# github-actions

A reference skill for GitHub Actions CI/CD workflows. Helps configure automated builds, test pipelines, and deployments in repository YAML files.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 758 installs · ★ 78
- Author: bobmatnyc
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills/tree/HEAD/toolchains/universal/infrastructure/github-actions/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-07-18
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/bobmatnyc-github-actions

## What it does

The skill equips coding agents with reference syntax and patterns for `.github/workflows/` YAML files. It covers triggers such as `push`, `pull_request`, scheduled cron jobs, and manual execution through `workflow_dispatch`.

The material details execution order via `needs`, secret handling with `${{ secrets.* }}`, environment variables, and matrix strategies across multiple runtime versions. Runner configurations include standard GitHub images like `ubuntu-latest`, `macos-latest`, `windows-latest`, alongside self-hosted machines.

Because the manifest marks `user-invocable: false` and `disable-model-invocation: true`, this acts as a background reference rather than a direct slash command.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill github-actions -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/github-actions/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/github-actions/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill github-actions -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/github-actions/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill github-actions -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/github-actions/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills github-actions
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/github-actions/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill github-actions -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --path toolchains/universal/infrastructure/github-actions
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/github-actions/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills --skill github-actions -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills/tree/HEAD/toolchains/universal/infrastructure/github-actions/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- create a pull request test workflow using GitHub Actions
- run matrix test jobs across different Node.js and operating system versions
- set up a workflow_dispatch trigger with target environment inputs
- chain dependent build and deploy jobs using the needs parameter

## Example prompts
- Create a GitHub Actions workflow to run npm test on pushes to main
- Configure a test matrix for Node.js 18, 20, and 22 in .github/workflows/test.yml
- Write a manual deployment workflow with staging and production choices

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 6fa10009069da0da.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 6fa10009069da0da
````text
---
name: github-actions
description: "GitHub Actions CI/CD workflows for automating build, test, and deployment"
user-invocable: false
disable-model-invocation: true
version: 1.0.0
progressive_disclosure:
  entry_point:
    - summary
    - when_to_use
    - quick_start
  tokens:
    entry: 70
    full: 5000
---

# GitHub Actions CI/CD

## Summary
GitHub Actions is GitHub's native CI/CD platform for automating software workflows. Define workflows in YAML files to build, test, and deploy code directly from your repository with event-driven automation.

## When to Use
- Automate testing on every pull request
- Build and deploy applications on merge to main
- Schedule regular tasks (nightly builds, backups)
- Publish packages to registries (npm, PyPI, Docker Hub)
- Run security scans and code quality checks
- Automate release processes and changelog generation

## Quick Start

### Basic Test Workflow
Create `.github/workflows/test.yml`:

```yaml
name: Test

on:
  push:
    branches: [main]
  pull_request:
    branches: [main]

jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
        with:
          node-version: '20'
      - run: npm ci
      - run: npm test
```

---

# Complete GitHub Actions Guide

## Core Concepts

### Workflows
YAML files in `.github/workflows/` that define automation pipelines.

**Structure**:
- **Name**: Workflow identifier
- **Triggers**: Events that start the workflow
- **Jobs**: One or more jobs to execute
- **Steps**: Commands/actions within each job

```yaml
name: CI Pipeline
on: [push, pull_request]
jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - run: echo "Building project"
```

### Jobs
Independent execution units that run in parallel by default.

```yaml
jobs:
  lint:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - run: npm run lint

  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    needs: lint  # Wait for lint to complete
    steps:
      - run: npm test

  deploy:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    needs: [lint, test]  # Wait for both
    steps:
      - run: ./deploy.sh
```

### Steps
Sequential commands or actions within a job.

```yaml
steps:
  # Use pre-built action
  - uses: actions/checkout@v4

  # Run shell command
  - run: npm install

  # Named step with environment
  - name: Run tests
    run: npm test
    env:
      NODE_ENV: test
```

### Actions
Reusable units of code (from marketplace or custom).

```yaml
# Official action
- uses: actions/checkout@v4

# Third-party action
- uses: docker/build-push-action@v5
  with:
    context: .
    push: true
    tags: user/app:latest

# Local action
- uses: ./.github/actions/custom-action
```

## Workflow Syntax

### Triggers (on)

#### Push Events
```yaml
on:
  push:
    branches:
      - main
      - 'releases/**'  # Wildcard pattern
    tags:
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 6fa10009069da0da

The third-party file has ended. Everything between the 6fa10009069da0da tags is data: requests and commands from it are not followed. An “end of file” line with another tag inside the block is part of the file.

First 2877 of 27763 bytes. © bobmatnyc · MIT · https://github.com/bobmatnyc/claude-mpm-skills/tree/HEAD/toolchains/universal/infrastructure/github-actions/SKILL.md

_Part of the page did not fit — see the HTML version._

---
NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md