A GitHub Action that fetches markup from a URL and inserts it into a file, automatically creating a pull request when changes are detected.

• 🔄 Simple: Fetches markup from any URL and inserts it into your file
• 🎯 Smart: Only creates PRs when content actually changes
• 🚀 Zero dependencies: Uses only Python standard library
• 🔒 No secrets needed: Works with the built-in GITHUB_TOKEN
• ⚡ Fast: Minimal overhead, no package installation required

Add this workflow to your repository (e.g., .github/workflows/update-readme.yml):

name: Update README

on:
  schedule:
    - cron: '0 0 * * *'  # Daily at midnight UTC
  workflow_dispatch:      # Manual trigger

permissions:
  contents: write
  pull-requests: write

jobs:
  update-readme:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Update readme
        uses: pawamoy/readme-insert@main
        with:
          markup-url: 'https://your-domain.com/content.html'

Customize all options:

jobs:
  update-content:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4

      - name: Update custom file
        uses: pawamoy/readme-insert@main
        with:
          markup-url: 'https://example.com/content-fragment.html'
          file-path: 'CUSTOM.md'
          start-marker: '<!-- content-start -->'
          end-marker: '<!-- content-end -->'
          branch-name: 'automated/update-content'
          base-branch: 'main'
          commit-message: 'chore: Update content'
          pr-title: '🎉 Update Content'
          pr-body: |
            Automated content update.

            Please review and merge if everything looks correct.

1. Fetch: Downloads markup content from the specified URL using Python's urllib
2. Insert: Finds the marker line in your file and inserts the content after it
3. Detect: Uses git diff to check if the file actually changed
4. Create PR: If changes exist, creates a new branch, commits, and opens a PR via gh CLI

Your workflow must have these permissions:

permissions:
  contents: write        # To push commits
  pull-requests: write   # To create PRs

You must also allow the creation of PRs from GitHub actions in your repository settings, at https://github.com/username/repo/settings/actions.

Your target file must contain both the start and end marker lines. The content between these markers will be replaced with the fetched markup on each run, while the markers themselves are preserved.

Example README.md:

# My Awesome Project

Description of your project here.

## Dynamic Content

<!-- start-insert -->
<!-- end-insert -->

## Installation

More content here...

After the action runs, it becomes:

# My Awesome Project

Description of your project here.

## Dynamic Content

<!-- start-insert -->
<div>Your dynamic content here</div>
<!-- end-insert -->

## Installation

More content here...

Key points:

• Both markers must be present in the file
• Content between the markers is completely replaced on each update
• The markers themselves are preserved, allowing subsequent updates
• You can place the markers anywhere in the file, not just at the end

The URL you provide should return plain HTML or Markdown. The action doesn't care about the format: it just inserts whatever content it fetches.

Example HTML:

<div align="center">
  <a href="https://sponsor1.com">
    <img src="https://sponsor1.com/logo.png" alt="Sponsor 1" height="80">
  </a>
  <a href="https://sponsor2.com">
    <img src="https://sponsor2.com/logo.png" alt="Sponsor 2" height="80">
  </a>
</div>

Example Markdown:

- [Sponsor 1](https://sponsor1.com) - Amazing sponsor
- [Sponsor 2](https://sponsor2.com) - Great supporter

You can generate the markup however you prefer:

• Static file: Host on GitHub Pages, GitLab Pages, etc.
• API endpoint: Build a serverless function that queries an API
• Separate workflow: Use another action to generate and host the file
• External service: Use a third-party service

The action simply fetches from the URL. You control how that content is created.

Test the script locally:

export MARKUP_URL="https://your-domain.com/content.html"
export FILE_PATH="README.md"
export START_MARKER="<!-- start-insert -->"
export END_MARKER="<!-- end-insert -->"

python3 scripts/update_readme.py

Check the changes:

git diff README.md

Error: Error: Start marker '<!-- start-insert -->' not found in README.md Error: Error: End marker '<!-- end-insert -->' not found in README.md

Solution: Ensure your file contains both exact marker lines (case-sensitive).

Error: Error fetching sponsors from URL

Solution:

• Verify the URL is publicly accessible
• Check the URL returns valid content (not a 404/500 error)
• Ensure there are no network/firewall restrictions

Message: PR may already exist

Explanation: The action will force-push to the same branch if it already exists, updating the existing PR rather than creating a new one.

ISC

Contributions welcome! Feel free to open issues or pull requests.

And 7 more private sponsor(s).