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Timeout - CI/CD Glossary Definition

Timeout: A timeout is a maximum time an operation is allowed to run before it is aborted, preventing a stuck request or job from hanging indefinitely.

A timeout is a maximum time an operation is allowed to run before it is aborted, preventing a stuck request or job from hanging indefinitely.

Every network call and job needs an upper bound. Without a timeout, one hung operation can hold a resource forever and cascade into a stalled pipeline.

In CI

GitHub Actions caps a job with timeout-minutes (default 360). Set a tighter value so a hung test is killed and the runner is freed instead of billing for hours of a stuck job.

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