Deploy via SSH & rsync GitHub action

deploy-via-rsync.yml

name: Deploy via rsync

# Controls when the action will run. Workflow runs when manually triggered using the UI
# or API.
#
# To add additional options, such as triggering when the main branch is updated, add:
# on:
#   push:
#     branches:
#       - main
#
# More info: https://docs.github.com/en/actions/reference/events-that-trigger-workflows
#
# Requires 4 secret keys:
#
# PRODUCTION_SERVER_SSH_KEY       --Private SSH key
# PRODUCTION_SERVER_REMOTE_USER   --SSH user on receiving end
# PRODUCTION_SERVER_REMOTE_HOST   --host.domain.com or IP
# PRODUCTION_SERVER_REMOTE_TARGET --Base target directory, ex: /home/user/public_html
#
on:
  workflow_dispatch:
   
# A workflow run is made up of one or more jobs that can run sequentially or in parallel
jobs:
  # This workflow contains a single job called "deploy"
  deploy:
    # The type of runner that the job will run on
    # Replace with your preferred runner tag if needed
    runs-on: self-hosted

    # Steps represent a sequence of tasks that will be executed as part of the job
    steps:
      - name: Checkout Branch
        uses: actions/checkout@v2
      
      - name: Deploy to Production via rsync
        # https://github.com/easingthemes/ssh-deploy
        uses: easingthemes/ssh-deploy@v2
        env:
          
          # SSH key must be PEM format, 4096 bit:
          # ssh-keygen -m PEM -t rsa -b 4096
          
          SSH_PRIVATE_KEY: ${{ secrets.PRODUCTION_SERVER_SSH_KEY }}
          
          # rsync arguments explained (more detail here: https://ss64.com/bash/rsync_options.html)
          #
          # -r, --recursive This tells rsync to copy directories recursively. See also --dirs (-d).
          # -l, --links When symlinks are encountered, recreate the symlink on the destination.
          # -t, --times This tells rsync to transfer modification times along with the files and update them on the remote system.        
          # -D The -D option is equivalent to --devices --specials. 
          # -z, --compress With this option, rsync compresses the file data as it is sent to the destination machine
          # -v, --verbose This option increases the amount of information you are given during the transfer. 
          # -O, --omit-dir-times This tells rsync to omit directories when it is preserving modification times (see --times).
          # --delete This tells rsync to delete extraneous files from the receiving side (ones that aren't on the sending side),
          #          but only for the directories that are being synchronized.
          
          ARGS: "-rltDzvO --delete"
          # SOURCE is excluded here, defaults to root of repository. For post-build deploys, see example below:
          # SOURCE: "public/"
          REMOTE_HOST: ${{ secrets.PRODUCTION_SERVER_REMOTE_HOST }} # format host.domain.com or IP
          REMOTE_USER: ${{ secrets.PRODUCTION_SERVER_REMOTE_USER }} # SSH user on receiving end
          TARGET: ${{ secrets.PRODUCTION_SERVER_REMOTE_TARGET }}    # Base target directory, ex: /home/user/public_html
          EXCLUDE: "keys.php, README.md, logs, .gitignore, .github"           # Exclude specific files and directories