ci: add separate clang-format check workflow

[aagra109]

Summary by CodeRabbit

• Chores
  • Introduced automated code formatting validation in the continuous integration pipeline to ensure consistent formatting standards for C++ code across pull requests.

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📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between a8c381f and b933dfa.

📒 Files selected for processing (8)

• src/command_exec.cpp
• src/exit_codes.h
• src/free_command.cpp
• src/list_command.cpp
• src/port_inspection.cpp
• src/usage.cpp
• src/who_command.cpp
• tests/unit_tests.cpp

📝 Walkthrough

Walkthrough

A new GitHub Actions workflow is added that automatically checks C++ code formatting on pull requests. The workflow installs clang-format and runs a dry-run validation with error reporting enabled on all tracked .cpp and .h files.

Changes

Cohort / File(s)	Summary
GitHub Actions Workflow .github/workflows/format.yml	New workflow triggered on pull requests that performs automated clang-format validation with --Werror to enforce code formatting standards across C++ files.

Estimated code review effort

🎯 2 (Simple) | ⏱️ ~8 minutes

Poem

🐰 A neat workflow hops into view,
Clang-format checking what's new,
C++ files in a line,
Now formatted so fine! ✨

🚥 Pre-merge checks | ✅ 3

✅ Passed checks (3 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Description Check	✅ Passed	Check skipped - CodeRabbit’s high-level summary is enabled.
Title check	✅ Passed	The title accurately describes the main change: adding a separate clang-format check workflow to the CI configuration.
Docstring Coverage	✅ Passed	No functions found in the changed files to evaluate docstring coverage. Skipping docstring coverage check.

_{✏️ Tip: You can configure your own custom pre-merge checks in the settings.}

✨ Finishing Touches

🧪 Generate unit tests (beta)

• Create PR with unit tests
• Post copyable unit tests in a comment
• Commit unit tests in branch chore/add-ci-workflow

---

_{Comment @coderabbitai help to get the list of available commands and usage tips.}

[coderabbitai]

🧹 Nitpick comments (2)

.github/workflows/format.yml (2)

21-22: The added C++ extensions are not necessary for the current codebase, but adding -r to xargs is recommended as a defensive practice.

The repository currently tracks only *.cpp and *.h files (11 and 12 files respectively), so the current pattern covers all C++ files. However, adding the -r flag to xargs is still a good practice to prevent the command from executing clang-format if no files match the pattern.

🔧 Suggested change

       - name: Check formatting
         run: |
-          git ls-files -z '*.cpp' '*.h' | xargs -0 clang-format --dry-run --Werror
+          git ls-files -z '*.cpp' '*.h' | xargs -0 -r clang-format --dry-run --Werror

🤖 Prompt for AI Agents

Verify each finding against the current code and only fix it if needed.

In @.github/workflows/format.yml around lines 21 - 22, Update the workflow run
step that pipes git ls-files -z to xargs so xargs is invoked with the -r (or
--no-run-if-empty) option to avoid calling clang-format when no files match;
specifically modify the command that uses git ls-files -z '*.cpp' '*.h' | xargs
-0 clang-format --dry-run --Werror to add -r to the xargs invocation while
keeping the existing patterns and clang-format flags unchanged.

---

17-18: Pin clang-format version to avoid CI drift.

Unpinned clang-format will use whatever version is available in the runner's apt repository, which can change with runner image updates. While installing clang-format-18 pins the major version, the patch version (currently 18.1.3 on ubuntu-latest) may still drift.

For more reliable version control, consider using KyleMayes/install-llvm-action to install an exact LLVM/Clang version, or use a dedicated clang-format action like DoozyX/clang-format-lint-action that supports pinning specific patch versions. If using apt, at minimum pin the runner OS to ubuntu-24.04 alongside the major version to reduce unexpected changes.

🤖 Prompt for AI Agents

Verify each finding against the current code and only fix it if needed.

In @.github/workflows/format.yml around lines 17 - 18, The "Install
clang-format" CI step currently installs an unpinned clang-format via apt;
change it to a deterministic installer: replace the apt install step with a
pinned installer action (e.g., use KyleMayes/install-llvm-action with the exact
LLVM/Clang version or DoozyX/clang-format-lint-action that supports specific
patch pins) or, if you must use apt, pin both the package (e.g.,
clang-format-18) and the runner OS (ubuntu-24.04) to reduce drift; update the
workflow step named "Install clang-format" to call the chosen action and specify
the exact version string.

🤖 Prompt for all review comments with AI agents

Verify each finding against the current code and only fix it if needed.

Nitpick comments:
In @.github/workflows/format.yml:
- Around line 21-22: Update the workflow run step that pipes git ls-files -z to
xargs so xargs is invoked with the -r (or --no-run-if-empty) option to avoid
calling clang-format when no files match; specifically modify the command that
uses git ls-files -z '*.cpp' '*.h' | xargs -0 clang-format --dry-run --Werror to
add -r to the xargs invocation while keeping the existing patterns and
clang-format flags unchanged.
- Around line 17-18: The "Install clang-format" CI step currently installs an
unpinned clang-format via apt; change it to a deterministic installer: replace
the apt install step with a pinned installer action (e.g., use
KyleMayes/install-llvm-action with the exact LLVM/Clang version or
DoozyX/clang-format-lint-action that supports specific patch pins) or, if you
must use apt, pin both the package (e.g., clang-format-18) and the runner OS
(ubuntu-24.04) to reduce drift; update the workflow step named "Install
clang-format" to call the chosen action and specify the exact version string.

---

ℹ️ Review info

Configuration used: defaults

Review profile: CHILL

Plan: Pro

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 83be545 and a8c381f.

📒 Files selected for processing (1)

• .github/workflows/format.yml