build: fix release workflow

chore: release v3.1.0 (#43 )
build: package release automation
2023-07-06 00:20:50 +02:00 · 2023-07-05 23:49:25 +02:00 · 2023-07-05 23:45:38 +02:00 · 2023-07-05 22:11:23 +02:00 · 2023-07-03 18:15:59 +02:00 · 2023-07-02 19:29:52 +02:00
32 changed files with 1562 additions and 246 deletions
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+name: "release package"
+
+on: 
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs:
+      options:
+        description: 'Additional release-it options'     
+        required: false
+        default: ''
+
+env:
+  GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+  NPM_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.NPM_TOKEN }}
+
+jobs:
+  release:
+    name: Release package
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+      - name: Setup Node
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v3
+        with:
+          node-version: 18
+      - name: git config
+        run: |
+          git config user.name "${GITHUB_ACTOR}"
+          git config user.email "${GITHUB_ACTOR}@users.noreply.github.com"
+      - name: npm config
+        run: npm config set //registry.npmjs.org/:_authToken $NPM_TOKEN
+      - run: npm ci
+      # the version/changelog must be already updated on main branch using "npm run release:prepare"
+      - run: npm run release -- --ci --no-increment --no-git.commit ${{ github.event.inputs.options }}
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ report.json
 .idea/
 .vscode/
 build/
-# dist/
+.npmrc
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Changelog

+## [3.1.0](https://github.com/lampajr/backporting/compare/v3.0.0...v3.1.0) (2023-07-05)
+
+
+### Features
+
+* config file as option ([#42](https://github.com/lampajr/backporting/issues/42)) ([5ead31f](https://github.com/lampajr/backporting/commit/5ead31f606b585ecdf7ed2e9de8ebd841b935898))
+
 ## [3.0.0](https://github.com/lampajr/backporting/compare/v2.2.1...v3.0.0) (2023-07-01)


--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,21 +15,33 @@

 ---

-**Git Backporter**, also referenced as **bper**, is a [NodeJS](https://nodejs.org/) command line tool that provides capabilities to *backport* [1] pull requests (on *GitHub*) and merge requests (on *GitLab*) in an automated way. This tool also comes with a predefined *GitHub* action in order to make CI/CD integration easier for all users.
+## :tada: BPER v3 is out!! You can backport Gitlab merge requests now :tada:
+
+---
+
+**Git Backporter**, also referenced as **bper**, is a [NodeJS](https://nodejs.org/) command line tool that provides capabilities to *backport* pull requests (on *GitHub*) and merge requests (on *GitLab*) in an automated way. This tool also comes with a predefined *GitHub* action in order to make CI/CD integration easier for all users.

-[1] *backporting* is an action aiming to move a change (usually a commit) from a branch (usually the main one) to another one, which is generally referring to a still maintained release branch. Keeping it simple: it is about to move a specific change or a set of them from one branch to another.

 Table of content
 ----------------

-* **[Usage](#usage)**
-* **[Supported Git Services](#supported-git-services)**
-* **[GitHub Action](#github-action)**
-* **[Limitations](#limitations)**
-* **[Contributions](#contributing)**
+* **[Who is this tool for](#who-is-this-tool-for)**
+* **[CLI tool](#cli-tool)**
+* **[Supported git services](#supported-git-services)**
+* **[GitHub action](#github-action)**
+* **[Future works](#future-works)**
+* **[Contributing](#contributing)**
 * **[License](#license)**

-## Usage
+## Who is this tool for?
+
+`bper` is a tool that provides capabilities to *backport* pull requests (on *GitHub*) and merge requests (on *GitLab*) in an automated way.
+
+> *What is backporting?* - backporting is an action aiming to move a change (usually a commit) from a branch (usually the main one) to another one, which is generally referring to a still maintained release branch. Keeping it simple: it is about to move a specific change or a set of them from one branch to another.
+
+Therefore this tools is for anybody who is working on projects where they have to maintain multiple active branches/versions at the same time. If you are actively cherry-picking many changes from your main branch to other ones, and you mainly do changes through pull requests or merge requests, maybe this tool may be right for you.
+
+## CLI tool

 This tool is released on the [public npm registry](https://www.npmjs.com/), therefore it can be easily installed using `npm`:

@@ -37,24 +49,37 @@ This tool is released on the [public npm registry](https://www.npmjs.com/), ther
 $ npm install -g @lampajr/bper
 ```

-Then it can be used as any other command line tool:
+Then you just have to choose the pull request (or merge request on *Gitlab*) that you would like to backport and the target branch and the simply run the following command:

 ```bash
-$ bper -tb <branch> -pr <pull-request-url> -a <git-token> [-f <your-folder>]
+$ bper -tb <branch> -pr <pull-request-url> -a <git-token>
 ```

+A real example could be the following one:
+```bash
+$ bper -tb develop -pr https://github.com/lampajr/backporting-example/pull/47 -a *****
+```
+
+This is the easiest invocation where you let the tool set / compute most of the backported pull request data. Obviously most of that data can be overridden with appropriate tool options, more details can be found in the [inputs](#inputs) section.
+
+### Requirements
+
+* Node 16 or higher, more details on Node can be found [here](https://nodejs.org/en).
+* Git, see [how to install](https://git-scm.com/book/en/v2/Getting-Started-Installing-Git) if you need help.
+
 ### Inputs

-This toold comes with some inputs that allow users to override the default behavior, here the full list of available inputs:
+This tool comes with some inputs that allow users to override the default behavior, here the full list of available inputs:

 | **Name**      | **Command**          | **Required** | **Description**                                                                                                                                        | **Default** |
 |---------------|----------------------|--------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------|
 | Version       | -V, --version        | -            | Current version of the tool                                                                                                                            |             |
 | Help          | -h, --help           | -            | Display the help message                                                                                                                               |             |
-| Target Branch | -tb, --target-branch | Y            | Branch where the changes must be backported to                                                                                                         |             |
-| Pull Request  | -pr, --pull-request  | Y            | Original pull request url, the one that must be backported, e.g., https://github.com/lampajr/backporting/pull/1                                        |             |
-| Auth          | -a, --auth           | N            | `GITHUB_TOKEN` or a `repo` scoped [Personal Access Token](https://docs.github.com/en/github/authenticating-to-github/creating-a-personal-access-token) | ""          |
-| Folder        | -f, --folder         | N            | Local folder where the repo will be checked out, e.g., /tmp/folder                                                                                     | {cwd}/bp    |
+| Target Branch | -tb, --target-branch | N            | Branch where the changes must be backported to                                                                                                         |             |
+| Pull Request  | -pr, --pull-request  | N            | Original pull request url, the one that must be backported, e.g., https://github.com/lampajr/backporting/pull/1                                        |             |
+| Configuration File  | -cf, --config-file  | N            | Configuration file, in JSON format, containing all options to be overridded, note that if provided all other CLI options will be ignored                                        |             |
+| Auth          | -a, --auth           | N            | `GITHUB_TOKEN`, `GITLAB_TOKEN` or a `repo` scoped [Personal Access Token](https://docs.github.com/en/github/authenticating-to-github/creating-a-personal-access-token) | ""          |
+| Folder        | -f, --folder         | N            | Local folder full name of the repository that will be checked out, e.g., /tmp/folder                                                                                     | {cwd}/bp    |
 | Git User       | -gu, --git-user        | N            | Local git user name                                                       | "GitHub"       |
 | Git Email       | -ge, --git-email        | N            | Local git user email                                                       | "noreply@github.com"       |
 | Title       | --title        | N            | Backporting pull request title                                                       | "{original-pr-title}"       |
@@ -66,7 +91,23 @@ This toold comes with some inputs that allow users to override the default behav
 | Backport Branch Name       | --bp-branch-name        | N            | Name of the backporting pull request branch                                                           | bp-{target-branch}-{sha}       |
 | Dry Run       | -d, --dry-run        | N            | If enabled the tool does not push nor create anything remotely, use this to skip PR creation                                                           | false       |

-## Supported Git Services
+> **NOTE**: `pull request` and `target branch` are *mandatory*, they must be provided as CLI options or as part of the configuration file (if used).
+
+#### Configuration file example
+
+This is an example of a configuration file that can be used.
+```json
+{
+  "pullRequest": "https://gitlab.com/<namespace>/<repo>/-/merge_requests/1",
+  "targetBranch": "old",
+  "folder": "/tmp/my-folder",
+  "title": "Override Title",
+  "auth": "*****"
+}
+```
+Keep in mind that its structue MUST match the [Args](src/service/args/args.types.ts) interface, which is actually a camel-case version of the CLI options.
+
+## Supported git services

 Right now **bper** supports the following git management services:
 * ***GITHUB***: Introduced since the first release of this tool (version `1.0.0`). The interaction with this system is performed using [*octokit*](https://octokit.github.io/rest.js) client library.
@@ -75,7 +116,7 @@ Right now **bper** supports the following git management services:

 > **NOTE**: by default, all gitlab requests are performed setting `rejectUnauthorized=false`, planning to make this configurable too.

-## GitHub Action
+## GitHub action

 This action can be used in any *GitHub* workflow, below you can find a simple example of manually triggered workflow backporting a specific pull request (provided as input).

@@ -153,7 +194,7 @@ jobs:

 For a complete description of all inputs see [Inputs section](#inputs).

-## Future Works
+## Future works

 **BPer** is still in development mode, this means that there are still many future works and extension. I'll try to summarize the most important ones:

--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
 name: "Backporting GitHub Action"
 description: "GitHub action providing an automated way to backport pull requests from one branch to another"
 inputs:
+  pull-request:
+    description: "URL of the pull request to backport, e.g., https://github.com/lampajr/backporting/pull/1"
+    required: false
+  target-branch:
+    description: "Branch where the pull request must be backported to"
+    required: false
+  config-file:
+    description: "Path to a file containing the json configuration for this tool, the object must match the Args interface"
+    required: false
  dry-run:
    description: "If enabled the tool does not create any pull request nor push anything remotely"
    required: false
@@ -17,12 +26,6 @@ inputs:
    description: "Local git user email"
    default: "noreply@github.com"
    required: false
-  pull-request:
-    description: "URL of the pull request to backport, e.g., https://github.com/lampajr/backporting/pull/1"
-    required: true
-  target-branch:
-    description: "Branch where the pull request must be backported to"
-    required: true
  title:
    description: "Backporting PR title. Default is the original PR title prefixed by the target branch"
    required: false
--- a/dist/cli/index.js
+++ b/dist/cli/index.js
@@ -22,59 +22,172 @@ runner.run();

 /***/ }),

-/***/ 7938:
-/***/ ((__unused_webpack_module, exports, __nccwpck_require__) => {
+/***/ 3025:
+/***/ ((__unused_webpack_module, exports) => {

 "use strict";

 Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", ({ value: true }));
+/**
+ * Abstract arguments parser interface in charge to parse inputs and
+ * produce a common Args object
+ */
+class ArgsParser {
+    // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+    getOrDefault(parsedValue, defaultValue) {
+        return parsedValue === undefined ? defaultValue : parsedValue;
+    }
+    parse() {
+        const args = this.readArgs();
+        // validate and fill with defaults
+        if (!args.pullRequest || !args.targetBranch) {
+            throw new Error("Missing option: pull request and target branch must be provided");
+        }
+        return {
+            pullRequest: args.pullRequest,
+            targetBranch: args.targetBranch,
+            dryRun: this.getOrDefault(args.dryRun, false),
+            auth: this.getOrDefault(args.auth),
+            folder: this.getOrDefault(args.folder),
+            gitUser: this.getOrDefault(args.gitUser),
+            gitEmail: this.getOrDefault(args.gitEmail),
+            title: this.getOrDefault(args.title),
+            body: this.getOrDefault(args.body),
+            bodyPrefix: this.getOrDefault(args.bodyPrefix),
+            bpBranchName: this.getOrDefault(args.bpBranchName),
+            reviewers: this.getOrDefault(args.reviewers, []),
+            assignees: this.getOrDefault(args.assignees, []),
+            inheritReviewers: this.getOrDefault(args.inheritReviewers, true),
+        };
+    }
+}
+exports["default"] = ArgsParser;
+
+
+/***/ }),
+
+/***/ 8048:
+/***/ (function(__unused_webpack_module, exports, __nccwpck_require__) {
+
+"use strict";
+
+var __createBinding = (this && this.__createBinding) || (Object.create ? (function(o, m, k, k2) {
+    if (k2 === undefined) k2 = k;
+    var desc = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(m, k);
+    if (!desc || ("get" in desc ? !m.__esModule : desc.writable || desc.configurable)) {
+      desc = { enumerable: true, get: function() { return m[k]; } };
+    }
+    Object.defineProperty(o, k2, desc);
+}) : (function(o, m, k, k2) {
+    if (k2 === undefined) k2 = k;
+    o[k2] = m[k];
+}));
+var __setModuleDefault = (this && this.__setModuleDefault) || (Object.create ? (function(o, v) {
+    Object.defineProperty(o, "default", { enumerable: true, value: v });
+}) : function(o, v) {
+    o["default"] = v;
+});
+var __importStar = (this && this.__importStar) || function (mod) {
+    if (mod && mod.__esModule) return mod;
+    var result = {};
+    if (mod != null) for (var k in mod) if (k !== "default" && Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(mod, k)) __createBinding(result, mod, k);
+    __setModuleDefault(result, mod);
+    return result;
+};
+Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", ({ value: true }));
+exports.readConfigFile = exports.parseArgs = void 0;
+const fs = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(7147));
+/**
+ * Parse the input configuation string as json object and
+ * return it as Args
+ * @param configFileContent
+ * @returns {Args}
+ */
+function parseArgs(configFileContent) {
+    return JSON.parse(configFileContent);
+}
+exports.parseArgs = parseArgs;
+/**
+ * Read a configuration file in json format anf parse it as {Args}
+ * @param pathToFile Full path name of the config file, e.g., /tmp/dir/config-file.json
+ * @returns {Args}
+ */
+function readConfigFile(pathToFile) {
+    const asString = fs.readFileSync(pathToFile, "utf-8");
+    return parseArgs(asString);
+}
+exports.readConfigFile = readConfigFile;
+
+
+/***/ }),
+
+/***/ 7938:
+/***/ (function(__unused_webpack_module, exports, __nccwpck_require__) {
+
+"use strict";
+
+var __importDefault = (this && this.__importDefault) || function (mod) {
+    return (mod && mod.__esModule) ? mod : { "default": mod };
+};
+Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", ({ value: true }));
+const args_parser_1 = __importDefault(__nccwpck_require__(3025));
 const commander_1 = __nccwpck_require__(4379);
 const package_json_1 = __nccwpck_require__(6625);
+const args_utils_1 = __nccwpck_require__(8048);
 function commaSeparatedList(value, _prev) {
    // remove all whitespaces
    const cleanedValue = value.trim();
    return cleanedValue !== "" ? cleanedValue.replace(/\s/g, "").split(",") : [];
 }
-class CLIArgsParser {
+class CLIArgsParser extends args_parser_1.default {
    getCommand() {
        return new commander_1.Command(package_json_1.name)
            .version(package_json_1.version)
            .description(package_json_1.description)
-            .requiredOption("-tb, --target-branch <branch>", "branch where changes must be backported to.")
-            .requiredOption("-pr, --pull-request <pr-url>", "pull request url, e.g., https://github.com/lampajr/backporting/pull/1.")
-            .option("-d, --dry-run", "if enabled the tool does not create any pull request nor push anything remotely", false)
-            .option("-a, --auth <auth>", "git service authentication string, e.g., github token.", "")
-            .option("-gu, --git-user <git-user>", "local git user name, default is 'GitHub'.", "GitHub")
-            .option("-ge, --git-email <git-email>", "local git user email, default is 'noreply@github.com'.", "noreply@github.com")
-            .option("-f, --folder <folder>", "local folder where the repo will be checked out, e.g., /tmp/folder.", undefined)
-            .option("--title <bp-title>", "backport pr title, default original pr title prefixed by target branch.", undefined)
-            .option("--body <bp-body>", "backport pr title, default original pr body prefixed by bodyPrefix.", undefined)
-            .option("--body-prefix <bp-body-prefix>", "backport pr body prefix, default `backport <original-pr-link>`.", undefined)
-            .option("--bp-branch-name <bp-branch-name>", "backport pr branch name, default auto-generated by the commit.", undefined)
-            .option("--reviewers <reviewers>", "comma separated list of reviewers for the backporting pull request.", commaSeparatedList, [])
-            .option("--assignees <assignees>", "comma separated list of assignees for the backporting pull request.", commaSeparatedList, [])
-            .option("--no-inherit-reviewers", "if provided and reviewers option is empty then inherit them from original pull request", true);
+            .option("-tb, --target-branch <branch>", "branch where changes must be backported to.")
+            .option("-pr, --pull-request <pr-url>", "pull request url, e.g., https://github.com/lampajr/backporting/pull/1.")
+            .option("-d, --dry-run", "if enabled the tool does not create any pull request nor push anything remotely")
+            .option("-a, --auth <auth>", "git service authentication string, e.g., github token.")
+            .option("-gu, --git-user <git-user>", "local git user name, default is 'GitHub'.")
+            .option("-ge, --git-email <git-email>", "local git user email, default is 'noreply@github.com'.")
+            .option("-f, --folder <folder>", "local folder where the repo will be checked out, e.g., /tmp/folder.")
+            .option("--title <bp-title>", "backport pr title, default original pr title prefixed by target branch.")
+            .option("--body <bp-body>", "backport pr title, default original pr body prefixed by bodyPrefix.")
+            .option("--body-prefix <bp-body-prefix>", "backport pr body prefix, default `backport <original-pr-link>`.")
+            .option("--bp-branch-name <bp-branch-name>", "backport pr branch name, default auto-generated by the commit.")
+            .option("--reviewers <reviewers>", "comma separated list of reviewers for the backporting pull request.", commaSeparatedList)
+            .option("--assignees <assignees>", "comma separated list of assignees for the backporting pull request.", commaSeparatedList)
+            .option("--no-inherit-reviewers", "if provided and reviewers option is empty then inherit them from original pull request")
+            .option("-cf, --config-file <config-file>", "configuration file containing all valid options, the json must match Args interface.");
    }
-    parse() {
+    readArgs() {
        const opts = this.getCommand()
            .parse()
            .opts();
-        return {
-            dryRun: opts.dryRun,
-            auth: opts.auth,
-            pullRequest: opts.pullRequest,
-            targetBranch: opts.targetBranch,
-            folder: opts.folder,
-            gitUser: opts.gitUser,
-            gitEmail: opts.gitEmail,
-            title: opts.title,
-            body: opts.body,
-            bodyPrefix: opts.bodyPrefix,
-            bpBranchName: opts.bpBranchName,
-            reviewers: opts.reviewers,
-            assignees: opts.assignees,
-            inheritReviewers: opts.inheritReviewers,
-        };
+        let args;
+        if (opts.configFile) {
+            // if config file is set ignore all other options
+            args = (0, args_utils_1.readConfigFile)(opts.configFile);
+        }
+        else {
+            args = {
+                dryRun: opts.dryRun,
+                auth: opts.auth,
+                pullRequest: opts.pullRequest,
+                targetBranch: opts.targetBranch,
+                folder: opts.folder,
+                gitUser: opts.gitUser,
+                gitEmail: opts.gitEmail,
+                title: opts.title,
+                body: opts.body,
+                bodyPrefix: opts.bodyPrefix,
+                bpBranchName: opts.bpBranchName,
+                reviewers: opts.reviewers,
+                assignees: opts.assignees,
+                inheritReviewers: opts.inheritReviewers,
+            };
+        }
+        return args;
    }
 }
 exports["default"] = CLIArgsParser;
@@ -133,12 +246,12 @@ const git_client_factory_1 = __importDefault(__nccwpck_require__(8550));
 class PullRequestConfigsParser extends configs_parser_1.default {
    constructor() {
        super();
-        this.gitService = git_client_factory_1.default.getClient();
+        this.gitClient = git_client_factory_1.default.getClient();
    }
    async parse(args) {
        let pr;
        try {
-            pr = await this.gitService.getPullRequestFromUrl(args.pullRequest);
+            pr = await this.gitClient.getPullRequestFromUrl(args.pullRequest);
        }
        catch (error) {
            this.logger.error("Something went wrong retrieving pull request");
@@ -153,8 +266,8 @@ class PullRequestConfigsParser extends configs_parser_1.default {
            originalPullRequest: pr,
            backportPullRequest: this.getDefaultBackportPullRequest(pr, args),
            git: {
-                user: args.gitUser,
-                email: args.gitEmail,
+                user: args.gitUser ?? this.gitClient.getDefaultGitUser(),
+                email: args.gitEmail ?? this.gitClient.getDefaultGitEmail(),
            }
        };
    }
@@ -180,7 +293,7 @@ class PullRequestConfigsParser extends configs_parser_1.default {
        const bodyPrefix = args.bodyPrefix ?? `**Backport:** ${originalPullRequest.htmlUrl}\r\n\r\n`;
        const body = args.body ?? `${originalPullRequest.body}`;
        return {
-            author: args.gitUser,
+            author: args.gitUser ?? this.gitClient.getDefaultGitUser(),
            title: args.title ?? `[${args.targetBranch}] ${originalPullRequest.title}`,
            body: `${bodyPrefix}${body}`,
            reviewers: [...new Set(reviewers)],
@@ -466,6 +579,12 @@ class GitHubClient {
        this.mapper = new github_mapper_1.default();
    }
    // READ
+    getDefaultGitUser() {
+        return "GitHub";
+    }
+    getDefaultGitEmail() {
+        return "noreply@github.com";
+    }
    async getPullRequest(owner, repo, prNumber) {
        this.logger.info(`Getting pull request ${owner}/${repo}/${prNumber}.`);
        const { data } = await this.octokit.rest.pulls.get({
@@ -651,7 +770,7 @@ class GitLabClient {
        this.client = axios_1.default.create({
            baseURL: this.apiUrl,
            headers: {
-                Authorization: `Bearer ${token}`,
+                Authorization: token ? `Bearer ${token}` : "",
                "User-Agent": "lampajr/backporting",
            },
            httpsAgent: new https_1.default.Agent({
@@ -660,6 +779,12 @@ class GitLabClient {
        });
        this.mapper = new gitlab_mapper_1.default(this.client);
    }
+    getDefaultGitUser() {
+        return "Gitlab";
+    }
+    getDefaultGitEmail() {
+        return "noreply@gitlab.com";
+    }
    // READ
    // example: <host>/api/v4/projects/alampare%2Fbackporting-example/merge_requests/1
    async getPullRequest(namespace, repo, mrNumber) {
@@ -23206,7 +23331,7 @@ module.exports = axios;
 /***/ ((module) => {

 "use strict";
-module.exports = JSON.parse('{"name":"@lampajr/bper","version":"3.0.0","description":"BPer is a tool to execute automatic git backporting.","author":"","license":"MIT","private":false,"main":"./dist/gha/index.js","bin":{"bper":"./dist/cli/index.js"},"files":["dist/cli/index.js"],"scripts":{"prepare":"husky install","clean":"rm -rf ./build ./dist","compile":"tsc -p tsconfig.json && tsc-alias -p tsconfig.json","package":"npm run package:cli && npm run package:gha","package:cli":"ncc build ./build/src/bin/cli.js -o dist/cli","package:gha":"ncc build ./build/src/bin/gha.js -o dist/gha","build":"npm run clean && npm run compile && npm run package","test":"jest","test:report":"npm test -- --coverage --testResultsProcessor=jest-sonar-reporter","lint":"eslint . --ext .ts","lint:fix":"npm run lint -- --fix","ts-node":"ts-node","postversion":"npm run build && git add dist && rm -rf build","release":"release-it"},"repository":{"type":"git","url":"git+https://github.com/lampajr/backporting.git"},"keywords":["backporting","pull-requests","github-action","cherry-pick"],"bugs":{"url":"https://github.com/lampajr/backporting/issues"},"homepage":"https://github.com/lampajr/backporting#readme","devDependencies":{"@commitlint/cli":"^17.4.0","@commitlint/config-conventional":"^17.4.0","@gitbeaker/rest":"^39.1.0","@kie/mock-github":"^1.1.0","@release-it/conventional-changelog":"^5.1.1","@types/fs-extra":"^9.0.13","@types/jest":"^29.2.4","@types/node":"^18.11.17","@typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin":"^5.47.0","@typescript-eslint/parser":"^5.47.0","@vercel/ncc":"^0.36.0","eslint":"^8.30.0","husky":"^8.0.2","jest":"^29.0.0","jest-sonar-reporter":"^2.0.0","release-it":"^15.6.0","semver":"^7.3.8","ts-jest":"^29.0.0","ts-node":"^10.8.1","tsc-alias":"^1.8.2","tsconfig-paths":"^4.1.0","typescript":"^4.9.3"},"dependencies":{"@actions/core":"^1.10.0","@octokit/rest":"^18.12.0","@octokit/webhooks-types":"^6.8.0","axios":"^1.4.0","commander":"^9.3.0","fs-extra":"^11.1.0","https":"^1.0.0","simple-git":"^3.15.1"}}');
+module.exports = JSON.parse('{"name":"@lampajr/bper","version":"3.1.0","description":"BPer is a tool to execute automatic git backporting.","author":"","license":"MIT","private":false,"main":"./dist/gha/index.js","bin":{"bper":"./dist/cli/index.js"},"files":["dist/cli/index.js"],"scripts":{"prepare":"husky install","clean":"rm -rf ./build ./dist","compile":"tsc -p tsconfig.json && tsc-alias -p tsconfig.json","package":"npm run package:cli && npm run package:gha","package:cli":"ncc build ./build/src/bin/cli.js -o dist/cli","package:gha":"ncc build ./build/src/bin/gha.js -o dist/gha","build":"npm run clean && npm run compile && npm run package","test":"jest","test:report":"npm test -- --coverage --testResultsProcessor=jest-sonar-reporter","lint":"eslint . --ext .ts","lint:fix":"npm run lint -- --fix","ts-node":"ts-node","postversion":"npm run build && git add dist && rm -rf build","release":"release-it","release:branch":"git checkout -b release/$(release-it --release-version) main","release:prepare":"npm run release:branch && release-it --ci --no-npm.publish --no-github.release --no-git.push --no-git.tag --no-git.requireUpstream"},"repository":{"type":"git","url":"git+https://github.com/lampajr/backporting.git"},"keywords":["backporting","pull-requests","github-action","cherry-pick"],"bugs":{"url":"https://github.com/lampajr/backporting/issues"},"homepage":"https://github.com/lampajr/backporting#readme","devDependencies":{"@commitlint/cli":"^17.4.0","@commitlint/config-conventional":"^17.4.0","@gitbeaker/rest":"^39.1.0","@kie/mock-github":"^1.1.0","@release-it/conventional-changelog":"^5.1.1","@types/fs-extra":"^9.0.13","@types/jest":"^29.2.4","@types/node":"^18.11.17","@typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin":"^5.47.0","@typescript-eslint/parser":"^5.47.0","@vercel/ncc":"^0.36.0","eslint":"^8.30.0","husky":"^8.0.2","jest":"^29.0.0","jest-sonar-reporter":"^2.0.0","release-it":"^15.6.0","semver":"^7.3.8","ts-jest":"^29.0.0","ts-node":"^10.8.1","tsc-alias":"^1.8.2","tsconfig-paths":"^4.1.0","typescript":"^4.9.3","@octokit/webhooks-types":"^6.8.0"},"dependencies":{"@actions/core":"^1.10.0","@octokit/rest":"^18.12.0","axios":"^1.4.0","commander":"^9.3.0","fs-extra":"^11.1.0","https":"^1.0.0","simple-git":"^3.15.1"}}');

 /***/ }),

--- a/dist/gha/index.js
+++ b/dist/gha/index.js
@@ -22,14 +22,118 @@ runner.run();

 /***/ }),

-/***/ 7283:
-/***/ ((__unused_webpack_module, exports, __nccwpck_require__) => {
+/***/ 3025:
+/***/ ((__unused_webpack_module, exports) => {

 "use strict";

 Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", ({ value: true }));
+/**
+ * Abstract arguments parser interface in charge to parse inputs and
+ * produce a common Args object
+ */
+class ArgsParser {
+    // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+    getOrDefault(parsedValue, defaultValue) {
+        return parsedValue === undefined ? defaultValue : parsedValue;
+    }
+    parse() {
+        const args = this.readArgs();
+        // validate and fill with defaults
+        if (!args.pullRequest || !args.targetBranch) {
+            throw new Error("Missing option: pull request and target branch must be provided");
+        }
+        return {
+            pullRequest: args.pullRequest,
+            targetBranch: args.targetBranch,
+            dryRun: this.getOrDefault(args.dryRun, false),
+            auth: this.getOrDefault(args.auth),
+            folder: this.getOrDefault(args.folder),
+            gitUser: this.getOrDefault(args.gitUser),
+            gitEmail: this.getOrDefault(args.gitEmail),
+            title: this.getOrDefault(args.title),
+            body: this.getOrDefault(args.body),
+            bodyPrefix: this.getOrDefault(args.bodyPrefix),
+            bpBranchName: this.getOrDefault(args.bpBranchName),
+            reviewers: this.getOrDefault(args.reviewers, []),
+            assignees: this.getOrDefault(args.assignees, []),
+            inheritReviewers: this.getOrDefault(args.inheritReviewers, true),
+        };
+    }
+}
+exports["default"] = ArgsParser;
+
+
+/***/ }),
+
+/***/ 8048:
+/***/ (function(__unused_webpack_module, exports, __nccwpck_require__) {
+
+"use strict";
+
+var __createBinding = (this && this.__createBinding) || (Object.create ? (function(o, m, k, k2) {
+    if (k2 === undefined) k2 = k;
+    var desc = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(m, k);
+    if (!desc || ("get" in desc ? !m.__esModule : desc.writable || desc.configurable)) {
+      desc = { enumerable: true, get: function() { return m[k]; } };
+    }
+    Object.defineProperty(o, k2, desc);
+}) : (function(o, m, k, k2) {
+    if (k2 === undefined) k2 = k;
+    o[k2] = m[k];
+}));
+var __setModuleDefault = (this && this.__setModuleDefault) || (Object.create ? (function(o, v) {
+    Object.defineProperty(o, "default", { enumerable: true, value: v });
+}) : function(o, v) {
+    o["default"] = v;
+});
+var __importStar = (this && this.__importStar) || function (mod) {
+    if (mod && mod.__esModule) return mod;
+    var result = {};
+    if (mod != null) for (var k in mod) if (k !== "default" && Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(mod, k)) __createBinding(result, mod, k);
+    __setModuleDefault(result, mod);
+    return result;
+};
+Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", ({ value: true }));
+exports.readConfigFile = exports.parseArgs = void 0;
+const fs = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(7147));
+/**
+ * Parse the input configuation string as json object and
+ * return it as Args
+ * @param configFileContent
+ * @returns {Args}
+ */
+function parseArgs(configFileContent) {
+    return JSON.parse(configFileContent);
+}
+exports.parseArgs = parseArgs;
+/**
+ * Read a configuration file in json format anf parse it as {Args}
+ * @param pathToFile Full path name of the config file, e.g., /tmp/dir/config-file.json
+ * @returns {Args}
+ */
+function readConfigFile(pathToFile) {
+    const asString = fs.readFileSync(pathToFile, "utf-8");
+    return parseArgs(asString);
+}
+exports.readConfigFile = readConfigFile;
+
+
+/***/ }),
+
+/***/ 7283:
+/***/ (function(__unused_webpack_module, exports, __nccwpck_require__) {
+
+"use strict";
+
+var __importDefault = (this && this.__importDefault) || function (mod) {
+    return (mod && mod.__esModule) ? mod : { "default": mod };
+};
+Object.defineProperty(exports, "__esModule", ({ value: true }));
+const args_parser_1 = __importDefault(__nccwpck_require__(3025));
 const core_1 = __nccwpck_require__(2186);
-class GHAArgsParser {
+const args_utils_1 = __nccwpck_require__(8048);
+class GHAArgsParser extends args_parser_1.default {
    /**
     * Return the input only if it is not a blank or null string, otherwise returns undefined
     * @param key input key
@@ -39,36 +143,40 @@ class GHAArgsParser {
        const value = (0, core_1.getInput)(key);
        return value !== "" ? value : undefined;
    }
-    getOrDefault(key, defaultValue) {
-        const value = (0, core_1.getInput)(key);
-        return value !== "" ? value : defaultValue;
-    }
    getAsCommaSeparatedList(key) {
        // trim the value
        const value = ((0, core_1.getInput)(key) ?? "").trim();
-        return value !== "" ? value.replace(/\s/g, "").split(",") : [];
+        return value !== "" ? value.replace(/\s/g, "").split(",") : undefined;
    }
-    getAsBooleanOrDefault(key, defaultValue) {
+    getAsBooleanOrDefault(key) {
        const value = (0, core_1.getInput)(key).trim();
-        return value !== "" ? value.toLowerCase() === "true" : defaultValue;
+        return value !== "" ? value.toLowerCase() === "true" : undefined;
    }
-    parse() {
-        return {
-            dryRun: this.getAsBooleanOrDefault("dry-run", false),
-            auth: (0, core_1.getInput)("auth"),
-            pullRequest: (0, core_1.getInput)("pull-request"),
-            targetBranch: (0, core_1.getInput)("target-branch"),
-            folder: this.getOrUndefined("folder"),
-            gitUser: this.getOrDefault("git-user", "GitHub"),
-            gitEmail: this.getOrDefault("git-email", "noreply@github.com"),
-            title: this.getOrUndefined("title"),
-            body: this.getOrUndefined("body"),
-            bodyPrefix: this.getOrUndefined("body-prefix"),
-            bpBranchName: this.getOrUndefined("bp-branch-name"),
-            reviewers: this.getAsCommaSeparatedList("reviewers"),
-            assignees: this.getAsCommaSeparatedList("assignees"),
-            inheritReviewers: !this.getAsBooleanOrDefault("no-inherit-reviewers", false),
-        };
+    readArgs() {
+        const configFile = this.getOrUndefined("config-file");
+        let args;
+        if (configFile) {
+            args = (0, args_utils_1.readConfigFile)(configFile);
+        }
+        else {
+            args = {
+                dryRun: this.getAsBooleanOrDefault("dry-run"),
+                auth: this.getOrUndefined("auth"),
+                pullRequest: (0, core_1.getInput)("pull-request"),
+                targetBranch: (0, core_1.getInput)("target-branch"),
+                folder: this.getOrUndefined("folder"),
+                gitUser: this.getOrUndefined("git-user"),
+                gitEmail: this.getOrUndefined("git-email"),
+                title: this.getOrUndefined("title"),
+                body: this.getOrUndefined("body"),
+                bodyPrefix: this.getOrUndefined("body-prefix"),
+                bpBranchName: this.getOrUndefined("bp-branch-name"),
+                reviewers: this.getAsCommaSeparatedList("reviewers"),
+                assignees: this.getAsCommaSeparatedList("assignees"),
+                inheritReviewers: !this.getAsBooleanOrDefault("no-inherit-reviewers"),
+            };
+        }
+        return args;
    }
 }
 exports["default"] = GHAArgsParser;
@@ -127,12 +235,12 @@ const git_client_factory_1 = __importDefault(__nccwpck_require__(8550));
 class PullRequestConfigsParser extends configs_parser_1.default {
    constructor() {
        super();
-        this.gitService = git_client_factory_1.default.getClient();
+        this.gitClient = git_client_factory_1.default.getClient();
    }
    async parse(args) {
        let pr;
        try {
-            pr = await this.gitService.getPullRequestFromUrl(args.pullRequest);
+            pr = await this.gitClient.getPullRequestFromUrl(args.pullRequest);
        }
        catch (error) {
            this.logger.error("Something went wrong retrieving pull request");
@@ -147,8 +255,8 @@ class PullRequestConfigsParser extends configs_parser_1.default {
            originalPullRequest: pr,
            backportPullRequest: this.getDefaultBackportPullRequest(pr, args),
            git: {
-                user: args.gitUser,
-                email: args.gitEmail,
+                user: args.gitUser ?? this.gitClient.getDefaultGitUser(),
+                email: args.gitEmail ?? this.gitClient.getDefaultGitEmail(),
            }
        };
    }
@@ -174,7 +282,7 @@ class PullRequestConfigsParser extends configs_parser_1.default {
        const bodyPrefix = args.bodyPrefix ?? `**Backport:** ${originalPullRequest.htmlUrl}\r\n\r\n`;
        const body = args.body ?? `${originalPullRequest.body}`;
        return {
-            author: args.gitUser,
+            author: args.gitUser ?? this.gitClient.getDefaultGitUser(),
            title: args.title ?? `[${args.targetBranch}] ${originalPullRequest.title}`,
            body: `${bodyPrefix}${body}`,
            reviewers: [...new Set(reviewers)],
@@ -460,6 +568,12 @@ class GitHubClient {
        this.mapper = new github_mapper_1.default();
    }
    // READ
+    getDefaultGitUser() {
+        return "GitHub";
+    }
+    getDefaultGitEmail() {
+        return "noreply@github.com";
+    }
    async getPullRequest(owner, repo, prNumber) {
        this.logger.info(`Getting pull request ${owner}/${repo}/${prNumber}.`);
        const { data } = await this.octokit.rest.pulls.get({
@@ -645,7 +759,7 @@ class GitLabClient {
        this.client = axios_1.default.create({
            baseURL: this.apiUrl,
            headers: {
-                Authorization: `Bearer ${token}`,
+                Authorization: token ? `Bearer ${token}` : "",
                "User-Agent": "lampajr/backporting",
            },
            httpsAgent: new https_1.default.Agent({
@@ -654,6 +768,12 @@ class GitLabClient {
        });
        this.mapper = new gitlab_mapper_1.default(this.client);
    }
+    getDefaultGitUser() {
+        return "Gitlab";
+    }
+    getDefaultGitEmail() {
+        return "noreply@gitlab.com";
+    }
    // READ
    // example: <host>/api/v4/projects/alampare%2Fbackporting-example/merge_requests/1
    async getPullRequest(namespace, repo, mrNumber) {
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,17 +1,16 @@
 {
  "name": "@lampajr/bper",
-  "version": "3.0.0",
+  "version": "3.1.0",
  "lockfileVersion": 2,
  "requires": true,
  "packages": {
    "": {
      "name": "@lampajr/bper",
-      "version": "3.0.0",
+      "version": "3.1.0",
      "license": "MIT",
      "dependencies": {
        "@actions/core": "^1.10.0",
        "@octokit/rest": "^18.12.0",
-        "@octokit/webhooks-types": "^6.8.0",
        "axios": "^1.4.0",
        "commander": "^9.3.0",
        "fs-extra": "^11.1.0",
@@ -26,6 +25,7 @@
        "@commitlint/config-conventional": "^17.4.0",
        "@gitbeaker/rest": "^39.1.0",
        "@kie/mock-github": "^1.1.0",
+        "@octokit/webhooks-types": "^6.8.0",
        "@release-it/conventional-changelog": "^5.1.1",
        "@types/fs-extra": "^9.0.13",
        "@types/jest": "^29.2.4",
@@ -1941,7 +1941,8 @@
    "node_modules/@octokit/webhooks-types": {
      "version": "6.8.0",
      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@octokit/webhooks-types/-/webhooks-types-6.8.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-Yq46asTPdEyrroCSBLRvcwNBsztiDHHvJ3+//2PhVbLSKp6kkj7NkjA3fyrpCrdlANj8REZSfus60v96EmlxCA=="
+      "integrity": "sha512-Yq46asTPdEyrroCSBLRvcwNBsztiDHHvJ3+//2PhVbLSKp6kkj7NkjA3fyrpCrdlANj8REZSfus60v96EmlxCA==",
+      "dev": true
    },
    "node_modules/@pnpm/network.ca-file": {
      "version": "1.0.2",
@@ -13247,7 +13248,8 @@
    "@octokit/webhooks-types": {
      "version": "6.8.0",
      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@octokit/webhooks-types/-/webhooks-types-6.8.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-Yq46asTPdEyrroCSBLRvcwNBsztiDHHvJ3+//2PhVbLSKp6kkj7NkjA3fyrpCrdlANj8REZSfus60v96EmlxCA=="
+      "integrity": "sha512-Yq46asTPdEyrroCSBLRvcwNBsztiDHHvJ3+//2PhVbLSKp6kkj7NkjA3fyrpCrdlANj8REZSfus60v96EmlxCA==",
+      "dev": true
    },
    "@pnpm/network.ca-file": {
      "version": "1.0.2",
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
  "name": "@lampajr/bper",
-  "version": "3.0.0",
+  "version": "3.1.0",
  "description": "BPer is a tool to execute automatic git backporting.",
  "author": "",
  "license": "MIT",
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@
    "lint:fix": "npm run lint -- --fix",
    "ts-node": "ts-node",
    "postversion": "npm run build && git add dist && rm -rf build",
-    "release": "release-it"
+    "release": "release-it",
+    "release:branch": "git checkout -b release/$(release-it --release-version) main",
+    "release:prepare": "npm run release:branch && release-it --ci --no-npm.publish --no-github.release --no-git.push --no-git.tag --no-git.requireUpstream"
  },
  "repository": {
    "type": "git",
@@ -64,12 +66,12 @@
    "ts-node": "^10.8.1",
    "tsc-alias": "^1.8.2",
    "tsconfig-paths": "^4.1.0",
-    "typescript": "^4.9.3"
+    "typescript": "^4.9.3",
+    "@octokit/webhooks-types": "^6.8.0"
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "@actions/core": "^1.10.0",
    "@octokit/rest": "^18.12.0",
-    "@octokit/webhooks-types": "^6.8.0",
    "axios": "^1.4.0",
    "commander": "^9.3.0",
    "fs-extra": "^11.1.0",
--- a/src/service/args/args-parser.ts
+++ b/src/service/args/args-parser.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,38 @@ import { Args } from "@bp/service/args/args.types";
 * Abstract arguments parser interface in charge to parse inputs and 
 * produce a common Args object
 */
-export default interface ArgsParser {
+export default abstract class ArgsParser {

-  parse(): Args;
+  abstract readArgs(): Args;
+
+  // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
+  private getOrDefault(parsedValue: any, defaultValue?: any) {
+    return parsedValue === undefined ? defaultValue : parsedValue;
+  }
+
+  public parse(): Args {
+    const args = this.readArgs();
+
+    // validate and fill with defaults
+    if (!args.pullRequest || !args.targetBranch) {
+      throw new Error("Missing option: pull request and target branch must be provided");
+    }
+    
+    return {
+      pullRequest: args.pullRequest,
+      targetBranch: args.targetBranch,
+      dryRun: this.getOrDefault(args.dryRun, false),
+      auth: this.getOrDefault(args.auth),
+      folder: this.getOrDefault(args.folder),
+      gitUser: this.getOrDefault(args.gitUser),
+      gitEmail: this.getOrDefault(args.gitEmail),
+      title: this.getOrDefault(args.title),
+      body: this.getOrDefault(args.body),
+      bodyPrefix: this.getOrDefault(args.bodyPrefix),
+      bpBranchName: this.getOrDefault(args.bpBranchName),
+      reviewers: this.getOrDefault(args.reviewers, []),
+      assignees: this.getOrDefault(args.assignees, []),
+      inheritReviewers: this.getOrDefault(args.inheritReviewers, true),
+    };
+  }
 }
--- a/src/service/args/args-utils.ts
+++ b/src/service/args/args-utils.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import { Args } from "@bp/service/args/args.types";
+import * as fs from "fs";
+
+/**
+ * Parse the input configuation string as json object and 
+ * return it as Args
+ * @param configFileContent 
+ * @returns {Args}
+ */
+export function parseArgs(configFileContent: string): Args {
+  return JSON.parse(configFileContent) as Args;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Read a configuration file in json format anf parse it as {Args}
+ * @param pathToFile Full path name of the config file, e.g., /tmp/dir/config-file.json
+ * @returns {Args}
+ */
+export function readConfigFile(pathToFile: string): Args {
+  const asString: string = fs.readFileSync(pathToFile, "utf-8");
+  return parseArgs(asString);
+}
--- a/src/service/args/args.types.ts
+++ b/src/service/args/args.types.ts
@@ -2,18 +2,18 @@
 * Input arguments
 */
 export interface Args {
-  dryRun: boolean, // if enabled do not push anything remotely
-  auth: string, // git service auth, like github token
  targetBranch: string,  // branch on the target repo where the change should be backported to
  pullRequest: string, // url of the pull request to backport
+  dryRun?: boolean, // if enabled do not push anything remotely
+  auth?: string, // git service auth, like github token
  folder?: string, // local folder where the repositories should be cloned
-  gitUser: string, // local git user, default 'GitHub'
-  gitEmail: string, // local git email, default 'noreply@github.com'
+  gitUser?: string, // local git user, default 'GitHub'
+  gitEmail?: string, // local git email, default 'noreply@github.com'
  title?: string, // backport pr title, default original pr title prefixed by target branch
  body?: string, // backport pr title, default original pr body prefixed by bodyPrefix
  bodyPrefix?: string, // backport pr body prefix, default `backport <original-pr-link>`
  bpBranchName?: string, // backport pr branch name, default computed from commit
  reviewers?: string[], // backport pr reviewers
  assignees?: string[], // backport pr assignees
-  inheritReviewers: boolean, // if true and reviewers == [] then inherit reviewers from original pr
+  inheritReviewers?: boolean, // if true and reviewers == [] then inherit reviewers from original pr
 }
--- a/src/service/args/cli/cli-args-parser.ts
+++ b/src/service/args/cli/cli-args-parser.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import ArgsParser from "@bp/service/args/args-parser";
 import { Args } from "@bp/service/args/args.types";
 import { Command } from "commander";
 import { name, version, description } from "@bp/../package.json";
+import { readConfigFile } from "@bp/service/args/args-utils";

 function commaSeparatedList(value: string, _prev: unknown): string[] {
  // remove all whitespaces
@@ -9,49 +10,58 @@ function commaSeparatedList(value: string, _prev: unknown): string[] {
  return cleanedValue !== "" ? cleanedValue.replace(/\s/g, "").split(",") : [];
 }

-export default class CLIArgsParser implements ArgsParser {
+export default class CLIArgsParser extends ArgsParser {

  private getCommand(): Command {
    return new Command(name)
      .version(version)
      .description(description)
-      .requiredOption("-tb, --target-branch <branch>", "branch where changes must be backported to.")
-      .requiredOption("-pr, --pull-request <pr-url>", "pull request url, e.g., https://github.com/lampajr/backporting/pull/1.")
-      .option("-d, --dry-run", "if enabled the tool does not create any pull request nor push anything remotely", false)
-      .option("-a, --auth <auth>", "git service authentication string, e.g., github token.", "")
-      .option("-gu, --git-user <git-user>", "local git user name, default is 'GitHub'.", "GitHub")
-      .option("-ge, --git-email <git-email>", "local git user email, default is 'noreply@github.com'.", "noreply@github.com")
-      .option("-f, --folder <folder>", "local folder where the repo will be checked out, e.g., /tmp/folder.", undefined)
-      .option("--title <bp-title>", "backport pr title, default original pr title prefixed by target branch.", undefined)
-      .option("--body <bp-body>", "backport pr title, default original pr body prefixed by bodyPrefix.", undefined)
-      .option("--body-prefix <bp-body-prefix>", "backport pr body prefix, default `backport <original-pr-link>`.", undefined)
-      .option("--bp-branch-name <bp-branch-name>", "backport pr branch name, default auto-generated by the commit.", undefined)
-      .option("--reviewers <reviewers>", "comma separated list of reviewers for the backporting pull request.", commaSeparatedList, [])
-      .option("--assignees <assignees>", "comma separated list of assignees for the backporting pull request.", commaSeparatedList, [])
-      .option("--no-inherit-reviewers", "if provided and reviewers option is empty then inherit them from original pull request", true);
+      .option("-tb, --target-branch <branch>", "branch where changes must be backported to.")
+      .option("-pr, --pull-request <pr-url>", "pull request url, e.g., https://github.com/lampajr/backporting/pull/1.")
+      .option("-d, --dry-run", "if enabled the tool does not create any pull request nor push anything remotely")
+      .option("-a, --auth <auth>", "git service authentication string, e.g., github token.")
+      .option("-gu, --git-user <git-user>", "local git user name, default is 'GitHub'.")
+      .option("-ge, --git-email <git-email>", "local git user email, default is 'noreply@github.com'.")
+      .option("-f, --folder <folder>", "local folder where the repo will be checked out, e.g., /tmp/folder.")
+      .option("--title <bp-title>", "backport pr title, default original pr title prefixed by target branch.")
+      .option("--body <bp-body>", "backport pr title, default original pr body prefixed by bodyPrefix.")
+      .option("--body-prefix <bp-body-prefix>", "backport pr body prefix, default `backport <original-pr-link>`.")
+      .option("--bp-branch-name <bp-branch-name>", "backport pr branch name, default auto-generated by the commit.")
+      .option("--reviewers <reviewers>", "comma separated list of reviewers for the backporting pull request.", commaSeparatedList)
+      .option("--assignees <assignees>", "comma separated list of assignees for the backporting pull request.", commaSeparatedList)
+      .option("--no-inherit-reviewers", "if provided and reviewers option is empty then inherit them from original pull request")
+      .option("-cf, --config-file <config-file>", "configuration file containing all valid options, the json must match Args interface.");
  }

-  parse(): Args {
+  readArgs(): Args {
    const opts = this.getCommand()
      .parse()
      .opts();
    
-    return {
-      dryRun: opts.dryRun,
-      auth: opts.auth,
-      pullRequest: opts.pullRequest,
-      targetBranch: opts.targetBranch,
-      folder: opts.folder,
-      gitUser: opts.gitUser,
-      gitEmail: opts.gitEmail,
-      title: opts.title,
-      body: opts.body,
-      bodyPrefix: opts.bodyPrefix,
-      bpBranchName: opts.bpBranchName,
-      reviewers: opts.reviewers,
-      assignees: opts.assignees,
-      inheritReviewers: opts.inheritReviewers,
-    };
+    let args: Args; 
+    if (opts.configFile) {
+      // if config file is set ignore all other options
+      args = readConfigFile(opts.configFile);
+    } else {
+      args = {
+        dryRun: opts.dryRun,
+        auth: opts.auth,
+        pullRequest: opts.pullRequest,
+        targetBranch: opts.targetBranch,
+        folder: opts.folder,
+        gitUser: opts.gitUser,
+        gitEmail: opts.gitEmail,
+        title: opts.title,
+        body: opts.body,
+        bodyPrefix: opts.bodyPrefix,
+        bpBranchName: opts.bpBranchName,
+        reviewers: opts.reviewers,
+        assignees: opts.assignees,
+        inheritReviewers: opts.inheritReviewers,
+      };
+    }
+
+    return args;
  }

 }
--- a/src/service/args/gha/gha-args-parser.ts
+++ b/src/service/args/gha/gha-args-parser.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import ArgsParser from "@bp/service/args/args-parser";
 import { Args } from "@bp/service/args/args.types";
 import { getInput } from "@actions/core";
+import { readConfigFile } from "@bp/service/args/args-utils";

-export default class GHAArgsParser implements ArgsParser {
+export default class GHAArgsParser extends ArgsParser {

  /**
   * Return the input only if it is not a blank or null string, otherwise returns undefined
@@ -14,39 +15,43 @@ export default class GHAArgsParser implements ArgsParser {
    return value !== "" ? value : undefined;
  }

-  public getOrDefault(key: string, defaultValue: string): string {
-    const value = getInput(key);
-    return value !== "" ? value : defaultValue;
-  }
-
-  public getAsCommaSeparatedList(key: string): string[] {
+  public getAsCommaSeparatedList(key: string): string[] | undefined {
    // trim the value
    const value: string = (getInput(key) ?? "").trim();
-    return value !== "" ? value.replace(/\s/g, "").split(",") : []; 
+    return value !== "" ? value.replace(/\s/g, "").split(",") : undefined; 
  }

-  public getAsBooleanOrDefault(key: string, defaultValue: boolean): boolean {
+  private getAsBooleanOrDefault(key: string): boolean | undefined {
    const value = getInput(key).trim();
-    return value !== "" ? value.toLowerCase() === "true" : defaultValue;
+    return value !== "" ? value.toLowerCase() === "true" : undefined;
  }

-  parse(): Args {
-    return {
-      dryRun: this.getAsBooleanOrDefault("dry-run", false),
-      auth: getInput("auth"),
-      pullRequest: getInput("pull-request"),
-      targetBranch: getInput("target-branch"),
-      folder: this.getOrUndefined("folder"),
-      gitUser: this.getOrDefault("git-user", "GitHub"),
-      gitEmail: this.getOrDefault("git-email", "noreply@github.com"),
-      title: this.getOrUndefined("title"),
-      body: this.getOrUndefined("body"),
-      bodyPrefix: this.getOrUndefined("body-prefix"),
-      bpBranchName: this.getOrUndefined("bp-branch-name"),
-      reviewers: this.getAsCommaSeparatedList("reviewers"),
-      assignees: this.getAsCommaSeparatedList("assignees"),
-      inheritReviewers: !this.getAsBooleanOrDefault("no-inherit-reviewers", false),
-    };
+  readArgs(): Args {
+    const configFile = this.getOrUndefined("config-file");
+
+    let args: Args; 
+    if (configFile) {
+      args = readConfigFile(configFile);
+    } else {
+      args = {
+        dryRun: this.getAsBooleanOrDefault("dry-run"),
+        auth: this.getOrUndefined("auth"),
+        pullRequest: getInput("pull-request"),
+        targetBranch: getInput("target-branch"),
+        folder: this.getOrUndefined("folder"),
+        gitUser: this.getOrUndefined("git-user"),
+        gitEmail: this.getOrUndefined("git-email"),
+        title: this.getOrUndefined("title"),
+        body: this.getOrUndefined("body"),
+        bodyPrefix: this.getOrUndefined("body-prefix"),
+        bpBranchName: this.getOrUndefined("bp-branch-name"),
+        reviewers: this.getAsCommaSeparatedList("reviewers"),
+        assignees: this.getAsCommaSeparatedList("assignees"),
+        inheritReviewers: !this.getAsBooleanOrDefault("no-inherit-reviewers"),
+      };
+    }
+
+    return args;
  }

 }
--- a/src/service/configs/configs.types.ts
+++ b/src/service/configs/configs.types.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ export interface LocalGit {
 */
 export interface Configs {
  dryRun: boolean,
-  auth: string,
+  auth?: string,
  git: LocalGit,
  folder: string,
  targetBranch: string,
--- a/src/service/configs/pullrequest/pr-configs-parser.ts
+++ b/src/service/configs/pullrequest/pr-configs-parser.ts
@@ -7,17 +7,17 @@ import { GitPullRequest } from "@bp/service/git/git.types";

 export default class PullRequestConfigsParser extends ConfigsParser {

-  private gitService: GitClient;
+  private gitClient: GitClient;

  constructor() {
    super();
-    this.gitService = GitClientFactory.getClient();
+    this.gitClient = GitClientFactory.getClient();
  }
  
  public async parse(args: Args): Promise<Configs> {
    let pr: GitPullRequest; 
    try {
-      pr = await this.gitService.getPullRequestFromUrl(args.pullRequest);
+      pr = await this.gitClient.getPullRequestFromUrl(args.pullRequest);
    } catch(error) {
      this.logger.error("Something went wrong retrieving pull request");
      throw error;
@@ -26,15 +26,15 @@ export default class PullRequestConfigsParser extends ConfigsParser {
    const folder: string = args.folder ?? this.getDefaultFolder();

    return {
-      dryRun: args.dryRun,
+      dryRun: args.dryRun!,
      auth: args.auth,
      folder: `${folder.startsWith("/") ? "" : process.cwd() + "/"}${args.folder ?? this.getDefaultFolder()}`,
      targetBranch: args.targetBranch,
      originalPullRequest: pr,
      backportPullRequest: this.getDefaultBackportPullRequest(pr, args),
      git: {
-        user: args.gitUser,
-        email: args.gitEmail,
+        user: args.gitUser ?? this.gitClient.getDefaultGitUser(),
+        email: args.gitEmail ?? this.gitClient.getDefaultGitEmail(),
      }
    };
  }
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ export default class PullRequestConfigsParser extends ConfigsParser {
    const body = args.body ?? `${originalPullRequest.body}`;
    
    return {
-      author: args.gitUser,
+      author: args.gitUser ?? this.gitClient.getDefaultGitUser(),
      title: args.title ?? `[${args.targetBranch}] ${originalPullRequest.title}`, 
      body: `${bodyPrefix}${body}`,
      reviewers: [...new Set(reviewers)],
--- a/src/service/git/git-cli.ts
+++ b/src/service/git/git-cli.ts
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@ import { LocalGit } from "@bp/service/configs/configs.types";
 export default class GitCLIService {

  private readonly logger: LoggerService;
-  private readonly auth: string;
+  private readonly auth: string | undefined;
  private readonly gitData: LocalGit;

-  constructor(auth: string, gitData: LocalGit) {
+  constructor(auth: string | undefined, gitData: LocalGit) {
    this.logger = LoggerServiceFactory.getLogger();
    this.auth  = auth;
    this.gitData = gitData;
--- a/src/service/git/git-client-factory.ts
+++ b/src/service/git/git-client-factory.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ export default class GitClientFactory {
   * @param type git management service type
   * @param authToken authentication token, like github/gitlab token
   */
-  public static getOrCreate(type: GitClientType, authToken: string, apiUrl: string): GitClient {
+  public static getOrCreate(type: GitClientType, authToken: string | undefined, apiUrl: string): GitClient {

    if (GitClientFactory.instance) {
      GitClientFactory.logger.warn("Git service already initialized!");
--- a/src/service/git/git-client.ts
+++ b/src/service/git/git-client.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ import { BackportPullRequest, GitPullRequest } from "@bp/service/git/git.types";
 export default interface GitClient {

  // READ
+  
+  getDefaultGitUser(): string;
+
+  getDefaultGitEmail(): string;

  /**
   * Get a pull request object from the underneath git service
--- a/src/service/git/github/github-client.ts
+++ b/src/service/git/github/github-client.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export default class GitHubClient implements GitClient {
  private octokit: Octokit;
  private mapper: GitHubMapper;

-  constructor(token: string, apiUrl: string) {
+  constructor(token: string | undefined, apiUrl: string) {
    this.apiUrl = apiUrl;
    this.logger = LoggerServiceFactory.getLogger();
    this.octokit = OctokitFactory.getOctokit(token, this.apiUrl);
@@ -23,6 +23,14 @@ export default class GitHubClient implements GitClient {

  // READ

+  getDefaultGitUser(): string {
+    return "GitHub";
+  }
+  
+  getDefaultGitEmail(): string {
+    return "noreply@github.com";
+  }
+
  async getPullRequest(owner: string, repo: string, prNumber: number): Promise<GitPullRequest> {
    this.logger.info(`Getting pull request ${owner}/${repo}/${prNumber}.`);
    const { data } = await this.octokit.rest.pulls.get({
--- a/src/service/git/github/octokit-factory.ts
+++ b/src/service/git/github/octokit-factory.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ export default class OctokitFactory {
  private static logger: LoggerService = LoggerServiceFactory.getLogger();
  private static octokit?: Octokit;

-  public static getOctokit(token: string, apiUrl: string): Octokit {
+  public static getOctokit(token: string | undefined, apiUrl: string): Octokit {
    if (!OctokitFactory.octokit) {
      OctokitFactory.logger.info("Creating octokit instance.");
      OctokitFactory.octokit = new Octokit({
--- a/src/service/git/gitlab/gitlab-client.ts
+++ b/src/service/git/gitlab/gitlab-client.ts
@@ -14,13 +14,13 @@ export default class GitLabClient implements GitClient {
  private readonly mapper: GitLabMapper;
  private readonly client: Axios;

-  constructor(token: string, apiUrl: string, rejectUnauthorized = false) {
+  constructor(token: string | undefined, apiUrl: string, rejectUnauthorized = false) {
    this.logger = LoggerServiceFactory.getLogger();
    this.apiUrl = apiUrl;
    this.client = axios.create({
      baseURL: this.apiUrl,
      headers: {
-        Authorization: `Bearer ${token}`,
+        Authorization: token ? `Bearer ${token}` : "",
        "User-Agent": "lampajr/backporting",
      },
      httpsAgent: new https.Agent({  
@@ -30,6 +30,14 @@ export default class GitLabClient implements GitClient {
    this.mapper = new GitLabMapper(this.client);
  }

+  getDefaultGitUser(): string {
+    return "Gitlab";
+  }
+  
+  getDefaultGitEmail(): string {
+    return "noreply@gitlab.com";
+  }
+
  // READ

  // example: <host>/api/v4/projects/alampare%2Fbackporting-example/merge_requests/1
--- a/test/service/args/args-utils.test.ts
+++ b/test/service/args/args-utils.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import { parseArgs, readConfigFile } from "@bp/service/args/args-utils";
+import { createTestFile, removeTestFile } from "../../support/utils";
+
+const RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME = "./args-utils-test-random-config-file.json";
+const RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT = {
+  "dryRun": true,
+  "auth": "your-git-service-auth-token",
+  "targetBranch": "target-branch-name",
+  "pullRequest": "https://github.com/user/repo/pull/123",
+  "folder": "/path/to/local/folder",
+  "gitUser": "YourGitUser",
+  "gitEmail": "your-email@example.com",
+  "title": "Backport: Original PR Title",
+  "body": "Backport: Original PR Body",
+  "bodyPrefix": "backport <original-pr-link>",
+  "bpBranchName": "backport-branch-name",
+  "reviewers": ["reviewer1", "reviewer2"],
+  "assignees": ["assignee1", "assignee2"],
+  "inheritReviewers": true,
+};
+
+
+describe("args utils test suite", () => {
+  beforeAll(() => {
+    // create a temporary file
+    createTestFile(RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME, JSON.stringify(RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT));
+  });
+
+  afterAll(() => {
+    // clean up all temporary files
+    removeTestFile(RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME);
+  });
+
+  test("check parseArgs function", () => {
+    const asString = JSON.stringify(RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT);
+    expect(parseArgs(asString)).toStrictEqual(RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT);
+  });
+
+  test("check readConfigFile function", () => {
+    expect(readConfigFile(RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME)).toStrictEqual(RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT);
+  });
+});
--- a/test/service/args/cli/cli-args-parser.test.ts
+++ b/test/service/args/cli/cli-args-parser.test.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,45 @@
 import { Args } from "@bp/service/args/args.types";
 import CLIArgsParser from "@bp/service/args/cli/cli-args-parser";
-import { addProcessArgs, resetProcessArgs, expectArrayEqual } from "../../../support/utils";
+import { addProcessArgs, resetProcessArgs, expectArrayEqual, createTestFile, removeTestFile } from "../../../support/utils";
+
+export const SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME = "./cli-args-parser-test-simple-config-file-pulls-1.json";
+export const SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT = {
+  "targetBranch": "target",
+  "pullRequest": "https://localhost/whatever/pulls/1",
+};
+
+const RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME = "./cli-args-parser-test-random-config-file.json";
+const RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT = {
+  "dryRun": true,
+  "auth": "your-git-service-auth-token",
+  "targetBranch": "target-branch-name",
+  "pullRequest": "https://github.com/user/repo/pull/123",
+  "folder": "/path/to/local/folder",
+  "gitUser": "YourGitUser",
+  "gitEmail": "your-email@example.com",
+  "title": "Backport: Original PR Title",
+  "body": "Backport: Original PR Body",
+  "bodyPrefix": "backport <original-pr-link>",
+  "bpBranchName": "backport-branch-name",
+  "reviewers": ["reviewer1", "reviewer2"],
+  "assignees": ["assignee1", "assignee2"],
+  "inheritReviewers": true,
+};

 describe("cli args parser", () => {
  let parser: CLIArgsParser;
+  
+  beforeAll(() => {
+    // create a temporary file
+    createTestFile(SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME, JSON.stringify(SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT));
+    createTestFile(RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME, JSON.stringify(RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT));
+  });
+
+  afterAll(() => {
+    // clean up all temporary files
+    removeTestFile(SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME);
+    removeTestFile(RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME);
+  });

  beforeEach(() => {
    // create a fresh new instance every time
@@ -23,9 +59,32 @@ describe("cli args parser", () => {

    const args: Args = parser.parse();
    expect(args.dryRun).toEqual(false);
-    expect(args.auth).toEqual("");
-    expect(args.gitUser).toEqual("GitHub");
-    expect(args.gitEmail).toEqual("noreply@github.com");
+    expect(args.auth).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.gitUser).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.gitEmail).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.folder).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.targetBranch).toEqual("target");
+    expect(args.pullRequest).toEqual("https://localhost/whatever/pulls/1");
+    expect(args.title).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.body).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.bodyPrefix).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.bpBranchName).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.reviewers).toEqual([]);
+    expect(args.assignees).toEqual([]);
+    expect(args.inheritReviewers).toEqual(true);
+  });
+
+  test("with config file [default, short]", () => {
+    addProcessArgs([
+      "-cf",
+      SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME,
+    ]);
+
+    const args: Args = parser.parse();
+    expect(args.dryRun).toEqual(false);
+    expect(args.auth).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.gitUser).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.gitEmail).toEqual(undefined);
    expect(args.folder).toEqual(undefined);
    expect(args.targetBranch).toEqual("target");
    expect(args.pullRequest).toEqual("https://localhost/whatever/pulls/1");
@@ -48,9 +107,32 @@ describe("cli args parser", () => {

    const args: Args = parser.parse();
    expect(args.dryRun).toEqual(false);
-    expect(args.auth).toEqual("");
-    expect(args.gitUser).toEqual("GitHub");
-    expect(args.gitEmail).toEqual("noreply@github.com");
+    expect(args.auth).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.gitUser).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.gitEmail).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.folder).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.targetBranch).toEqual("target");
+    expect(args.pullRequest).toEqual("https://localhost/whatever/pulls/1");
+    expect(args.title).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.body).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.bodyPrefix).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.bpBranchName).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.reviewers).toEqual([]);
+    expect(args.assignees).toEqual([]);
+    expect(args.inheritReviewers).toEqual(true);
+  });
+
+  test("with config file [default, long]", () => {
+    addProcessArgs([
+      "--config-file",
+      SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME,
+    ]);
+
+    const args: Args = parser.parse();
+    expect(args.dryRun).toEqual(false);
+    expect(args.auth).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.gitUser).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.gitEmail).toEqual(undefined);
    expect(args.folder).toEqual(undefined);
    expect(args.targetBranch).toEqual("target");
    expect(args.pullRequest).toEqual("https://localhost/whatever/pulls/1");
@@ -135,9 +217,78 @@ describe("cli args parser", () => {
    expect(args.body).toEqual("New Body");
    expect(args.bodyPrefix).toEqual("New Body Prefix");
    expect(args.bpBranchName).toEqual("bp_branch_name");
-    expectArrayEqual(["al", "john", "jack"], args.reviewers!);
-    expectArrayEqual(["pippo", "pluto", "paperino"], args.assignees!);
+    expectArrayEqual(args.reviewers!, ["al", "john", "jack"]);
+    expectArrayEqual(args.assignees!, ["pippo", "pluto", "paperino"]);
    expect(args.inheritReviewers).toEqual(false);
  });

+  test("override using config file", () => {
+    addProcessArgs([
+      "--config-file",
+      RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME,
+    ]);
+
+    const args: Args = parser.parse();
+    expect(args.dryRun).toEqual(true);
+    expect(args.auth).toEqual("your-git-service-auth-token");
+    expect(args.gitUser).toEqual("YourGitUser");
+    expect(args.gitEmail).toEqual("your-email@example.com");
+    expect(args.folder).toEqual("/path/to/local/folder");
+    expect(args.targetBranch).toEqual("target-branch-name");
+    expect(args.pullRequest).toEqual("https://github.com/user/repo/pull/123");
+    expect(args.title).toEqual("Backport: Original PR Title");
+    expect(args.body).toEqual("Backport: Original PR Body");
+    expect(args.bodyPrefix).toEqual("backport <original-pr-link>");
+    expect(args.bpBranchName).toEqual("backport-branch-name");
+    expectArrayEqual(args.reviewers!, ["reviewer1", "reviewer2"]);
+    expectArrayEqual(args.assignees!,["assignee1", "assignee2"]);
+    expect(args.inheritReviewers).toEqual(true);
+  });
+
+  test("ignore custom option when config file is set", () => {
+    addProcessArgs([
+      "--config-file",
+      RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME,
+      "--dry-run",
+      "--auth",
+      "bearer-token",
+      "--target-branch",
+      "target",
+      "--pull-request",
+      "https://localhost/whatever/pulls/1",
+      "--git-user",
+      "Me",
+      "--git-email",
+      "me@email.com",
+      "--title",
+      "New Title",
+      "--body",
+      "New Body",
+      "--body-prefix",
+      "New Body Prefix",
+      "--bp-branch-name",
+      "bp_branch_name",
+      "--reviewers",
+      "al , john,  jack",
+      "--assignees",
+      " pippo,pluto, paperino",
+      "--no-inherit-reviewers",
+    ]);
+
+    const args: Args = parser.parse();
+    expect(args.dryRun).toEqual(true);
+    expect(args.auth).toEqual("your-git-service-auth-token");
+    expect(args.gitUser).toEqual("YourGitUser");
+    expect(args.gitEmail).toEqual("your-email@example.com");
+    expect(args.folder).toEqual("/path/to/local/folder");
+    expect(args.targetBranch).toEqual("target-branch-name");
+    expect(args.pullRequest).toEqual("https://github.com/user/repo/pull/123");
+    expect(args.title).toEqual("Backport: Original PR Title");
+    expect(args.body).toEqual("Backport: Original PR Body");
+    expect(args.bodyPrefix).toEqual("backport <original-pr-link>");
+    expect(args.bpBranchName).toEqual("backport-branch-name");
+    expectArrayEqual(args.reviewers!, ["reviewer1", "reviewer2"]);
+    expectArrayEqual(args.assignees!,["assignee1", "assignee2"]);
+    expect(args.inheritReviewers).toEqual(true);
+  });
 });
--- a/test/service/args/gha/gha-args-parser.test.ts
+++ b/test/service/args/gha/gha-args-parser.test.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,46 @@
 import { Args } from "@bp/service/args/args.types";
 import GHAArgsParser from "@bp/service/args/gha/gha-args-parser";
-import { spyGetInput, expectArrayEqual } from "../../../support/utils";
+import { spyGetInput, expectArrayEqual, removeTestFile, createTestFile } from "../../../support/utils";
+
+const SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME = "./gha-args-parser-test-simple-config-file-pulls-1.json";
+const SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT = {
+  "targetBranch": "target",
+  "pullRequest": "https://localhost/whatever/pulls/1",
+};
+
+const RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME = "./gha-args-parser-test-random-config-file.json";
+const RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT = {
+  "dryRun": true,
+  "auth": "your-git-service-auth-token",
+  "targetBranch": "target-branch-name",
+  "pullRequest": "https://github.com/user/repo/pull/123",
+  "folder": "/path/to/local/folder",
+  "gitUser": "YourGitUser",
+  "gitEmail": "your-email@example.com",
+  "title": "Backport: Original PR Title",
+  "body": "Backport: Original PR Body",
+  "bodyPrefix": "backport <original-pr-link>",
+  "bpBranchName": "backport-branch-name",
+  "reviewers": ["reviewer1", "reviewer2"],
+  "assignees": ["assignee1", "assignee2"],
+  "inheritReviewers": true,
+};

 describe("gha args parser", () => {
  let parser: GHAArgsParser;

+  beforeAll(() => {
+    // create a temporary file
+    createTestFile(SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME, JSON.stringify(SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT));
+    createTestFile(RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME, JSON.stringify(RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT));
+  });
+
+  afterAll(() => {
+    // clean up all temporary files
+    removeTestFile(SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME);
+    removeTestFile(RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME);
+  });
+
  beforeEach(() => {
    // create a fresh new instance every time
    parser = new GHAArgsParser();
@@ -14,14 +50,6 @@ describe("gha args parser", () => {
    jest.clearAllMocks();
  });

-  test("getOrDefault", () => {
-    spyGetInput({
-      "present": "value"
-    });
-    expect(parser.getOrDefault("not-present", "default")).toStrictEqual("default");
-    expect(parser.getOrDefault("present", "default")).toStrictEqual("value");
-  });
-
  test("getOrUndefined", () => {
    spyGetInput({
      "present": "value",
@@ -38,8 +66,8 @@ describe("gha args parser", () => {
      "blank": "   ",
    });
    expectArrayEqual(parser.getAsCommaSeparatedList("present")!, ["value1", "value2", "value3"]);
-    expect(parser.getAsCommaSeparatedList("empty")).toStrictEqual([]);
-    expect(parser.getAsCommaSeparatedList("blank")).toStrictEqual([]);
+    expect(parser.getAsCommaSeparatedList("empty")).toStrictEqual(undefined);
+    expect(parser.getAsCommaSeparatedList("blank")).toStrictEqual(undefined);
  });

  test("valid execution [default]", () => {
@@ -50,9 +78,9 @@ describe("gha args parser", () => {

    const args: Args = parser.parse();
    expect(args.dryRun).toEqual(false);
-    expect(args.auth).toEqual("");
-    expect(args.gitUser).toEqual("GitHub");
-    expect(args.gitEmail).toEqual("noreply@github.com");
+    expect(args.auth).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.gitUser).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.gitEmail).toEqual(undefined);
    expect(args.folder).toEqual(undefined);
    expect(args.targetBranch).toEqual("target");
    expect(args.pullRequest).toEqual("https://localhost/whatever/pulls/1");
@@ -92,9 +120,65 @@ describe("gha args parser", () => {
    expect(args.body).toEqual("New Body");
    expect(args.bodyPrefix).toEqual("New Body Prefix");
    expect(args.bpBranchName).toEqual("bp_branch_name");
-    expectArrayEqual(["al", "john", "jack"], args.reviewers!);
-    expectArrayEqual(["pippo", "pluto", "paperino"], args.assignees!);
+    expectArrayEqual(args.reviewers!, ["al", "john", "jack"]);
+    expectArrayEqual(args.assignees!, ["pippo", "pluto", "paperino"]);
    expect(args.inheritReviewers).toEqual(false);
  });

+  test("using config file", () => {
+    spyGetInput({
+      "config-file": SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME,
+    });
+
+    const args: Args = parser.parse();
+    expect(args.dryRun).toEqual(false);
+    expect(args.auth).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.gitUser).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.gitEmail).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.folder).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.targetBranch).toEqual("target");
+    expect(args.pullRequest).toEqual("https://localhost/whatever/pulls/1");
+    expect(args.title).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.body).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.bodyPrefix).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.bpBranchName).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(args.reviewers).toEqual([]);
+    expect(args.assignees).toEqual([]);
+    expect(args.inheritReviewers).toEqual(true);
+  });
+
+  test("ignore custom options when using config file", () => {
+    spyGetInput({
+      "config-file": RANDOM_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME,
+      "dry-run": "true",
+      "auth": "bearer-token",
+      "target-branch": "target",
+      "pull-request": "https://localhost/whatever/pulls/1",
+      "git-user": "Me",
+      "git-email": "me@email.com",
+      "title": "New Title",
+      "body": "New Body",
+      "body-prefix": "New Body Prefix",
+      "bp-branch-name": "bp_branch_name",
+      "reviewers": "al , john,  jack",
+      "assignees": " pippo,pluto, paperino",
+      "no-inherit-reviewers": "true",
+    });
+
+    const args: Args = parser.parse();
+    expect(args.dryRun).toEqual(true);
+    expect(args.auth).toEqual("your-git-service-auth-token");
+    expect(args.gitUser).toEqual("YourGitUser");
+    expect(args.gitEmail).toEqual("your-email@example.com");
+    expect(args.folder).toEqual("/path/to/local/folder");
+    expect(args.targetBranch).toEqual("target-branch-name");
+    expect(args.pullRequest).toEqual("https://github.com/user/repo/pull/123");
+    expect(args.title).toEqual("Backport: Original PR Title");
+    expect(args.body).toEqual("Backport: Original PR Body");
+    expect(args.bodyPrefix).toEqual("backport <original-pr-link>");
+    expect(args.bpBranchName).toEqual("backport-branch-name");
+    expectArrayEqual(args.reviewers!, ["reviewer1", "reviewer2"]);
+    expectArrayEqual(args.assignees!,["assignee1", "assignee2"]);
+    expect(args.inheritReviewers).toEqual(true);
+  });
 });
--- a/test/service/configs/pullrequest/github-pr-configs-parser.test.ts
+++ b/test/service/configs/pullrequest/github-pr-configs-parser.test.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,31 @@ import PullRequestConfigsParser from "@bp/service/configs/pullrequest/pr-configs
 import GitClientFactory from "@bp/service/git/git-client-factory";
 import { GitClientType } from "@bp/service/git/git.types";
 import { mockGitHubClient } from "../../../support/mock/git-client-mock-support";
+import { addProcessArgs, createTestFile, removeTestFile, resetProcessArgs } from "../../../support/utils";
 import { mergedPullRequestFixture, openPullRequestFixture, notMergedPullRequestFixture, repo, targetOwner } from "../../../support/mock/github-data";
+import CLIArgsParser from "@bp/service/args/cli/cli-args-parser";
+
+const GITHUB_MERGED_PR_SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME = "./github-pr-configs-parser-simple-pr-merged.json";
+const GITHUB_MERGED_PR_SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT = {
+  "targetBranch": "prod",
+  "pullRequest": `https://github.com/${targetOwner}/${repo}/pull/${mergedPullRequestFixture.number}`,
+};
+
+const GITHUB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME = "./github-pr-configs-parser-complex-pr-merged.json";
+const GITHUB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT = {
+  "dryRun": false,
+  "auth": "my-auth-token",
+  "pullRequest": `https://github.com/${targetOwner}/${repo}/pull/${mergedPullRequestFixture.number}`,
+  "targetBranch": "prod",
+  "gitUser": "Me",
+  "gitEmail": "me@email.com",
+  "title": "New Title",
+  "body": "New Body",
+  "bodyPrefix": "New Body Prefix -",
+  "reviewers": ["user1", "user2"],
+  "assignees": ["user3", "user4"],
+  "inheritReviewers": true, // not taken into account
+};

 describe("github pull request config parser", () => {

@@ -12,17 +36,33 @@ describe("github pull request config parser", () => {
  const openPRUrl = `https://github.com/${targetOwner}/${repo}/pull/${openPullRequestFixture.number}`;
  const notMergedPRUrl = `https://github.com/${targetOwner}/${repo}/pull/${notMergedPullRequestFixture.number}`;
  
-  let parser: PullRequestConfigsParser;
+  let argsParser: CLIArgsParser;
+  let configParser: PullRequestConfigsParser;

  beforeAll(() => {
+    // create a temporary file
+    createTestFile(GITHUB_MERGED_PR_SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME, JSON.stringify(GITHUB_MERGED_PR_SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT));
+    createTestFile(GITHUB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME, JSON.stringify(GITHUB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT));
+
    GitClientFactory.reset();
    GitClientFactory.getOrCreate(GitClientType.GITHUB, "whatever", "http://localhost/api/v3");
  });

+  afterAll(() => {
+    // clean up all temporary files
+    removeTestFile(GITHUB_MERGED_PR_SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME);
+    removeTestFile(GITHUB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME);
+  });
+
  beforeEach(() => {
    mockGitHubClient("http://localhost/api/v3");

-    parser = new PullRequestConfigsParser();
+    // reset process.env variables
+    resetProcessArgs();
+
+    // create a fresh new instance every time
+    argsParser = new CLIArgsParser();
+    configParser = new PullRequestConfigsParser();
  });

  afterEach(() => {
@@ -42,7 +82,7 @@ describe("github pull request config parser", () => {
      inheritReviewers: true,
    };

-    const configs: Configs = await parser.parseAndValidate(args);
+    const configs: Configs = await configParser.parseAndValidate(args);

    expect(configs.dryRun).toEqual(false);
    expect(configs.git).toEqual({
@@ -113,7 +153,7 @@ describe("github pull request config parser", () => {
      inheritReviewers: true,
    };

-    const configs: Configs = await parser.parseAndValidate(args);
+    const configs: Configs = await configParser.parseAndValidate(args);

    expect(configs.dryRun).toEqual(true);
    expect(configs.auth).toEqual("whatever");
@@ -138,7 +178,7 @@ describe("github pull request config parser", () => {
      inheritReviewers: true,
    };

-    const configs: Configs = await parser.parseAndValidate(args);
+    const configs: Configs = await configParser.parseAndValidate(args);

    expect(configs.dryRun).toEqual(true);
    expect(configs.auth).toEqual("whatever");
@@ -189,7 +229,7 @@ describe("github pull request config parser", () => {
      inheritReviewers: true,
    };

-    expect(async () => await parser.parseAndValidate(args)).rejects.toThrow("Provided pull request is closed and not merged!");
+    expect(async () => await configParser.parseAndValidate(args)).rejects.toThrow("Provided pull request is closed and not merged!");
  });

  
@@ -209,7 +249,7 @@ describe("github pull request config parser", () => {
      inheritReviewers: true,
    };

-    const configs: Configs = await parser.parseAndValidate(args);
+    const configs: Configs = await configParser.parseAndValidate(args);

    expect(configs.dryRun).toEqual(false);
    expect(configs.git).toEqual({
@@ -283,7 +323,7 @@ describe("github pull request config parser", () => {
      inheritReviewers: true, // not taken into account
    };

-    const configs: Configs = await parser.parseAndValidate(args);
+    const configs: Configs = await configParser.parseAndValidate(args);

    expect(configs.dryRun).toEqual(false);
    expect(configs.git).toEqual({
@@ -357,7 +397,7 @@ describe("github pull request config parser", () => {
      inheritReviewers: false,
    };

-    const configs: Configs = await parser.parseAndValidate(args);
+    const configs: Configs = await configParser.parseAndValidate(args);

    expect(configs.dryRun).toEqual(false);
    expect(configs.git).toEqual({
@@ -414,4 +454,133 @@ describe("github pull request config parser", () => {
      bpBranchName: undefined,
    });
  });
+  
+  test("using simple config file", async () => {
+    addProcessArgs([
+      "-cf",
+      GITHUB_MERGED_PR_SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME,
+    ]);
+
+    const args: Args = argsParser.parse();
+    const configs: Configs = await configParser.parseAndValidate(args);
+
+    expect(configs.dryRun).toEqual(false);
+    expect(configs.git).toEqual({
+      user: "GitHub",
+      email: "noreply@github.com"
+    });
+    expect(configs.auth).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(configs.targetBranch).toEqual("prod");
+    expect(configs.folder).toEqual(process.cwd() + "/bp");
+    expect(configs.originalPullRequest).toEqual({
+      number: 2368,
+      author: "gh-user",
+      url: "https://api.github.com/repos/owner/reponame/pulls/2368",
+      htmlUrl: "https://github.com/owner/reponame/pull/2368",
+      state: "closed",
+      merged: true,
+      mergedBy: "that-s-a-user",
+      title: "PR Title",
+      body: "Please review and merge",
+      reviewers: ["requested-gh-user", "gh-user"],
+      assignees: [],
+      targetRepo: {
+        owner: "owner",
+        project: "reponame",
+        cloneUrl: "https://github.com/owner/reponame.git"
+      },
+      sourceRepo: {
+        owner: "fork",
+        project: "reponame",
+        cloneUrl: "https://github.com/fork/reponame.git"
+      },
+      nCommits: 2,
+      commits: ["28f63db774185f4ec4b57cd9aaeb12dbfb4c9ecc"]
+    });
+    expect(configs.backportPullRequest).toEqual({
+      author: "GitHub",
+      url: undefined,
+      htmlUrl: undefined,
+      title: "[prod] PR Title",
+      body: "**Backport:** https://github.com/owner/reponame/pull/2368\r\n\r\nPlease review and merge",
+      reviewers: ["gh-user", "that-s-a-user"],
+      assignees: [],
+      targetRepo: {
+        owner: "owner",
+        project: "reponame",
+        cloneUrl: "https://github.com/owner/reponame.git"
+      },
+      sourceRepo: {
+        owner: "owner",
+        project: "reponame",
+        cloneUrl: "https://github.com/owner/reponame.git"
+      },
+      bpBranchName: undefined,
+    });
+  });
+
+  test("using complex config file", async () => {
+    addProcessArgs([
+      "-cf",
+      GITHUB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME,
+    ]);
+
+    const args: Args = argsParser.parse();
+    const configs: Configs = await configParser.parseAndValidate(args);
+
+    expect(configs.dryRun).toEqual(false);
+    expect(configs.git).toEqual({
+      user: "Me",
+      email: "me@email.com"
+    });
+    expect(configs.auth).toEqual("my-auth-token");
+    expect(configs.targetBranch).toEqual("prod");
+    expect(configs.folder).toEqual(process.cwd() + "/bp");
+    expect(configs.originalPullRequest).toEqual({
+      number: 2368,
+      author: "gh-user",
+      url: "https://api.github.com/repos/owner/reponame/pulls/2368",
+      htmlUrl: "https://github.com/owner/reponame/pull/2368",
+      state: "closed",
+      merged: true,
+      mergedBy: "that-s-a-user",
+      title: "PR Title",
+      body: "Please review and merge",
+      reviewers: ["requested-gh-user", "gh-user"],
+      assignees: [],
+      targetRepo: {
+        owner: "owner",
+        project: "reponame",
+        cloneUrl: "https://github.com/owner/reponame.git"
+      },
+      sourceRepo: {
+        owner: "fork",
+        project: "reponame",
+        cloneUrl: "https://github.com/fork/reponame.git"
+      },
+      bpBranchName: undefined,
+      nCommits: 2,
+      commits: ["28f63db774185f4ec4b57cd9aaeb12dbfb4c9ecc"],
+    });
+    expect(configs.backportPullRequest).toEqual({
+      author: "Me",
+      url: undefined,
+      htmlUrl: undefined,
+      title: "New Title",
+      body: "New Body Prefix -New Body",
+      reviewers: ["user1", "user2"],
+      assignees: ["user3", "user4"],
+      targetRepo: {
+        owner: "owner",
+        project: "reponame",
+        cloneUrl: "https://github.com/owner/reponame.git"
+      },
+      sourceRepo: {
+        owner: "owner",
+        project: "reponame",
+        cloneUrl: "https://github.com/owner/reponame.git"
+      },
+      bpBranchName: undefined,
+    });
+  });
 });
--- a/test/service/configs/pullrequest/gitlab-pr-configs-parser.test.ts
+++ b/test/service/configs/pullrequest/gitlab-pr-configs-parser.test.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,31 @@ import GitClientFactory from "@bp/service/git/git-client-factory";
 import { GitClientType } from "@bp/service/git/git.types";
 import { getAxiosMocked } from "../../../support/mock/git-client-mock-support";
 import { CLOSED_NOT_MERGED_MR, MERGED_SQUASHED_MR, OPEN_MR } from "../../../support/mock/gitlab-data";
+import GHAArgsParser from "@bp/service/args/gha/gha-args-parser";
+import { createTestFile, removeTestFile, spyGetInput } from "../../../support/utils";
+
+const GITLAB_MERGED_PR_SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME = "./gitlab-pr-configs-parser-simple-pr-merged.json";
+const GITLAB_MERGED_PR_SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT = {
+  "targetBranch": "prod",
+  "pullRequest": `https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example/-/merge_requests/${MERGED_SQUASHED_MR.iid}`,
+};
+
+const GITLAB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME = "./gitlab-pr-configs-parser-complex-pr-merged.json";
+const GITLAB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT = {
+  "dryRun": false,
+  "auth": "my-token",
+  "pullRequest": `https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example/-/merge_requests/${MERGED_SQUASHED_MR.iid}`,
+  "targetBranch": "prod",
+  "gitUser": "Me",
+  "gitEmail": "me@email.com",
+  "title": "New Title",
+  "body": "New Body",
+  "bodyPrefix": "New Body Prefix -",
+  "reviewers": [],
+  "assignees": ["user3", "user4"],
+  "inheritReviewers": false,
+};
+

 jest.mock("axios", () => {
  return {
@@ -20,15 +45,27 @@ describe("gitlab merge request config parser", () => {
  const openPRUrl = `https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example/-/merge_requests/${OPEN_MR.iid}`;
  const notMergedPRUrl = `https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example/-/merge_requests/${CLOSED_NOT_MERGED_MR.iid}`;
  
-  let parser: PullRequestConfigsParser;
+  let argsParser: GHAArgsParser;
+  let configParser: PullRequestConfigsParser;

  beforeAll(() => {
+    // create a temporary file
+    createTestFile(GITLAB_MERGED_PR_SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME, JSON.stringify(GITLAB_MERGED_PR_SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT));
+    createTestFile(GITLAB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME, JSON.stringify(GITLAB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT));
+
    GitClientFactory.reset();
    GitClientFactory.getOrCreate(GitClientType.GITLAB, "whatever", "my.gitlab.host.com");
  });
+  
+  afterAll(() => {
+    // clean up all temporary files
+    removeTestFile(GITLAB_MERGED_PR_SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME);
+    removeTestFile(GITLAB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME);
+  });

  beforeEach(() => {
-    parser = new PullRequestConfigsParser();
+    argsParser = new GHAArgsParser();
+    configParser = new PullRequestConfigsParser();
  });

  afterEach(() => {
@@ -38,24 +75,24 @@ describe("gitlab merge request config parser", () => {
  test("parse configs from merge request", async () => {
    const args: Args = {
      dryRun: false,
-      auth: "",
+      auth: undefined,
      pullRequest: mergedPRUrl,
      targetBranch: "prod",
-      gitUser: "GitLab",
+      gitUser: "Gitlab",
      gitEmail: "noreply@gitlab.com",
      reviewers: [],
      assignees: [],
      inheritReviewers: true,
    };

-    const configs: Configs = await parser.parseAndValidate(args);
+    const configs: Configs = await configParser.parseAndValidate(args);

    expect(configs.dryRun).toEqual(false);
    expect(configs.git).toEqual({
-      user: "GitLab",
+      user: "Gitlab",
      email: "noreply@gitlab.com"
    });
-    expect(configs.auth).toEqual("");
+    expect(configs.auth).toEqual(undefined);
    expect(configs.targetBranch).toEqual("prod");
    expect(configs.folder).toEqual(process.cwd() + "/bp");
    expect(configs.originalPullRequest).toEqual({
@@ -84,7 +121,7 @@ describe("gitlab merge request config parser", () => {
      commits: ["ebb1eca696c42fd067658bd9b5267709f78ef38e"]
    });
    expect(configs.backportPullRequest).toEqual({
-      author: "GitLab",
+      author: "Gitlab",
      url: undefined,
      htmlUrl: undefined,
      title: "[prod] Update test.txt",
@@ -113,21 +150,21 @@ describe("gitlab merge request config parser", () => {
      pullRequest: mergedPRUrl,
      targetBranch: "prod",
      folder: "/tmp/test",
-      gitUser: "GitLab",
+      gitUser: "Gitlab",
      gitEmail: "noreply@gitlab.com",
      reviewers: [],
      assignees: [],
      inheritReviewers: true,
    };

-    const configs: Configs = await parser.parseAndValidate(args);
+    const configs: Configs = await configParser.parseAndValidate(args);

    expect(configs.dryRun).toEqual(true);
    expect(configs.auth).toEqual("whatever");
    expect(configs.targetBranch).toEqual("prod");
    expect(configs.folder).toEqual("/tmp/test");
    expect(configs.git).toEqual({
-      user: "GitLab",
+      user: "Gitlab",
      email: "noreply@gitlab.com"
    });
  });
@@ -138,20 +175,20 @@ describe("gitlab merge request config parser", () => {
      auth: "whatever",
      pullRequest: openPRUrl,
      targetBranch: "prod",
-      gitUser: "GitLab",
+      gitUser: "Gitlab",
      gitEmail: "noreply@gitlab.com",
      reviewers: [],
      assignees: [],
      inheritReviewers: true,
    };

-    const configs: Configs = await parser.parseAndValidate(args);
+    const configs: Configs = await configParser.parseAndValidate(args);

    expect(configs.dryRun).toEqual(true);
    expect(configs.auth).toEqual("whatever");
    expect(configs.targetBranch).toEqual("prod");
    expect(configs.git).toEqual({
-      user: "GitLab",
+      user: "Gitlab",
      email: "noreply@gitlab.com"
    });
    expect(configs.originalPullRequest).toEqual({
@@ -189,14 +226,14 @@ describe("gitlab merge request config parser", () => {
      auth: "whatever",
      pullRequest: notMergedPRUrl,
      targetBranch: "prod",
-      gitUser: "GitLab",
+      gitUser: "Gitlab",
      gitEmail: "noreply@gitlab.com",
      reviewers: [],
      assignees: [],
      inheritReviewers: true,
    };

-    expect(async () => await parser.parseAndValidate(args)).rejects.toThrow("Provided pull request is closed and not merged!");
+    expect(async () => await configParser.parseAndValidate(args)).rejects.toThrow("Provided pull request is closed and not merged!");
  });

  test("override backport pr data inherting reviewers", async () => {
@@ -215,7 +252,7 @@ describe("gitlab merge request config parser", () => {
      inheritReviewers: true,
    };

-    const configs: Configs = await parser.parseAndValidate(args);
+    const configs: Configs = await configParser.parseAndValidate(args);

    expect(configs.dryRun).toEqual(false);
    expect(configs.git).toEqual({
@@ -288,7 +325,7 @@ describe("gitlab merge request config parser", () => {
      inheritReviewers: true, // not taken into account
    };

-    const configs: Configs = await parser.parseAndValidate(args);
+    const configs: Configs = await configParser.parseAndValidate(args);

    expect(configs.dryRun).toEqual(false);
    expect(configs.git).toEqual({
@@ -361,7 +398,7 @@ describe("gitlab merge request config parser", () => {
      inheritReviewers: false,
    };

-    const configs: Configs = await parser.parseAndValidate(args);
+    const configs: Configs = await configParser.parseAndValidate(args);

    expect(configs.dryRun).toEqual(false);
    expect(configs.git).toEqual({
@@ -417,4 +454,131 @@ describe("gitlab merge request config parser", () => {
      bpBranchName: undefined,
    });
  });
+
+    
+  test("using simple config file", async () => {
+    spyGetInput({
+      "config-file": GITLAB_MERGED_PR_SIMPLE_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME,
+    });
+
+    const args: Args = argsParser.parse();
+    const configs: Configs = await configParser.parseAndValidate(args);
+
+    expect(configs.dryRun).toEqual(false);
+    expect(configs.git).toEqual({
+      user: "Gitlab",
+      email: "noreply@gitlab.com"
+    });
+    expect(configs.auth).toEqual(undefined);
+    expect(configs.targetBranch).toEqual("prod");
+    expect(configs.folder).toEqual(process.cwd() + "/bp");
+    expect(configs.originalPullRequest).toEqual({
+      number: 1,
+      author: "superuser",
+      url: "https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example/-/merge_requests/1",
+      htmlUrl: "https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example/-/merge_requests/1",
+      state: "merged",
+      merged: true,
+      mergedBy: "superuser",
+      title: "Update test.txt",
+      body: "This is the body",
+      reviewers: ["superuser1", "superuser2"],
+      assignees: ["superuser"],
+      targetRepo: {
+        owner: "superuser",
+        project: "backporting-example",
+        cloneUrl: "https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example.git"
+      },
+      sourceRepo: {
+        owner: "superuser",
+        project: "backporting-example",
+        cloneUrl: "https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example.git"
+      },
+      nCommits: 1,
+      commits: ["ebb1eca696c42fd067658bd9b5267709f78ef38e"]
+    });
+    expect(configs.backportPullRequest).toEqual({
+      author: "Gitlab",
+      url: undefined,
+      htmlUrl: undefined,
+      title: "[prod] Update test.txt",
+      body: "**Backport:** https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example/-/merge_requests/1\r\n\r\nThis is the body",
+      reviewers: ["superuser"],
+      assignees: [],
+      targetRepo: {
+        owner: "superuser",
+        project: "backporting-example",
+        cloneUrl: "https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example.git"
+      },
+      sourceRepo: {
+        owner: "superuser",
+        project: "backporting-example",
+        cloneUrl: "https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example.git"
+      },
+      bpBranchName: undefined,
+    });
+  });
+
+  test("using complex config file", async () => {
+    spyGetInput({
+      "config-file": GITLAB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME,
+    });
+
+    const args: Args = argsParser.parse();
+    const configs: Configs = await configParser.parseAndValidate(args);
+
+    expect(configs.dryRun).toEqual(false);
+    expect(configs.git).toEqual({
+      user: "Me",
+      email: "me@email.com"
+    });
+    expect(configs.auth).toEqual("my-token");
+    expect(configs.targetBranch).toEqual("prod");
+    expect(configs.folder).toEqual(process.cwd() + "/bp");
+    expect(configs.originalPullRequest).toEqual({
+      number: 1,
+      author: "superuser",
+      url: "https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example/-/merge_requests/1",
+      htmlUrl: "https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example/-/merge_requests/1",
+      state: "merged",
+      merged: true,
+      mergedBy: "superuser",
+      title: "Update test.txt",
+      body: "This is the body",
+      reviewers: ["superuser1", "superuser2"],
+      assignees: ["superuser"],
+      targetRepo: {
+        owner: "superuser",
+        project: "backporting-example",
+        cloneUrl: "https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example.git"
+      },
+      sourceRepo: {
+        owner: "superuser",
+        project: "backporting-example",
+        cloneUrl: "https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example.git"
+      },
+      nCommits: 1,
+      commits: ["ebb1eca696c42fd067658bd9b5267709f78ef38e"]
+    });
+    expect(configs.backportPullRequest).toEqual({
+      author: "Me",
+      url: undefined,
+      htmlUrl: undefined,
+      title: "New Title",
+      body: "New Body Prefix -New Body",
+      reviewers: [],
+      assignees: ["user3", "user4"],
+      targetRepo: {
+        owner: "superuser",
+        project: "backporting-example",
+        cloneUrl: "https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example.git"
+      },
+      sourceRepo: {
+        owner: "superuser",
+        project: "backporting-example",
+        cloneUrl: "https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example.git"
+      },
+      bpBranchName: undefined,
+    });
+  });
 });
--- a/test/service/runner/cli-github-runner.test.ts
+++ b/test/service/runner/cli-github-runner.test.ts
@@ -3,15 +3,42 @@ import Runner from "@bp/service/runner/runner";
 import GitCLIService from "@bp/service/git/git-cli";
 import GitHubClient from "@bp/service/git/github/github-client";
 import CLIArgsParser from "@bp/service/args/cli/cli-args-parser";
-import { addProcessArgs, resetProcessArgs } from "../../support/utils";
+import { addProcessArgs, createTestFile, removeTestFile, resetProcessArgs } from "../../support/utils";
 import { mockGitHubClient } from "../../support/mock/git-client-mock-support";

+const GITHUB_MERGED_PR_W_OVERRIDES_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME = "./cli-github-runner-pr-merged-with-overrides.json";
+const GITHUB_MERGED_PR_W_OVERRIDES_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT = {
+  "dryRun": false,
+  "auth": "my-auth-token",
+  "pullRequest": "https://github.com/owner/reponame/pull/2368",
+  "targetBranch": "target",
+  "gitUser": "Me",
+  "gitEmail": "me@email.com",
+  "title": "New Title",
+  "body": "New Body",
+  "bodyPrefix": "New Body Prefix - ",
+  "bpBranchName": "bp_branch_name",
+  "reviewers": [],
+  "assignees": ["user3", "user4"],
+  "inheritReviewers": false,
+};
+
 jest.mock("@bp/service/git/git-cli");
 jest.spyOn(GitHubClient.prototype, "createPullRequest");

 let parser: ArgsParser;
 let runner: Runner;

+beforeAll(() => {
+  // create a temporary file
+  createTestFile(GITHUB_MERGED_PR_W_OVERRIDES_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME, JSON.stringify(GITHUB_MERGED_PR_W_OVERRIDES_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT));
+});
+
+afterAll(() => {
+  // clean up all temporary files
+  removeTestFile(GITHUB_MERGED_PR_W_OVERRIDES_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME);
+});
+
 beforeEach(() => {
  mockGitHubClient();

@@ -391,4 +418,43 @@ describe("cli runner", () => {
      }
    );
  });
+
+  test("using config file with overrides", async () => {
+    addProcessArgs([
+      "--config-file",
+      GITHUB_MERGED_PR_W_OVERRIDES_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME,
+    ]);
+    
+    await runner.execute();
+
+    const cwd = process.cwd() + "/bp";
+
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.clone).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.clone).toBeCalledWith("https://github.com/owner/reponame.git", cwd, "target");
+
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.createLocalBranch).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.createLocalBranch).toBeCalledWith(cwd, "bp_branch_name");
+    
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.fetch).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.fetch).toBeCalledWith(cwd, "pull/2368/head:pr/2368");
+
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.cherryPick).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.cherryPick).toBeCalledWith(cwd, "28f63db774185f4ec4b57cd9aaeb12dbfb4c9ecc");
+
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.push).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.push).toBeCalledWith(cwd, "bp_branch_name");
+
+    expect(GitHubClient.prototype.createPullRequest).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitHubClient.prototype.createPullRequest).toBeCalledWith({
+        owner: "owner", 
+        repo: "reponame", 
+        head: "bp_branch_name", 
+        base: "target", 
+        title: "New Title", 
+        body: "New Body Prefix - New Body",
+        reviewers: [],
+        assignees: ["user3", "user4"],
+      }
+    );
+  });
 });
--- a/test/service/runner/cli-gitlab-runner.test.ts
+++ b/test/service/runner/cli-gitlab-runner.test.ts
@@ -3,8 +3,25 @@ import Runner from "@bp/service/runner/runner";
 import GitCLIService from "@bp/service/git/git-cli";
 import GitLabClient from "@bp/service/git/gitlab/gitlab-client";
 import CLIArgsParser from "@bp/service/args/cli/cli-args-parser";
-import { addProcessArgs, resetProcessArgs } from "../../support/utils";
+import { addProcessArgs, createTestFile, removeTestFile, resetProcessArgs } from "../../support/utils";
 import { getAxiosMocked } from "../../support/mock/git-client-mock-support";
+import { MERGED_SQUASHED_MR } from "../../support/mock/gitlab-data";
+
+const GITLAB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME = "./cli-gitlab-runner-pr-merged-with-overrides.json";
+const GITLAB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT = {
+  "dryRun": false,
+  "auth": "my-token",
+  "pullRequest": `https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example/-/merge_requests/${MERGED_SQUASHED_MR.iid}`,
+  "targetBranch": "prod",
+  "gitUser": "Me",
+  "gitEmail": "me@email.com",
+  "title": "New Title",
+  "body": "New Body",
+  "bodyPrefix": `**This is a backport:** https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example/-/merge_requests/${MERGED_SQUASHED_MR.iid}`,
+  "reviewers": [],
+  "assignees": ["user3", "user4"],
+  "inheritReviewers": false,
+};

 jest.mock("axios", () => {
  return {
@@ -27,6 +44,16 @@ jest.spyOn(GitLabClient.prototype, "createPullRequest");
 let parser: ArgsParser;
 let runner: Runner;

+beforeAll(() => {
+  // create a temporary file
+  createTestFile(GITLAB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME, JSON.stringify(GITLAB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT));
+});
+
+afterAll(() => {
+  // clean up all temporary files
+  removeTestFile(GITLAB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME);
+});
+
 beforeEach(() => {
  // create CLI arguments parser
  parser = new CLIArgsParser();
@@ -306,4 +333,44 @@ describe("cli runner", () => {
      }
    );
  });
+
+  test("using config file with overrides", async () => {
+    addProcessArgs([
+      "--config-file",
+      GITLAB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME,
+    ]);
+    
+    await runner.execute();
+
+    const cwd = process.cwd() + "/bp";
+
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.clone).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.clone).toBeCalledWith("https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example.git", cwd, "prod");
+
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.createLocalBranch).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.createLocalBranch).toBeCalledWith(cwd, "bp-prod-ebb1eca696c42fd067658bd9b5267709f78ef38e");
+    
+    // 0 occurrences as the mr is already merged and the owner is the same for
+    // both source and target repositories
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.fetch).toBeCalledTimes(0);
+
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.cherryPick).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.cherryPick).toBeCalledWith(cwd, "ebb1eca696c42fd067658bd9b5267709f78ef38e");
+
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.push).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.push).toBeCalledWith(cwd, "bp-prod-ebb1eca696c42fd067658bd9b5267709f78ef38e");
+
+    expect(GitLabClient.prototype.createPullRequest).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitLabClient.prototype.createPullRequest).toBeCalledWith({
+        owner: "superuser", 
+        repo: "backporting-example", 
+        head: "bp-prod-ebb1eca696c42fd067658bd9b5267709f78ef38e", 
+        base: "prod", 
+        title: "New Title", 
+        body: expect.stringContaining("**This is a backport:** https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example/-/merge_requests/1"),
+        reviewers: [],
+        assignees: ["user3", "user4"],
+      }
+    );
+  });
 });
--- a/test/service/runner/gha-github-runner.test.ts
+++ b/test/service/runner/gha-github-runner.test.ts
@@ -3,15 +3,43 @@ import Runner from "@bp/service/runner/runner";
 import GitCLIService from "@bp/service/git/git-cli";
 import GitHubClient from "@bp/service/git/github/github-client";
 import GHAArgsParser from "@bp/service/args/gha/gha-args-parser";
-import { spyGetInput } from "../../support/utils";
+import { createTestFile, removeTestFile, spyGetInput } from "../../support/utils";
 import { mockGitHubClient } from "../../support/mock/git-client-mock-support";

+const GITHUB_MERGED_PR_W_OVERRIDES_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME = "./gha-github-runner-pr-merged-with-overrides.json";
+const GITHUB_MERGED_PR_W_OVERRIDES_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT = {
+  "dryRun": false,
+  "auth": "my-auth-token",
+  "pullRequest": "https://github.com/owner/reponame/pull/2368",
+  "targetBranch": "target",
+  "gitUser": "Me",
+  "gitEmail": "me@email.com",
+  "title": "New Title",
+  "body": "New Body",
+  "bodyPrefix": "New Body Prefix - ",
+  "bpBranchName": "bp_branch_name",
+  "reviewers": [],
+  "assignees": ["user3", "user4"],
+  "inheritReviewers": false,
+};
+
+
 jest.mock("@bp/service/git/git-cli");
 jest.spyOn(GitHubClient.prototype, "createPullRequest");

 let parser: ArgsParser;
 let runner: Runner;

+beforeAll(() => {
+  // create a temporary file
+  createTestFile(GITHUB_MERGED_PR_W_OVERRIDES_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME, JSON.stringify(GITHUB_MERGED_PR_W_OVERRIDES_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT));
+});
+
+afterAll(() => {
+  // clean up all temporary files
+  removeTestFile(GITHUB_MERGED_PR_W_OVERRIDES_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME);
+});
+
 beforeEach(() => {
  mockGitHubClient();

@@ -231,4 +259,42 @@ describe("gha runner", () => {
      }
    );
  });
+
+  test("using config file with overrides", async () => {
+    spyGetInput({
+      "config-file": GITHUB_MERGED_PR_W_OVERRIDES_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME,
+    });
+    
+    await runner.execute();
+
+    const cwd = process.cwd() + "/bp";
+
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.clone).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.clone).toBeCalledWith("https://github.com/owner/reponame.git", cwd, "target");
+
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.createLocalBranch).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.createLocalBranch).toBeCalledWith(cwd, "bp_branch_name");
+    
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.fetch).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.fetch).toBeCalledWith(cwd, "pull/2368/head:pr/2368");
+
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.cherryPick).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.cherryPick).toBeCalledWith(cwd, "28f63db774185f4ec4b57cd9aaeb12dbfb4c9ecc");
+
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.push).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.push).toBeCalledWith(cwd, "bp_branch_name");
+
+    expect(GitHubClient.prototype.createPullRequest).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitHubClient.prototype.createPullRequest).toBeCalledWith({
+        owner: "owner", 
+        repo: "reponame", 
+        head: "bp_branch_name", 
+        base: "target", 
+        title: "New Title", 
+        body: "New Body Prefix - New Body",
+        reviewers: [],
+        assignees: ["user3", "user4"],
+      }
+    );
+  });
 });
--- a/test/service/runner/gha-gitlab-runner.test.ts
+++ b/test/service/runner/gha-gitlab-runner.test.ts
@@ -3,8 +3,25 @@ import Runner from "@bp/service/runner/runner";
 import GitCLIService from "@bp/service/git/git-cli";
 import GitLabClient from "@bp/service/git/gitlab/gitlab-client";
 import GHAArgsParser from "@bp/service/args/gha/gha-args-parser";
-import { spyGetInput } from "../../support/utils";
+import { createTestFile, removeTestFile, spyGetInput } from "../../support/utils";
 import { getAxiosMocked } from "../../support/mock/git-client-mock-support";
+import { MERGED_SQUASHED_MR } from "../../support/mock/gitlab-data";
+
+const GITLAB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME = "./gha-gitlab-runner-pr-merged-with-overrides.json";
+const GITLAB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT = {
+  "dryRun": false,
+  "auth": "my-token",
+  "pullRequest": `https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example/-/merge_requests/${MERGED_SQUASHED_MR.iid}`,
+  "targetBranch": "prod",
+  "gitUser": "Me",
+  "gitEmail": "me@email.com",
+  "title": "New Title",
+  "body": "New Body",
+  "bodyPrefix": `**This is a backport:** https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example/-/merge_requests/${MERGED_SQUASHED_MR.iid}`,
+  "reviewers": [],
+  "assignees": ["user3", "user4"],
+  "inheritReviewers": false,
+};

 jest.mock("axios", () => {
  return {
@@ -26,6 +43,16 @@ jest.spyOn(GitLabClient.prototype, "createPullRequest");
 let parser: ArgsParser;
 let runner: Runner;

+beforeAll(() => {
+  // create a temporary file
+  createTestFile(GITLAB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME, JSON.stringify(GITLAB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT));
+});
+
+afterAll(() => {
+  // clean up all temporary files
+  removeTestFile(GITLAB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME);
+});
+
 beforeEach(() => {
  // create GHA arguments parser
  parser = new GHAArgsParser();
@@ -242,4 +269,43 @@ describe("gha runner", () => {
      }
    );
  });
+
+  test("using config file with overrides", async () => {
+    spyGetInput({
+      "config-file": GITLAB_MERGED_PR_COMPLEX_CONFIG_FILE_CONTENT_PATHNAME,
+    });
+    
+    await runner.execute();
+
+    const cwd = process.cwd() + "/bp";
+
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.clone).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.clone).toBeCalledWith("https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example.git", cwd, "prod");
+
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.createLocalBranch).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.createLocalBranch).toBeCalledWith(cwd, "bp-prod-ebb1eca696c42fd067658bd9b5267709f78ef38e");
+    
+    // 0 occurrences as the mr is already merged and the owner is the same for
+    // both source and target repositories
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.fetch).toBeCalledTimes(0);
+
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.cherryPick).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.cherryPick).toBeCalledWith(cwd, "ebb1eca696c42fd067658bd9b5267709f78ef38e");
+
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.push).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitCLIService.prototype.push).toBeCalledWith(cwd, "bp-prod-ebb1eca696c42fd067658bd9b5267709f78ef38e");
+
+    expect(GitLabClient.prototype.createPullRequest).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(GitLabClient.prototype.createPullRequest).toBeCalledWith({
+        owner: "superuser", 
+        repo: "backporting-example", 
+        head: "bp-prod-ebb1eca696c42fd067658bd9b5267709f78ef38e", 
+        base: "prod", 
+        title: "New Title", 
+        body: expect.stringContaining("**This is a backport:** https://my.gitlab.host.com/superuser/backporting-example/-/merge_requests/1"),
+        reviewers: [],
+        assignees: ["user3", "user4"],
+      }
+    );
+  });
 });
--- a/test/support/utils.ts
+++ b/test/support/utils.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import * as core from "@actions/core";
+import * as fs from "fs";

 export const addProcessArgs = (args: string[]) => {
  process.argv = [...process.argv, ...args];
@@ -24,4 +25,21 @@ export const spyGetInput = (obj: any) => {
 */
 export const expectArrayEqual = (actual: unknown[], expected: unknown[]) => {
  expect(actual.sort()).toEqual(expected.sort());
+};
+
+/**
+ * Create a test file given the full pathname
+ * @param pathname full file pathname e.g, /tmp/dir/filename.json
+ * @param content what must be written in the file
+ */
+export const createTestFile = (pathname: string, content: string) => {
+  fs.writeFileSync(pathname, content);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Remove a file located at pathname
+ * @param pathname full file pathname e.g, /tmp/dir/filename.json
+ */
+export const removeTestFile = (pathname: string) => {
+  fs.rmSync(pathname);
 };
Author	SHA1	Message	Date
Andrea Lamparelli	729b380b05	build: fix release workflow	2023-07-06 00:20:50 +02:00
Andrea Lamparelli	7dd2f7270c	chore: release v3.1.0 (#43 )	2023-07-05 23:49:25 +02:00
Andrea Lamparelli	23e552c38c	build: package release automation	2023-07-05 23:45:38 +02:00
Andrea Lamparelli	5ead31f606	feat: config file as option (#42 ) Fix https://github.com/lampajr/backporting/issues/37 This enhancement required a huge refactoring where all arguments defaults have been centralized in one single place ArgsParser#parse	2023-07-05 22:11:23 +02:00
Andrea Lamparelli	a88adeec35	docs: updated readme	2023-07-03 18:15:59 +02:00
Andrea Lamparelli	06518b7971	build: moved @octokit/webhooks-types to dev dependencies	2023-07-02 19:29:52 +02:00