Branch-specific Preview Environments via GitHub Pages for Each PR

[sudip-mondal-2002]

🚀 Feature Request: Per-PR Preview Environments on GitHub Pages

Problem

Currently, reviewing and QA-ing a Pull Request requires contributors and reviewers to clone the repo, set up the local build environment (CMake, dependencies, etc.), and manually run the project. This creates a significant barrier — especially for non-core contributors or reviewers who just want to verify UI/UX changes.

Proposed Solution

Set up a CI/CD workflow (using GitHub Actions) that automatically builds and deploys a branch-specific preview environment to GitHub Pages for every open PR.

Each PR would get its own preview URL, something like:

https://sudip-mondal-2002.github.io/Amplitron/pr-previews/pr-<number>/

When the PR is merged or closed, the preview is automatically torn down.

Implementation Idea

• Add a GitHub Actions workflow (.github/workflows/preview.yml) triggered on pull_request events
• Build the web/Emscripten target of Amplitron
• Deploy the build artifact to a gh-pages branch under a PR-specific subdirectory
• Post a comment on the PR with the live preview URL
• On PR close/merge, clean up the subdirectory

Benefits

• ✅ Zero local setup required for reviewers
• ✅ Instant visual QA for UI/audio changes
• ✅ Makes it easier for GSSoC contributors to get their PRs reviewed
• ✅ Encourages more confident contributions

References

• GitHub Pages docs
• GitHub Actions: pull_request event
• Emscripten (web build)

[ionfwsrijan]

Hi @sudip-mondal-2002 , I analyzed this issue and I understand the required changes.
I’d like to work on it under GSSoC’26.
I can start immediately and submit a PR soon. Please assign it to me.

[sudip-mondal-2002]

Hi @ionfwsrijan I have assigned it to you.

[sudip-mondal-2002]

@ionfwsrijan use this channel for discussion, I will be active
https://discord.com/channels/1487119391320703016/1504893013028245655

[ionfwsrijan]

Hi @sudip-mondal-2002, I’ve opened a PR for this issue:

PR: #87

It adds branch-specific PR preview workflows for the Emscripten web build, deploys previews under pr-previews/pr-<number>/ on GitHub Pages, comments the preview URL on PRs, and cleans up the preview directory when a PR is closed.

I also documented the preview workflow in DEPLOYMENT.md.