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These patterns represent common automation use cases that can be adapted to your specific needs. Use them as templates to build your own automations.
Pattern: Digest Creator
Collect information over a time period and summarize it.
Examples:
- Daily changelog
- Weekly issue summary
- Monthly metrics report
When to Use:
- You need to aggregate information from multiple sources
- Information should be delivered at regular intervals
- Team needs summaries rather than individual updates
Pattern: Event Responder
React to specific events and take action.
Examples:
- PR opened → Request reviewers
- CI failed → Attempt auto-fix
- Issue created → Check for duplicates
When to Use:
- You need immediate action when events occur
- Responses are consistent and can be automated
- Manual monitoring is time-consuming
Pattern: Health Monitor
Regularly check the health of systems or processes.
Examples:
- Check for stale issues
- Monitor CI success rates
- Track open PR aging
When to Use:
- You need proactive alerts about problems
- Status should be checked regularly
- Manual monitoring is tedious or error-prone
Pattern: Content Generator
Create or enhance content automatically.
Examples:
- Generate blog frontmatter
- Create release notes
- Write PR descriptions
When to Use:
- Content follows a predictable pattern
- Manual content creation is repetitive
- Consistency is important
Pattern: Notifier
Keep team informed about important events.
Examples:
- Post release announcements
- Alert on security issues
- Share deployment status
When to Use:
- Team needs to stay informed about specific events
- Information should go to multiple channels
- Timing is important (immediate or scheduled)
Combining Patterns
Many powerful automations combine multiple patterns:
Example: Release Workflow
- Event Responder: New tag created triggers automation
- Digest Creator: Summarizes commits since last release
- Content Generator: Creates formatted release notes
- Notifier: Posts to Slack and creates GitHub release
Example: Issue Health Monitor
- Health Monitor: Checks for stale issues weekly
- Digest Creator: Groups issues by priority and team
- Notifier: Posts summary to team channels
Tips for Using Patterns
Start with a Pattern
Choose the pattern that best matches your use case, then customize it. Don’t try to build from scratch.
Mix and Match
Combine patterns to create more sophisticated workflows. Most real-world automations use multiple patterns.
Keep It Simple
Start with the simplest pattern that solves your problem. Add complexity only when needed.
Document Your Pattern
When you create a new pattern or variation, document it for your team to reuse. 
