Optimize GitHub Actions workflow to prevent duplicate runs on push and pull_request events

[anchapin]

Problem

The current GitHub Actions workflow in .github/workflows/build_pat.yaml is configured to run on both push and pull_request events, which causes duplicate workflow runs when pushing to a branch that has an open pull request.

Current Behavior

When a developer pushes commits to a branch with an open PR, the workflow runs twice:

1. Once for the push event
2. Once for the pull_request event

This results in:

• 8 duplicate jobs running simultaneously (4 OS matrix jobs × 2 triggers)
• Wasted CI resources and longer queue times
• Confusion about which run to monitor for PR status
• Potential rate limiting issues with external dependencies

Expected Behavior

The workflow should run only once per commit, with clear rules about when to use each trigger type.

Suggested Solution

Update the workflow triggers to use one of these patterns:

Option 1: PR-focused (Recommended)

on:
  pull_request:
    branches: ['*']
  push:
    branches: [develop, main]  # Only run on main branches when no PR exists
    tags: ['*']

Option 2: Conditional execution

on:
  pull_request:
    branches: ['*']
  push:
    branches: ['*']
    tags: ['*']

jobs:
  pat_build:
    # Skip push builds if there's an open PR for this branch
    if: github.event_name \!= 'push' || github.event.pull_request == null

Option 3: Path-based optimization

Consider adding path filters to only run when relevant files change:

on:
  pull_request:
    paths-ignore:
      - '**.md'
      - 'docs/**'
  push:
    branches: [develop, main]
    paths-ignore:
      - '**.md' 
      - 'docs/**'

Benefits

• 50% reduction in CI resource usage
• Faster feedback loops for developers
• Clearer CI status reporting
• Reduced load on external dependency servers
• Lower chance of hitting GitHub Actions usage limits

Files to Modify

• .github/workflows/build_pat.yaml (lines 3-11)

Additional Considerations

• Ensure protected branch rules work with the chosen approach
• Test that release tags still trigger builds appropriately
• Verify status checks for PR merging continue to work
• Consider if any external integrations depend on specific trigger patterns

[anchapin]

🎯 Issue Fixed!

I've created PR #314 to address the duplicate GitHub Actions workflow runs.

What was implemented:

• Limited push triggers to only main branches (develop, main, master)
• Added path filters to skip documentation-only changes
• Maintained full PR coverage for all branches

Expected results:

• ✅ No more duplicate runs when pushing to PR branches
• ✅ ~50% reduction in CI resource usage
• ✅ Cleaner status checks with only one workflow per commit
• ✅ Faster feedback due to reduced queue times

The solution implements exactly what was requested - "running only once per commit" while maintaining complete code coverage. The PR includes a test file to demonstrate that documentation changes won't trigger unnecessary workflow runs.

Please review PR #314 when you have a chance! 🚀