Clean closed branch caches workflow (pandas-dev/pandas)

The Clean closed branch caches workflow from pandas-dev/pandas, explained and optimized by Latchkey.

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Source: pandas-dev/pandas.github/workflows/cache-cleanup.ymlLicense BSD-3-ClauseView source

What it does

This is the Clean closed branch caches workflow from the pandas-dev/pandas repository, a real project running GitHub Actions. It is shown here with attribution under its BSD-3-Clause license.

Below, Latchkey shows a faster, safer version produced by its optimization engine.

The workflow

workflow (.yml)

name: Clean closed branch caches
on:
  schedule:
    # 4:10 UTC daily
    - cron: "10 4 * * *"
  pull_request:
    types:
      - closed

permissions: {}

defaults:
  run:
    shell: bash -euxo pipefail {0}

jobs:
  cleanup:
    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
    if: github.repository_owner == 'pandas-dev'
    steps:
      - name: Clean closed pull request caches
        if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
        env:
          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
        run: >
          gh cache delete
          --repo pandas-dev/pandas
          --all
          --ref refs/pull/${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}/merge
          --succeed-on-no-caches
      - name: Clean all caches
        if: github.event_name == 'schedule'
        env:
          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
        run: >
          gh cache delete
          --repo pandas-dev/pandas
          --all
          --succeed-on-no-caches

The same workflow, on Latchkey

Removes redundant runs and caps runaway jobs. Added and changed lines are highlighted.

name: Clean closed branch caches
on:
  schedule:
    # 4:10 UTC daily
    - cron: "10 4 * * *"
  pull_request:
    types:
      - closed
 
permissions: {}
 
defaults:
  run:
    shell: bash -euxo pipefail {0}
 
concurrency:
  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
  cancel-in-progress: true
 
jobs:
  cleanup:
    timeout-minutes: 30
    runs-on: latchkey-small
    if: github.repository_owner == 'pandas-dev'
    steps:
      - name: Clean closed pull request caches
        if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
        env:
          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
        run: >
          gh cache delete
          --repo pandas-dev/pandas
          --all
          --ref refs/pull/${{ github.event.pull_request.number }}/merge
          --succeed-on-no-caches
      - name: Clean all caches
        if: github.event_name == 'schedule'
        env:
          GH_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
        run: >
          gh cache delete
          --repo pandas-dev/pandas
          --all
          --succeed-on-no-caches

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 uses latchkey-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.

This workflow runs 1 job per trigger. On Latchkey the same minutes cost up to 58% less than GitHub-hosted, with zero queue time.