✨ Update branch creation logic to skip when no changes and amend is false

.github/workflows/auto-create-pull-request.yml

@@ -48,8 +48,6 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Install Docker Buildx
         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
-        with:
-          install: true
 
       - name: Install QEMU
         uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v3

.github/workflows/auto-create-release.yml

@@ -40,8 +40,6 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Install Docker Buildx
         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
-        with:
-          install: true
 
       - name: Install QEMU
         uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v3

.github/workflows/cron-check-dependencies.yml

@@ -27,8 +27,6 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Install Docker Buildx
         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
-        with:
-          install: true
 
       - name: Install QEMU
         uses: docker/setup-qemu-action@v3

README.md

@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ This action supports three tag levels for flexible versioning:
 | `force_with_lease`    | No       | `false`          | Whether to use force push with lease (`--force-with-lease`). Safer than `force` as it checks for remote changes. Set `fetch-depth: 0` for `actions/checkout`. |
 | `no_edit`             | No       | `false`          | Whether to not edit commit message when using amend (`--no-edit`).                                                                                            |
 | `organization_domain` | No       | `github.com`     | GitHub Enterprise domain name.                                                                                                                                |
-| `target_branch`       | No       | *current branch* | Name of a new branch to push the code into. Creates branch if not existing.                                                                                   |
+| `target_branch`       | No       | *current branch* | Name of a new branch to push the code into. Creates branch if not existing unless there are no changes and `amend` is false.                                  |
 
 
 ### 📤 Output Parameters

action.yml

@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ inputs:
     required: false
     default: github.com
   target_branch:
-    description: Name of a new branch to push the code into
+    description: Name of a new branch to push the code into (skipped when no changes and amend is false)
     required: false
     default: ""
 outputs:

entrypoint.sh

@@ -31,6 +31,15 @@ git remote set-url origin "https://${GITHUB_ACTOR}:${GITHUB_TOKEN}@${INPUT_ORGAN
 git config --global user.name "${GITHUB_ACTOR}"
 git config --global user.email "${GITHUB_ACTOR}@users.noreply.${INPUT_ORGANIZATION_DOMAIN}"
 
+get_current_branch() {
+  local branch
+  branch=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2>/dev/null || true)
+  if [[ "${branch}" == "HEAD" ]]; then
+    branch=""
+  fi
+  printf '%s' "${branch}"
+}
+
 # Get changed files
 git add -A
 FILES_CHANGED=$(git diff --staged --name-status)
@@ -40,84 +49,93 @@ else
   echo -e "\n[INFO] No files changed."
 fi
 
-# Setting branch name
-BRANCH="${INPUT_TARGET_BRANCH:-$(git symbolic-ref --short -q HEAD)}"
-# Add timestamp to branch name
-if [[ "${INPUT_ADD_TIMESTAMP}" == "true" ]]; then
-  TIMESTAMP=$(date -u +"%Y-%m-%dT%H-%M-%SZ")
-  if [[ -n ${BRANCH} ]]; then
-    BRANCH="${BRANCH}-${TIMESTAMP}"
-  else
-    BRANCH="${TIMESTAMP}"
-  fi
+SKIP_BRANCH_CREATION=false
+if [[ -z ${FILES_CHANGED} && "${INPUT_AMEND}" != "true" ]]; then
+  SKIP_BRANCH_CREATION=true
+  BRANCH="$(get_current_branch)"
+  echo -e "\n[INFO] No changes to commit and amend disabled; skipping branch creation."
 fi
-echo -e "\n[INFO] Target branch: ${BRANCH}"
-
-# Enhanced branch handling with proper remote synchronization
-if [[ -n "${INPUT_TARGET_BRANCH}" || "${INPUT_ADD_TIMESTAMP}" == "true" ]]; then
-  # Fetch latest changes from remote
-  echo "[INFO] Fetching latest changes from remote..."
-  git fetch origin || {
-    echo "[WARNING] Could not fetch from remote. Proceeding with local operations."
-  }
-
-  # Check if remote branch exists
-  REMOTE_BRANCH_EXISTS=$(git ls-remote --heads origin "${BRANCH}" 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
-
-  # Improved main branch detection
-  MAIN_BRANCH="main"
-  if git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/remotes/origin/main"; then
-    MAIN_BRANCH="main"
-  elif git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/remotes/origin/master"; then
-    MAIN_BRANCH="master"
-  else
-    # Try to get default branch from remote HEAD
-    MAIN_BRANCH=$(git symbolic-ref refs/remotes/origin/HEAD 2>/dev/null | sed 's@^refs/remotes/origin/@@' || echo "main")
-  fi
-  echo "[INFO] Detected main branch: ${MAIN_BRANCH}"
-
-  if [[ ${REMOTE_BRANCH_EXISTS} -gt 0 ]]; then
-    echo "[INFO] Remote branch '${BRANCH}' exists, checking out and updating..."
-    # Check if local branch exists
-    if git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/heads/${BRANCH}"; then
-      echo "[INFO] Local branch '${BRANCH}' exists, switching to it..."
-      git checkout "${BRANCH}" || {
-        echo "[ERROR] Failed to checkout branch ${BRANCH}"
-        exit 1
-      }
+
+if [[ "${SKIP_BRANCH_CREATION}" != "true" ]]; then
+  # Setting branch name
+  BRANCH="${INPUT_TARGET_BRANCH:-$(get_current_branch)}"
+  # Add timestamp to branch name
+  if [[ "${INPUT_ADD_TIMESTAMP}" == "true" ]]; then
+    TIMESTAMP=$(date -u +"%Y-%m-%dT%H-%M-%SZ")
+    if [[ -n ${BRANCH} ]]; then
+      BRANCH="${BRANCH}-${TIMESTAMP}"
     else
-      echo "[INFO] Creating local branch '${BRANCH}' from remote..."
-      git checkout -b "${BRANCH}" "origin/${BRANCH}" || {
-        echo "[ERROR] Failed to create local branch from remote"
-        exit 1
-      }
+      BRANCH="${TIMESTAMP}"
     fi
+  fi
+  echo -e "\n[INFO] Target branch: ${BRANCH}"
+
+  # Enhanced branch handling with proper remote synchronization
+  if [[ -n "${INPUT_TARGET_BRANCH}" || "${INPUT_ADD_TIMESTAMP}" == "true" ]]; then
+    # Fetch latest changes from remote
+    echo "[INFO] Fetching latest changes from remote..."
+    git fetch origin || {
+      echo "[WARNING] Could not fetch from remote. Proceeding with local operations."
+    }
+
+    # Check if remote branch exists
+    REMOTE_BRANCH_EXISTS=$(git ls-remote --heads origin "${BRANCH}" 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
 
-    # Ensure branch is up-to-date with main/master (only if they're different branches)
-    if [[ "${BRANCH}" != "${MAIN_BRANCH}" ]] && git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/remotes/origin/${MAIN_BRANCH}"; then
-      echo "[INFO] Rebasing branch onto ${MAIN_BRANCH}..."
-      git rebase "origin/${MAIN_BRANCH}" || {
-        echo "[WARNING] Rebase onto ${MAIN_BRANCH} failed. This may indicate conflicts."
-        echo "[INFO] Attempting to abort the rebase and continue without sync..."
-        git rebase --abort 2>/dev/null || true
-        echo "[INFO] Branch will remain at its current state without sync to ${MAIN_BRANCH}"
-      }
+    # Improved main branch detection
+    MAIN_BRANCH="main"
+    if git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/remotes/origin/main"; then
+      MAIN_BRANCH="main"
+    elif git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/remotes/origin/master"; then
+      MAIN_BRANCH="master"
+    else
+      # Try to get default branch from remote HEAD
+      MAIN_BRANCH=$(git symbolic-ref refs/remotes/origin/HEAD 2>/dev/null | sed 's@^refs/remotes/origin/@@' || echo "main")
     fi
-  else
-    echo "[INFO] Remote branch '${BRANCH}' does not exist, creating new branch..."
-    # Ensure starting from the latest main/master
-    if git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/remotes/origin/${MAIN_BRANCH}"; then
-      echo "[INFO] Creating branch from latest ${MAIN_BRANCH}..."
-      git checkout -b "${BRANCH}" "origin/${MAIN_BRANCH}" || {
-        echo "[ERROR] Failed to create branch from ${MAIN_BRANCH}"
-        exit 1
-      }
+    echo "[INFO] Detected main branch: ${MAIN_BRANCH}"
+
+    if [[ ${REMOTE_BRANCH_EXISTS} -gt 0 ]]; then
+      echo "[INFO] Remote branch '${BRANCH}' exists, checking out and updating..."
+      # Check if local branch exists
+      if git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/heads/${BRANCH}"; then
+        echo "[INFO] Local branch '${BRANCH}' exists, switching to it..."
+        git checkout "${BRANCH}" || {
+          echo "[ERROR] Failed to checkout branch ${BRANCH}"
+          exit 1
+        }
+      else
+        echo "[INFO] Creating local branch '${BRANCH}' from remote..."
+        git checkout -b "${BRANCH}" "origin/${BRANCH}" || {
+          echo "[ERROR] Failed to create local branch from remote"
+          exit 1
+        }
+      fi
+
+      # Ensure branch is up-to-date with main/master (only if they're different branches)
+      if [[ "${BRANCH}" != "${MAIN_BRANCH}" ]] && git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/remotes/origin/${MAIN_BRANCH}"; then
+        echo "[INFO] Rebasing branch onto ${MAIN_BRANCH}..."
+        git rebase "origin/${MAIN_BRANCH}" || {
+          echo "[WARNING] Rebase onto ${MAIN_BRANCH} failed. This may indicate conflicts."
+          echo "[INFO] Attempting to abort the rebase and continue without sync..."
+          git rebase --abort 2>/dev/null || true
+          echo "[INFO] Branch will remain at its current state without sync to ${MAIN_BRANCH}"
+        }
+      fi
     else
-      echo "[INFO] Creating branch from current HEAD..."
-      git checkout -b "${BRANCH}" || {
-        echo "[ERROR] Failed to create branch from HEAD"
-        exit 1
-      }
+      echo "[INFO] Remote branch '${BRANCH}' does not exist, creating new branch..."
+      # Ensure starting from the latest main/master
+      if git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/remotes/origin/${MAIN_BRANCH}"; then
+        echo "[INFO] Creating branch from latest ${MAIN_BRANCH}..."
+        git checkout -b "${BRANCH}" "origin/${MAIN_BRANCH}" || {
+          echo "[ERROR] Failed to create branch from ${MAIN_BRANCH}"
+          exit 1
+        }
+      else
+        echo "[INFO] Creating branch from current HEAD..."
+        git checkout -b "${BRANCH}" || {
+          echo "[ERROR] Failed to create branch from HEAD"
+          exit 1
+        }
+      fi
     fi
   fi
 fi
@@ -168,7 +186,7 @@ if [[ "${INPUT_FORCE}" == "true" ]]; then
 elif [[ "${INPUT_FORCE_WITH_LEASE}" == "true" ]]; then
   echo "[INFO] Force pushing changes with lease"
   git push --force-with-lease origin "${BRANCH}"
-elif [[ -n ${FILES_CHANGED} || "${INPUT_AMEND}" == "true" || -n "${INPUT_TARGET_BRANCH}" ]]; then
+elif [[ "${SKIP_BRANCH_CREATION}" != "true" && ( -n ${FILES_CHANGED} || "${INPUT_AMEND}" == "true" || -n "${INPUT_TARGET_BRANCH}" ) ]]; then
   echo "[INFO] Pushing changes"
   # Check if branch has upstream tracking
   if git rev-parse --abbrev-ref "${BRANCH}@{upstream}" >/dev/null 2>&1; then