Illinois Github University is an autograding toolset that leverages Github's Actions platform to create a stable, secure, and modular autograding platform that can easily be configured as a drop-in solution for any course regardless of core language or toolset of choice.
Github university implements a number of configurable grading actions that cover all parts of grading workflows, including pre and post-grading checks:
Lightweight and language-agnostic autograder implementation. Runs student code against a test suite, logs student grades as an artifact, and provides a detailed grading summary.
Replaces files in a cloned student repository with files from a reference repository prior to autograding. Removes any student changes to files necessary for autograding.
Performs pre-grading checks to verify that a student's submission adheres to assignment policy. Verifies that required files exist, cross-references files against a reference to make sure that they have not been altered, and stops workflows if they are run after a set due date.
Logs workflow and autograding data to a remote server or an artifact. Useful for instructors wanting a data-driven approach to grading.
A full workflow utilizing all of the current Github University actions suite is provided below as reference:
autograding:
name: autograding
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
timeout-minutes: 5
steps:
- name: Checkout student repository
id: sr-checkout
uses: actions/checkout@v4
- name: Checkout release repository
id: release-checkout
uses: actions/checkout@v4
- name: Copy reference files
id: local-copy
uses: illinois/local-copy@v2
with:
src_path: release
dst_path: .
copy: >
autograding-files.txt : autograding-file.txt,
Makefile : Makefile
- name: Verify assignment policy
id: verify-policy
uses: illinois/verify-policy@v3
with:
due_date: '2022-06-21T00:00:00+00:00'
required_files: 'mp1/Makefile, .github/workflows/mp1-autograder-action.yml'
reference_files: 'mp1/tests/test-file.cpp : reference/tests/test-file.cpp, mp1/Makefile : reference/Makefile'
- name: Autograding
id: autograding
uses: illinois/autograding@v5
with:
path: mp1/
test_suite: autograding
step_summary: true
- name: Log telemetry data
if: ${{ always() }}
uses: illinois/telemetry@v1
with:
endpoint: "http://arbitrary.remote.server:5000/"
create_artifact: true
log_date: true
user: ${{ github.actor }}
autograding_status: ${{ steps.autograding.outcome }}
points: ${{ steps.autograding.outputs.Points }}
assignment: 'mp1-autograding'A number of example repositories are provided below as reference: