mode publication \
               --output StreamingAssets/gamedata.json \
               --outputFormat json

         - name: Generate C# source code
           run: |
             charon GENERATE CSHARPCODE \
               --dataBase "https://charon.live/view/data/MyGame/main/" \
               --namespace MyGame.Parameters \
               --outputDirectory Assets/Scripts/Generated \
               --clearOutputDirectory

         - name: Commit generated files
           run: |
             git config user.name "CI Bot"
             git config user.email "ci@example.com"
             git add Assets/Scripts/Generated StreamingAssets/gamedata.json
             git commit -m "chore: regenerate game data for ${{ github.ref_name }}"
             git push

Apply a patch on merge
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

.. code-block:: bash

   # In a merge script or CI job
   charon DATA APPLYPATCH \
       --dataBase gamedata.json \
       --input feature_changes.patch.json \
       --validationOptions repair checkRequirements checkReferences

   charon DATA VALIDATE \
       --dataBase gamedata.json \
       --validationOptions checkRequirements checkReferences checkFormat \
       --output err   # Fail CI if post-merge data is invalid

Export translation files for a localization vendor
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

.. code-block:: bash

   for lang in de fr ja ko; do
     charon DATA I18N EXPORT \
       --dataBase gamedata.json \
       --sourceLanguage en \
       --targetLanguage "$lang" \
       --output "translations/en_${lang}.xliff" \
       --outputFormat xliff
   done

Import translated files from a vendor
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

.. code-block:: bash

   for file in translations/en_*.xliff; do
     charon DATA I18N IMPORT \
       --dataBase gamedata.json \
       --input "$file" \
       --dryRun   # Preview first

     charon DATA I18N IMPORT \
       --dataBase gamedata.json \
       --input "$file"
   done

----

Recommended Pipeline Structure
-------------------------------

.. code-block::

   [PR open]
     └─ DATA VALIDATE (checkRequirements + checkReferences + checkFormat → err)

   [Merge to main]
     └─ DATA BACKUP
     └─ DATA VALIDATE (as above)
     └─ GENERATE <LANG>CODE --clearOutputDirectory
     └─ commit generated files

   [Release tag]
     └─ DATA BACKUP (tagged archive)
     └─ DATA EXPORT --mode publication
     └─ upload to CDN / game build

See also
--------

- :doc:`Command Line Interface <command_line>`
- :doc:`Validation <validation>`
- :doc:`Backup and Restore <backup_restore>`
- :doc:`Patch and Diff Workflow <patch_diff>`
- :doc:`Internationalization <internationalization>`
- :doc:`Universal Parameters <commands/universal_parameters>`
- :doc:`URL-based I/O <commands/remote_input_output>`