GitHub Actions Local Checks Skill

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

Identify the relevant workflow file
- For PRs: Usually .github/workflows/run-tests.yml or similar
- For deployments: Usually .github/workflows/deploy-*.yml
Find test/lint steps in the workflow
- Look for run: commands under steps:
- Note the working-directory: if specified
- Identify which commands to run

Run commands locally

# 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

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

Agent Skills: GitHub Actions Local Checks

Install this agent skill to your local

Skill Files