title: .env files in Github Actions CI/CD workflows: how to provide these into the workflow
body: <p>I use Github Actions workflows for my CI/CD processes for Node and PHP projects.</p>
  <p>Within a workflow I clone my repository into Github Actions runner virtual machine. Then in order to run tests within a workflow I have to have the <code>.env</code> file in the cloned repository.</p>
  <p>The problem is my <code>.env</code> file is not a part of repository (which is the ubuquitous practice).</p>
  <p>To solve the problem I use what I consider a workaround: set up <code>MY_PROJECT_ENV</code> Github Action sercret variable, manually put there the content of my <code>.env</code> file and then dynamically create the <code>.env</code> file within my workflow with Linux console <code>echo &quot;${{ secrets.MY_PROJECT_ENV}}&quot; &gt; .env</code>. This works.</p>
  <p>But I would like to know are there other approaches for providing <code>.env</code> files to Github Actions workflows?</p>