Using workflows

Get a high-level overview of GitHub Actions workflows, including triggers, syntax, and advanced features.

How to automatically trigger GitHub Actions workflows

When a workflow is configured to run on the workflow_dispatch event, you can run the workflow using the Actions tab on GitHub, GitHub CLI, or the REST API.

You can disable and re-enable a workflow using the GitHub UI, the REST API, or GitHub CLI.

You can configure your workflows to run when specific activity on GitHub happens, at a scheduled time, or when an event outside of GitHub occurs.

A workflow is a configurable automated process made up of one or more jobs. You must create a YAML file to define your workflow configuration.

You can use workflow commands when running shell commands in a workflow or in an action's code.

You can use reusable workflows or composite actions to avoid duplicating the content of workflows.

Learn how to avoid duplication when creating a workflow by reusing existing workflows.

To make your workflows faster and more efficient, you can create and use caches for dependencies and other commonly reused files.

Artifacts allow you to share data between jobs in a workflow and store data once that workflow has completed.

Learn how you can create starter workflows to help people in your team add new workflows more easily.

Learn how you can use organization features to collaborate with your team, by sharing starter workflows, secrets, variables, and self-hosted runners.

You can script with GitHub CLI in GitHub Actions workflows.