Establish automated secure Pritunl VPN connections with Pritunl Client in GitHub Actions, supporting OpenVPN and WireGuard.

Simplify your workflow, strengthen security, and safeguard access to corporate resources and infrastructure. This utility ensures secure connections, protecting your organization's valuable assets and data.

Streamline tasks such as:

• Securely distribute cross-platform, multi-architecture builds across teams, including corporate internal custom desktop and mobile applications, custom embedded software, firmware, server applications, and single-board computer operating system images.
• Ensure secure access to corporate infrastructure private resources, including internal file storage solutions such as SharePoint, Samba, and NFS shares.
• Automate end-to-end testing of internal and private systems, including applications and data interfaces.
• Ensure data safety and resource availability with regular, periodic schedule operations for internal resources, including backups.

Check the compatibility of various runners and VPN modes:

We have confirmed compatibility with Pritunl v1.32.3805.95 and later versions through rigorous testing. Our server clusters are deployed across multiple cloud platforms, including AWS, Azure and Linode (Akamai).

Configure the Pritunl Client GitHub Action using YAML's declarative syntax, making it easy to integrate and manage your VPN connections in a clear and concise manner. Define your configuration in a simple and human-readable YAML file, and let the action handle the rest.

Provides input parameters for the Pritunl Client GitHub Action, allowing users to customize the setup process and connection settings.

- name: Pritunl Client GitHub Action
  uses: nathanielvarona/pritunl-client-github-action@v1
  with:
    profile-file: ''
      # REQUIRED: Pritunl Profile File (Base64 text format)
      # Description: Provide the Base64-encoded Pritunl profile file contents.

    profile-pin: ''
      # OPTIONAL: Profile Pin (Numerical values, default: no pin)
      # Description: Specify a numerical pin for the profile (if required).

    profile-server: ''
      # OPTIONAL: Profile Server (Single string or comma-separated for multiple names, default: first or only server in the profile)
      # Description: Specify the profile server(s) to connect to.

    vpn-mode: ''
      # OPTIONAL: VPN Connection Mode (choices: 'ovpn' for OpenVPN, or 'wg' for WireGuard, default: 'ovpn')
      # Description: Select the VPN connection mode.

    client-version: ''
      # OPTIONAL: Pritunl Client Version (Numerical dot-separated identifiers, default: latest version from Package Manager)
      # Description: Specify the Pritunl client version to use.

    start-connection: ''
      # OPTIONAL: Start the Connection (Boolean, default: true)
      # Description: Set to 'false' to prevent the connection from starting automatically.

    ready-profile-timeout: ''
      # OPTIONAL: Ready Profile Timeout (Natural Numbers, unit of time in seconds, default: 3)
      # Description: Set the timeout for the profile to become ready.

    established-connection-timeout: ''
      # OPTIONAL: Established Connection Timeout (Natural Numbers, unit of time in seconds, default: 30)
      # Description: Set the timeout for the connection to become established.

    concealed-outputs: ''
      # OPTIONAL: Concealed Outputs (Boolean, default: true)
      # Description: Set to 'false' to reveal sensitive output information.

Outputs essential variables from Pritunl Client setup, supporting and extending automation, integration, and audit processes.

client-id — a unique string identifier generated during the profile setup process.

• Example:

  6p5yiqbkjbktkrz5
  

client-ids — a JSON array containing all client IDs and names in the profile, with each entry represented as a key-value pair.

• Format (json elements):

  {"id":"client-id","name":"profile-name (server-name)"}

• Example (single entry):

  [{"id":"6p5yiqbkjbktkrz5","name":"gha-automator-dev (dev-team)"}]

• Example (multiple entries):

  [{"id":"kp4kx4zbcqpsqkbk","name":"gha-automator-qa2 (dev-team)"},{"id":"rsy6npzw5mwryge2","name":"gha-automator-qa2 (qa-team)"}]

• To retrieve the client-id:

  ${{ steps.pritunl-connection.outputs.client-id }}
  

• To retrieve the client-ids:

  ${{ steps.pritunl-connection.outputs.client-ids }}
  

Provided that profile-file is available, we have the flexibility to generate multiple scenarios.

Establish a VPN connection with just a few lines of code! Simply set the required profile-file input, and let the action handle the rest.

- name: Setup Pritunl Profile and Start VPN Connection
  uses: nathanielvarona/pritunl-client-github-action@v1
  with:
    profile-file: ${{ secrets.PRITUNL_PROFILE_FILE }}

If your VPN connection requires authentication, use the profile-pin input to provide a PIN or password.

- name: Setup Pritunl Profile and Start VPN Connection
  uses: nathanielvarona/pritunl-client-github-action@v1
  with:
    profile-file: ${{ secrets.PRITUNL_PROFILE_FILE }}
    profile-pin: ${{ secrets.PRITUNL_PROFILE_PIN }}

Select one or more servers by specifying their names. You can use:

• Short name: A concise name (e.g., dev-team)
• Short name with multiple servers: Separate multiple short names with commas (e.g., dev-team, qa-team)
• Full profile name: A complete name with the profile and server (e.g., gha-automator-qa1 (dev-team))
• Full profile name with multiple servers: Separate multiple full profile names with commas (e.g., gha-automator-qa1 (dev-team), gha-automator-qa1 (qa-team))

- name: Setup Pritunl Profile and Start VPN Connection
  uses: nathanielvarona/pritunl-client-github-action@v1
  with:
    profile-file: ${{ secrets.PRITUNL_PROFILE_FILE }}

    # Specify a single server using its short name
    profile-server: dev-team

    # Connect to multiple servers using short names
    # profile-server: dev-team, qa-team

    # Use a full profile name to specify a single server
    # profile-server: gha-automator-qa1 (dev-team)

    # Use full profile names to specify multiple servers
    # profile-server: gha-automator-qa1 (dev-team), gha-automator-qa1 (qa-team)

Use a specific version of the Pritunl client.

- name: Setup Pritunl Profile and Start VPN Connection
  uses: nathanielvarona/pritunl-client-github-action@v1
  with:
    profile-file: ${{ secrets.PRITUNL_PROFILE_FILE }}
    client-version: 1.3.3883.60

Use a specific VPN mode (e.g., WireGuard).

- name: Setup Pritunl Profile and Start VPN Connection
  uses: nathanielvarona/pritunl-client-github-action@v1
  with:
    profile-file: ${{ secrets.PRITUNL_PROFILE_FILE }}
    vpn-mode: wg

Demonstrates manual control over the VPN connection, including starting, stopping, and checking the connection status.

# Set up Pritunl profile and store client ID for later use
- name: Setup Pritunl Profile
  id: pritunl-connection # A `Setup Step ID` has been added as a reference identifier for the output `client-id`.
  uses: nathanielvarona/pritunl-client-github-action@v1
  with:
    profile-file: ${{ secrets.PRITUNL_PROFILE_FILE }}
    start-connection: false # Do not establish a connection in this step.

# Start VPN connection using stored client ID and password (use stored secret if available, otherwise use an empty string)
- name: Start VPN Connection Manually
  shell: bash
  run: |
    pritunl-client start ${{ steps.pritunl-connection.outputs.client-id }} \
      --password ${{ secrets.PRITUNL_PROFILE_PIN || '' }}

    sleep 10 # Wait for 10 seconds to allow the connection to establish

# Display VPN connection status
- name: Display VPN Connection Status Manually
  shell: bash
  run: |
    pritunl-client list --json | jq 'sort_by(.name) | .[0] | { "Profile Name": .name, "Client Address": .client_address }'

# Insert your CI/CD core logic here
- name: Your CI/CD Core Logic Here

# Stop VPN connection using stored client ID (always run, even on failure)
- name: Stop VPN Connection Manually
  if: ${{ always() }}
  shell: bash
  run: |
    pritunl-client stop ${{ steps.pritunl-connection.outputs.client-id }}

By default, step outputs are hidden in the GitHub Actions log to keep it clean and clutter-free. To reveal step outputs, set concealed-outputs to false.

- name: Setup Pritunl Profile and Start VPN Connection
  uses: nathanielvarona/pritunl-client-github-action@v1
  with:
    profile-file: ${{ secrets.PRITUNL_PROFILE_FILE }}
    concealed-outputs: false # Set to false to reveal step outputs in the GitHub Actions log

The Pritunl Client CLI requires a specific file format, and GitHub has limitations on uploading binary files. To store the Pritunl Profile in GitHub Secrets, we need to convert the tar archive file to a base64 text file format.

Download the Profile File from the User Profile Page or obtain it from your Infrastructure Team. If you receive a tar file, proceed to Step 2.

curl -sSL https://vpn.domain.tld/key/a1b2c3d4e5.tar -o ./pritunl.profile.tar

Convert the Pritunl Profile File from tar archive file format to base64 text file format.

base64 --wrap 0 ./pritunl.profile.tar > ./pritunl.profile.base64

• macOS (using pbcopy):

  cat ./pritunl.profile.base64 | pbcopy

• Linux or WSL:
  • Using xclip:

    cat ./pritunl.profile.base64 | xclip -selection clipboard

  • Using xsel:

    cat ./pritunl.profile.base64 | xsel --clipboard --input

• Windows (using PowerShell):

  Get-Content .\pritunl.profile.base64 | Set-Clipboard

1. Open the file ./pritunl.profile.base64 in a code editor (e.g., code or vim) and select all the text (or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+A or Cmd+A).
2. Right-click and select "Copy" (or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+C or Cmd+C).

Create a GitHub Action Secret (e.g., PRITUNL_PROFILE_FILE) and paste the entire base64 text data as the secret value.

# Define a private function to read file data or download from URL
# This function is used internally to fetch the profile data
__get_profile_data() {
  # Check if the input is a file
  if [ -f "$1" ]; then
    # If it's a file, read its contents
    cat "$1"
  else
    # If it's not a file, assume it's a URL and download the data
    curl -sSL "$1"
  fi
}

# Define a public function to encode a profile and copy it to the clipboard
# This function takes a file path or URL as input, encodes the data to base64,
# and copies it to the clipboard
encode_profile_and_copy() {
  # Check if a file path or URL is provided as an argument
  if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then
    # If no argument is provided, print an error message and usage instructions
    echo "Error: No argument provided"
    echo "Usage: $(basename "$0") <url or file path>"
    echo "Examples:"
    echo "  Using a URL: $(basename "$0") https://vpn.domain.tld/key/a1b2c3d4e5.tar"
    echo "  Using a local file path: $(basename "$0") ./pritunl.profile.tar"
    return 1
  fi

  # Get the profile data using the private function
  __get_profile_data "$1" |
  # Encode the data to base64
  base64 --wrap 0 |
  # Copy the encoded data to the clipboard
  {
    # Use pbcopy for macOS
    pbcopy
  } || {
    # Use xclip or xsel for Linux or WSL
    xclip -selection clipboard || xsel --clipboard --input
  }
}

Supports GitHub Actions runners with Arm64 architecture, enabling users to run workflows on Arm64-based systems.

For details on runner billing, please refer to the "About billing for GitHub Actions" documentation.

• Affected Runners: Ubuntu (Linux) Runners using the Apt Repository for installation.

• Related Issues: #209, #206

• Problems:

  • Occasionally, updates to the Pritunl Client package in the Ubuntu repository can cause installation issues.
  • Sometimes, the GitHub Actions Runner images have problems with their internal package caches, leading to failed installations.

• Solutions:

  • Specify the desired Pritunl Client version using the client-version input in your GitHub Action. This will download the client directly from the official Pritunl Client GitHub Releases page, ensuring you get the exact version you need.

    NOTE: When specifying the client-version input, please use the version number without the 'v' prefix. For example, use 1.3.3883.60 instead of v1.3.3883.60.

    Example:

    - uses: nathanielvarona/pritunl-client-github-action@v1
      ...
      with:
        ...
        client-version: 1.3.3883.60

Thank you for your interest in contributing to our project! We appreciate your help in making our project better.

1. Fork our repository to your own GitHub account.
2. Make changes, additions, or fixes on your forked repository.
3. Send a pull request to our original repository.

1. Rebase your branch on top of the latest main branch before submitting a pull request.
2. Squash your commits into a single, meaningful commit.

Modify the main files:

• action.yml — GitHub Action Metadata File and Inline Entrypoint Script for pritunl-client.sh.
• pritunl-client.sh — Pritunl Client Script File, the GitHub Action Logic.

Test your changes thoroughly:

Ensure your contributions are reliable by testing your fork using the same GitHub Actions workflows we use for our project. Please update or add new test workflows in the .github/workflows/connection-tests-*.yml files as needed to cover your changes.

Once you've modified and tested your fork, you can use it in your own projects. Here's an example usage:

- name: Pritunl Client GitHub Action (Development Fork)
  uses: <YOUR GITHUB USERNAME>/pritunl-client-github-action@<YOUR FEATURE BRANCH>
  with:
    profile-file: ${{ secrets.PRITUNL_PROFILE_FILE }}
    ...
    <YOUR FEATURE INPUTS>
    ...

When contributing to our project, please make sure to document your features or changes in the following ways:

• Update the README.md file to include information about your feature or change.
• Add comments to your code to explain what it does and how it works.
• If necessary, create a new documentation file or update an existing one to provide more detailed information about your feature or change.

• Be respectful and considerate of others in our community.
• Follow the GitHub Community Guidelines and Anti-Harassment Policy.
• Keep your contributions aligned with our project's goals and scope.

• Our maintainers will review your pull request and provide feedback.
• We may request changes or improvements before merging your pull request.
• Once approved, your contribution will be merged and credited to you.

Thank you again for your contribution! If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us.