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github-actions-skill

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GitHub Actions complete reference skill — syntax, contexts, expressions, events, caching, security, reusable workflows, runners, limits

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# GitHub Actions — Complete Reference Skill

A comprehensive, practitioner-oriented reference for GitHub Actions — covering workflow syntax, contexts, expressions, events, caching, security, reusable workflows, runners, and system limits.

> Built from the official GitHub/Microsoft documentation ([docs.github.com/en/actions](https://docs.github.com/en/actions)), distilled into a single portable skill file for fast lookup and reuse.

---

## What's Inside

### `SKILL.md` — The Main Reference (19 sections)

| # | Section | What It Covers |
|---|---------|----------------|
| 1 | Workflow File Structure | Minimal skeleton, `run-name`, file conventions |
| 2 | Top-Level Keys | `name`, `on`, `permissions`, `env`, `defaults`, `concurrency` |
| 3 | Triggers (`on`) | Single/multiple events, activity types, branch/tag/path filters, glob patterns, cron syntax, `workflow_dispatch`, `workflow_call`, `workflow_run` |
| 4 | All 34 Event Types | Every event with activity types, `GITHUB_SHA`/`GITHUB_REF` behavior, and security notes |
| 5 | All 12 Contexts | `github` (30+ properties), `env`, `vars`, `job`, `jobs`, `steps`, `runner`, `secrets`, `strategy`, `matrix`, `needs`, `inputs` — plus context availability matrix |
| 6 | Expressions | Operators, type casting, 11 functions (`contains`, `startsWith`, `hashFiles`, `fromJSON`, etc.), 5 status check functions, object filter syntax |
| 7 | Jobs | Runner selection, matrix strategies, `include`/`exclude`, containers, services, conditionals, outputs |
| 8 | Steps | Action references (`uses`), shell commands (`run`), inputs/outputs, `continue-on-error`, background steps, parallel steps |
| 9 | Environment Files & Workflow Commands | `GITHUB_ENV`, `GITHUB_OUTPUT`, `GITHUB_PATH`, `GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY`, annotations (`::error::`), log grouping, masking, stop-commands |
| 10 | Reusable Workflows | Caller/callee patterns, inputs/outputs/secrets passing, `inherit`, nesting limits (max 10 levels) |
| 11 | Dependency Caching | `actions/cache`, `setup-*` built-in cache, cache key strategies, restore-keys fallback, limits (10 GB, 7-day eviction) |
| 12 | GitHub-Hosted Runners | OS/arch/CPU/RAM specs for all runner types, execution limits, artifact storage by plan |
| 13 | Security Best Practices | Script injection prevention, action pinning to SHA, secrets management, OIDC, self-hosted runner safety |
| 14 | Workflow Cancellation | Signal escalation flow (SIGINT → SIGTERM → kill), 5-minute timeout |
| 15 | Concurrency | Groups, `cancel-in-progress`, queue mode |
| 16 | Common Patterns | Matrix builds, conditional execution, environment protection, composite actions, skip CI |
| 17 | Default Environment Variables | All 38 variables (`CI`, `GITHUB_*`, `RUNNER_*`) with descriptions |
| 18 | System Limits | Run time, job execution, matrix size, cache rates, variable limits |
| 19 | GITHUB_TOKEN Permissions | All 18 scopes, least-privilege configuration |

### `references/expressions-cheatsheet.md`

Quick-reference card for expression functions, operators, type coercion rules, object filters, and common expression patterns.

### `references/workflow-templates.md`

10 ready-to-use workflow templates:
- Minimal CI
- Node.js CI (matrix)
- Multi-OS matrix
- Docker build & push to GHCR
- GitHub Pages deployment
- Reusable workflow pattern (caller + callee)
- Manual deploy with environment protection
- Scheduled cleanup (prune old runs)
- Cache with restore-keys fallback
- OIDC for AWS (no static credentials)

### `references/security-cheatsheet.md`

8 security anti-patterns with BAD/GOOD examples:
1. Script injection via `github.event.*`
2. `pull_request_target` misuse
3. Unpinned third-party actions
4. Secret leaks in logs
5. Artifact poisoning
6. `workflow_run` escalation
7. Cache poisoning from forks
8. Self-hosted runner risks

Plus a 10-point security checklist.

---

## How to Use

### As a Hermes Agent Skill

This skill lives under `~/.hermes/skills/github-actions/` and is auto-loaded when GitHub Actions topics are discussed. To load it manually:

```
skill_view(name='github-actions')
```

To access reference files:

```
skill_view(name='github-actions', file_path='references/workflow-templates.md')
```

### As a Standalone Reference

Clone this repo and read `SKILL.md` directly. It's a self-contained Markdown file — no dependencies, no tooling required.

```bash
git clone https://github.com/peditx/github-actions-skill.git
cat github-actions-skill/SKILL.md
```

### Copy Into Your Own Project

You can also drop `SKILL.md` into any project's `.github/` directory as a team reference document.

---

## What This Is NOT

- **Not** a tutorial for beginners (see [GitHub's official quickstart](https://docs.github.com/en/actions/get-started/quickstart))
- **Not** a replacement for the official docs — it's a condensed, searchable cheat sheet
- **Not** language-specific — covers all ecosystem patterns (Node, Python, Docker, etc.)

---

## Source

All content is derived from the official GitHub Actions documentation at [docs.github.com/en/actions](https://docs.github.com/en/actions), accurate as of July 2026.

---

## License

MIT — use freely, contribute freely.

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