How to Run a Step Only on the Main Branch in GitHub Actions

Check github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' in a step if to scope it to the default branch.

The github.ref context holds the full ref (e.g. refs/heads/main). Compare it in a step-level if to run only on main.

Steps

• Add if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main' to the step.
• Use the full ref form, not the short branch name.
• Keep test steps unconditional so pull requests still run them.

Workflow

steps:
  - run: npm test
  - name: Publish (main only)
    if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/main'
    run: npm publish

Gotchas

• On pull_request events github.ref is the merge ref, so prefer github.head_ref there.
• Use github.ref_name if you want just main instead of the full ref.

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