github-actions-version-check

name	github-actions-version-check
description	Check and update GitHub Actions versions. Use when creating, modifying, or reviewing GitHub Actions workflow files (.github/workflows/*.yml), or when asked to ensure actions are up to date.

GitHub Actions Version Check

Ensures GitHub Actions in workflow files use up-to-date versions.

Prerequisites

Install aver (GitHub Actions version checker):

go install github.com/llimllib/aver/cmd/aver@latest

Or if aver is already in PATH, skip this step.

Workflow

When Creating or Modifying Workflow Files

1. Before adding any action, check what the latest version is:

   # Search GitHub for the action's latest release
   # Example: for actions/checkout, check https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases
   

2. Always use the latest major version when adding new actions:

   • Good: actions/checkout@v4
   • Avoid: actions/checkout@v3 (unless v3 is actually latest)

3. After making changes, validate with aver:

   aver
   

4. If outdated actions are found, update them to the latest versions shown.

Checking Existing Workflows

Run aver in the project root:

# Human-readable output
aver

# JSON output for scripting
aver --json

# Ignore SHA-pinned actions
aver --ignore-sha

# Only report major version updates
aver --ignore-minor

Understanding Output

File                        Action            Current  Latest
--------------------------  ----------------  -------  ------
.github/workflows/ci.yml    actions/checkout  v3       v4

This means actions/checkout@v3 should be updated to actions/checkout@v4.

Exit Codes

Code	Meaning
0	All actions up to date
1	Outdated actions found
2	Error occurred

Best Practices

1. Pin to major versions (@v4) not full semver (@v4.1.2) unless you need reproducibility
2. Run aver before committing workflow changes
3. For SHA-pinned actions, aver shows commits behind - update periodically
4. Set GITHUB_TOKEN for higher API rate limits:

   export GITHUB_TOKEN=ghp_xxxxx
   

Common Actions and Their Repos

Action	Repository
actions/checkout	https://github.com/actions/checkout
actions/setup-node	https://github.com/actions/setup-node
actions/setup-python	https://github.com/actions/setup-python
actions/setup-go	https://github.com/actions/setup-go
actions/cache	https://github.com/actions/cache
actions/upload-artifact	https://github.com/actions/upload-artifact
actions/download-artifact	https://github.com/actions/download-artifact