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LabsApplicationStack is a comprehensive workflow stack designed for the common Penn Labs architecture: a Django backend and React frontend. It orchestrates the entire CI/CD pipeline from code quality checks to production deployment.

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Overview

The LabsApplicationStack creates a complete GitHub Actions workflow that:
  • Lints and tests both Django and React projects
  • Builds and publishes Docker images
  • Optionally runs integration tests
  • Deploys to production on the default branch
By default, it publishes two Docker images: {dockerImageBaseName}-backend and {dockerImageBaseName}-frontend.

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Constructor

new LabsApplicationStack(
  scope: Construct,
  config: LabsApplicationStackProps,
  overrides?: Partial<WorkflowProps>
)

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Parameters

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scope
Construct
required
The cdkactions App instance that serves as the parent scope.
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config
LabsApplicationStackProps
required
Configuration object for the stack.
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config.djangoProjectName
string
required
Name of the Django project to test and build.
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config.dockerImageBaseName
string
required
Base name for Docker images. Will publish {base}-backend and {base}-frontend images.
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config.backendPath
string
default:"backend"
Path to the Django project directory within the repository.
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config.frontendPath
string
default:"frontend"
Path to the React project directory within the repository.
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config.integrationTests
boolean
default:false
If true, runs integration tests using docker-compose before deploying.
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config.djangoCheckProps
Partial<DjangoCheckJobProps>
Optional props to customize the Django check job.
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config.djangoCheckOverrides
Partial<JobProps>
Optional overrides for the Django check job configuration.
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config.djangoDockerProps
Partial<DockerPublishJobProps>
Optional props to customize the Django Docker publish job.
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config.djangoDockerOverrides
Partial<JobProps>
Optional overrides for the Django Docker publish job configuration.
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config.reactCheckProps
Partial<ReactCheckJobProps>
Optional props to customize the React check job.
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config.reactCheckOverrides
Partial<JobProps>
Optional overrides for the React check job configuration.
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config.reactDockerProps
Partial<DockerPublishJobProps>
Optional props to customize the React Docker publish job.
​
config.reactDockerOverrides
Partial<JobProps>
Optional overrides for the React Docker publish job configuration.
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config.integrationProps
Partial<IntegrationTestsJobProps>
Optional props to customize the integration tests job.
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config.integrationOverrides
Partial<JobProps>
Optional overrides for the integration tests job configuration.
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config.deployProps
Partial<DeployJobProps>
Optional props to customize the deploy job.
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config.deployOverrides
Partial<JobProps>
Optional overrides for the deploy job configuration.
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overrides
Partial<WorkflowProps>
Optional overrides for the workflow itself (name, triggers, etc.).

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Basic Usage

The simplest configuration for a standard Django + React project: 
import { LabsApplicationStack } from '@pennlabs/kraken';
import { App } from 'cdkactions';

const app = new App();

new LabsApplicationStack(app, {
  djangoProjectName: 'exampleDjangoProject',
  dockerImageBaseName: 'example-product',
});

app.synth();
This creates a workflow that:
  1. Checks out code
  2. Runs Django linting and tests in backend/
  3. Runs React linting and tests in frontend/
  4. Builds and publishes example-product-backend Docker image
  5. Builds and publishes example-product-frontend Docker image
  6. Deploys to production (on master branch only)

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Advanced Usage

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Custom Paths

If your project structure differs from the defaults: 
new LabsApplicationStack(app, {
  djangoProjectName: 'myproject',
  dockerImageBaseName: 'my-app',
  backendPath: 'server',
  frontendPath: 'client',
});

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With Integration Tests

Enable integration tests that run after building Docker images: 
new LabsApplicationStack(app, {
  djangoProjectName: 'myproject',
  dockerImageBaseName: 'my-app',
  integrationTests: true,
  integrationProps: {
    testCommand: 'docker-compose -f docker-compose.test.yml run --rm integration-tests',
  },
});

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Custom Job Configuration

Customize individual jobs within the stack: 
new LabsApplicationStack(app, {
  djangoProjectName: 'myproject',
  dockerImageBaseName: 'my-app',
  djangoCheckProps: {
    pythonVersion: '3.11',
  },
  reactCheckProps: {
    nodeVersion: '18',
  },
  deployProps: {
    defaultBranch: 'main',
  },
});

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Generated Workflow

The stack generates a GitHub Actions workflow with the following job dependency graph:

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Without Integration Tests

Django Check → Django Docker Publish ┐
                                      ├→ Deploy
React Check → React Docker Publish  ┘

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With Integration Tests

Django Check → Django Docker Build ┐
                                    ├→ Integration Tests → Deploy
React Check → React Docker Build   ┘
When integrationTests is enabled, Docker images are built but not published until integration tests pass. This ensures only validated images reach the registry.

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See Also

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