CI workflow (less/less.js)
The CI workflow from less/less.js, explained and optimized by Latchkey.
CI health: C - fair
Point runs-on at Latchkey and get run de-duplication, job timeouts, SHA-pinned actions, self-healing for flaky steps, and up to 58% lower cost, applied automatically.
What it does
This is the CI workflow from the less/less.js repository, a real project running GitHub Actions. It is shown here with attribution under its Apache-2.0 license.
Below, Latchkey shows a faster, safer version produced by its optimization engine.
The workflow
# Github actions workflow name
name: CI
# Triggers the workflow on push or pull request events
on:
push:
branches: [main, master]
pull_request:
branches: [main, master]
jobs:
test:
name: 'Tests on ${{matrix.os}} with Node "${{matrix.node}}"'
strategy:
fail-fast: false
matrix:
# Test all mainstream operating systems
os: [ubuntu-latest, macos-latest, windows-latest]
node: ['current']
include:
- os: ubuntu-latest
node: 'lts/*'
- os: ubuntu-latest
node: 'lts/-1'
- os: ubuntu-latest
node: 'lts/-2'
- os: ubuntu-latest
node: 'lts/-3'
runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
# This has copy/paste steps and should be refactored using DRY
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v4
- name: Install pnpm
uses: pnpm/action-setup@v4
- uses: actions/setup-node@v4
with:
node-version: ${{ matrix.node }}
cache: 'pnpm'
- name: Install dependencies
run: pnpm install --frozen-lockfile --ignore-scripts
- name: Print put node & npm version
run: node --version && pnpm --version
- name: Run node tests (ESM + CJS)
run: pnpm run test:node
copilot-review:
name: Request Copilot review
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
continue-on-error: true
if: github.event_name == 'pull_request' && (github.event.action == 'opened' || github.event.action == 'reopened')
permissions:
pull-requests: write
steps:
- name: Request Copilot review
env:
GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
run: |
gh api \
--method POST \
-H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
/repos/${{ github.repository }}/pulls/${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}/requested_reviewers \
-f "reviewers[]=copilot-pull-request-reviewer" \
|| echo "::warning::Could not request Copilot review (the token may lack pull-requests: write access, or Copilot PR reviews may not be enabled for this repository)"
The same workflow, on Latchkey
Removes redundant runs and caps runaway jobs. Added and changed lines are highlighted.
# Github actions workflow name name: CI # Triggers the workflow on push or pull request events on: push: branches: [main, master] pull_request: branches: [main, master] concurrency: group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }} cancel-in-progress: true jobs: test: timeout-minutes: 30 name: 'Tests on ${{matrix.os}} with Node "${{matrix.node}}"' strategy: fail-fast: false matrix: # Test all mainstream operating systems os: [ubuntu-latest, macos-latest, windows-latest] node: ['current'] include: - os: ubuntu-latest node: 'lts/*' - os: ubuntu-latest node: 'lts/-1' - os: ubuntu-latest node: 'lts/-2' - os: ubuntu-latest node: 'lts/-3' runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }} # This has copy/paste steps and should be refactored using DRY steps: - uses: actions/checkout@v4 - name: Install pnpm uses: pnpm/action-setup@v4 - uses: actions/setup-node@v4 with: node-version: ${{ matrix.node }} cache: 'pnpm' - name: Install dependencies run: pnpm install --frozen-lockfile --ignore-scripts - name: Print put node & npm version run: node --version && pnpm --version - name: Run node tests (ESM + CJS) run: pnpm run test:node copilot-review: timeout-minutes: 30 name: Request Copilot review runs-on: latchkey-small continue-on-error: true if: github.event_name == 'pull_request' && (github.event.action == 'opened' || github.event.action == 'reopened') permissions: pull-requests: write steps: - name: Request Copilot review env: GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }} run: | gh api \ --method POST \ -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \ /repos/${{ github.repository }}/pulls/${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}/requested_reviewers \ -f "reviewers[]=copilot-pull-request-reviewer" \ || echo "::warning::Could not request Copilot review (the token may lack pull-requests: write access, or Copilot PR reviews may not be enabled for this repository)"
What changed
- Run on Latchkey managed runners with one line (
runs-on), which apply the fixes below automatically and self-heal transient failures. This example useslatchkey-small; pick the runner size that fits the job. - Cancel superseded runs when a branch or PR gets a newer push.
- Add a job timeout so a hung step cannot burn hours of runner time.
1 third-party action is referenced by a movable tag. Pin it to the commit SHA (Latchkey resolves and applies this automatically) so a repointed tag cannot change what runs.
What Latchkey heals here
This workflow has steps that commonly fail on transient issues (network, registries, flaky browsers). On Latchkey managed runners they are detected, retried, and self-healed instead of failing your build:
- Dependency installs
This workflow runs 2 jobs (4 with the matrix expanded) per trigger. On Latchkey the same minutes cost up to 58% less than GitHub-hosted, with zero queue time.