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Exit Code 1 in CI: What It Means and How to Fix It

Exit code 1 is the generic "something failed" - nearly every tool uses it.

Exit 1 is the most common failure code and carries no specific meaning; the real cause is in the logs.

What it means

A catch-all error. The tool failed but did not use a more specific code.

Common causes

  • A test failed, a lint error, a build error.
  • A script exit 1 on a checked condition.
  • A command not found inside a subshell.

How to fix it

Read the lines above the exit; the actual error (a failed assertion, a compiler error) is there. Reproduce the failing command directly.

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