GitHub Actions Local Checks

Overview

When working in a repository with GitHub Actions, run relevant pipeline checks locally before pushing. This catches failures early and is much faster than waiting for CI to run and report errors.

When to Use This Skill

• Before committing and pushing code changes
• After making significant changes to ensure tests still pass
• When adding new features or fixing bugs
• Before creating a pull request

Identifying Steps to Run Locally

Look at workflow files in .github/workflows/*.yml to identify runnable steps:

Run Locally (Fast Feedback)

• Tests: npm test, npm run test:unit, jest --coverage
• Linting: npm run lint, eslint .
• Type Checking: npm run type-check, tsc --noEmit
• Prettier/Formatting: npx prettier --check .
• Build validation: npm run build (if fast)

Skip Locally (CI-Only)

• Deployments: cdk deploy, deployment scripts
• Docker builds/pushes: Slow and require credentials
• Integration tests: If they require external services
• Codecov uploads: CI handles this

Workflow Pattern

1. Identify the relevant workflow file

   • For PRs: Usually .github/workflows/run-tests.yml or similar
   • For deployments: Usually .github/workflows/deploy-*.yml

2. Find test/lint steps in the workflow

   • Look for run: commands under steps:
   • Note the working-directory: if specified
   • Identify which commands to run

3. Run commands locally

   bashCopy

   # Example: Run tests for a specific stack
   cd stacks/oncall-data-sync-stack
   npm run test -- --coverage
   
   # Example: Run linting
   npm run lint
   
   # Example: Type checking
   npm run type-check
   

4. Fix any failures before pushing

Common Patterns

Matrix strategies

If workflow uses matrix (e.g., testing multiple stacks), run checks for each affected area:

matrix:
  stack: [stack-a, stack-b, stack-c]

→ Run tests in each stack directory you modified

Working directories

Match the workflow's working-directory:

- name: Run tests
  working-directory: ./stacks/my-stack
  run: npm test

→ Run cd stacks/my-stack && npm test locally

Conditional steps

If workflow has if: conditions, check if they apply to your changes:

- name: Integration tests
  if: github.event_name == 'push'
  run: npm run test:integration

→ Skip if you're just testing locally, but run if condition matches

Example

Scenario: Modified code in stacks/oncall-data-sync-stack/

Workflow file shows:

- name: Run unit tests
  working-directory: ./stacks/oncall-data-sync-stack
  run: npm run test -- --coverage

Run locally:

cd stacks/oncall-data-sync-stack
npm run test -- --coverage

Result: Catches test failures before pushing, saves time waiting for CI.

Benefits

• Faster feedback loop: Seconds vs minutes waiting for CI
• Cheaper: No wasted CI compute on failures
• Better workflow: Fix issues immediately while context is fresh
• Fewer failed builds: Keep CI green