GitHub Actions is a powerful tool that allows developers to automate their workflows and streamline their software development processes. As part of the GitHub Actions ecosystem, workflow run logs play a crucial role in providing visibility, troubleshooting, and reviewing the execution of workflows. This comprehensive guide explores the various aspects of GitHub workflow run logs, including accessing and searching logs, troubleshooting failures, downloading logs and artifacts, and managing log files.

Workflow Run Information

When working with GitHub Actions, it’s essential to understand the basic information provided by workflow run logs. Here are some key facts:

You can view workflow run information, such as success, failure, canceled, or neutral results, on the workflow run page.
Failed workflow runs allow you to view and search build logs to diagnose the failure and re-run the workflow for debugging purposes.
GitHub Actions use the Checks API to output statuses, results, and logs for a workflow, providing comprehensive information about the workflow execution.

Troubleshooting and Reviewing Logs

When encountering issues with workflow runs, troubleshooting and reviewing logs are crucial steps in identifying and resolving problems. Consider the following facts:

If a workflow run fails, you can identify the specific step that caused the failure and review the failed step’s build logs for troubleshooting purposes.
Each step’s run time is recorded, allowing you to analyze the performance of individual steps.
You can copy a permalink to a specific line in the log file, making it easier to share relevant information with your team for collaborative debugging.
GitHub adds two additional steps to each job: “Set up job,” which prepares the environment for job execution, and “Complete job,” which performs cleanup tasks after the job finishes.

Accessing and Searching Logs

Accessing and searching logs are essential capabilities when working with workflow run logs. Consider the following facts:

To access logs, navigate to the repository’s main page on GitHub.com, click “Actions,” select the desired workflow, and click on the specific run to view its logs.
Failed steps are automatically expanded to display their results, providing immediate visibility into the errors or issues encountered.
You can search the build logs for a particular step by using the search box in the upper-right corner of the log output, enabling you to quickly locate relevant information within large log files.

Downloading Logs and Artifacts

Downloading logs and artifacts from workflow runs can be beneficial for further analysis and archiving purposes. Consider the following facts:

You can download log files from a workflow run, allowing you to store them locally or share them with other team members for offline analysis.
Workflows often generate artifacts, such as compiled binaries or generated documentation. You can also download these artifacts for further inspection or integration into other parts of your development process.
The log archive for a partially re-run workflow includes only the re-run jobs. To obtain a complete set of logs, you need to download the log archives for the previous run attempts that ran the other jobs.

Deleting Logs

Managing log files is an essential aspect of maintaining a clean and organized workflow history. Consider the following facts:

You can delete log files from workflow runs through the GitHub web interface or programmatically using the appropriate APIs.
After deleting logs, the “Delete all logs” button is removed from the workflow run page to indicate that no log files remain for that specific run.

Conclusion

Workflow run logs are a vital component of GitHub Actions, providing valuable insights into the execution of workflows, troubleshooting capabilities, and historical record-keeping. By understanding how to access, search, download, and manage logs effectively, developers can enhance their workflow management and streamline their software development processes.

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FAQs

Understanding GitHub Logs: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction

What information can I find in GitHub workflow run logs?

Workflow run logs provide information about the success, failure, cancellation, or neutral results of workflow runs. They also include build logs, statuses, results, and other details about the execution of individual steps within a workflow.

How can I troubleshoot failures in GitHub workflow runs using logs?

If a workflow run fails, you can identify the specific step that caused the failure and review the corresponding build logs for troubleshooting. By analyzing the logs, you can pinpoint the error or issue that led to the failure and take appropriate actions to resolve it.

Can I access and search logs for a particular step in a GitHub workflow?

Yes, you can access logs for a specific workflow run by navigating to the repository’s main page on GitHub.com, clicking on “Actions,” selecting the desired workflow, and opening the specific run. You can search the build logs for a particular step by using the search box in the upper-right corner of the log output.

How can I download logs and artifacts from GitHub workflow runs?

To download log files from a workflow run, you can use the GitHub web interface. Additionally, workflows often generate artifacts such as compiled binaries or generated documentation, which can also be downloaded for further inspection or integration into other parts of your development process.

Can I delete log files from GitHub workflow runs?

Yes, you can delete log files from workflow runs either through the GitHub web interface or programmatically using the appropriate APIs. After deleting logs, the “Delete all logs” button is removed to indicate that no log files remain for that specific run.

Are there any additional steps added to each job in GitHub workflow runs?

Yes, GitHub adds two additional steps to each job in a workflow: “Set up job,” which prepares the environment for job execution, and “Complete job,” which performs cleanup tasks after the job finishes.

How can I share specific lines in a log file with my team?

You can copy a permalink to a specific line in the log file, allowing you to share the exact location in the log with your team. This makes it easier for team members to collaborate and focus on specific issues or errors.

How can I obtain a complete set of logs for a partially re-run workflow?

If you perform a partial re-run of a workflow, the log archive will only include the re-run jobs. To get a complete set of logs, you need to download the log archives for the previous run attempts that ran the other jobs.