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Action (GitHub Actions) - CI/CD Glossary Definition

An action is a reusable unit of automation invoked in a step with uses:.

An action is a packaged, reusable unit of workflow automation referenced with uses:, such as actions/checkout; actions can be JavaScript, Docker, or composite.

Actions encapsulate common steps like checking out code or setting up a language runtime. They are versioned by tag, branch, or commit SHA and shared through the Marketplace.

Referencing versions

Reference an action by tag (@v4), branch, or full commit SHA. Pinning to a SHA is the most tamper-resistant option for third-party actions.

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