Google Java Format workflow (vmware/versatile-data-kit)

The Google Java Format workflow from vmware/versatile-data-kit, explained and optimized by Latchkey.

What it does

This is the Google Java Format workflow from the vmware/versatile-data-kit 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

# Copyright 2023-2025 Broadcom
# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0

name: Google Java Format

on:
  push:
    branches: [ "**" ]

jobs:

  formatting:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v2 # v2 minimum required
      - uses: axel-op/googlejavaformat-action@v3
        with:
          args: "--skip-sorting-imports --replace"

The same workflow, on Latchkey

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

# Copyright 2023-2025 Broadcom
# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
name: Google Java Format
 
on:
  push:
    branches: [ "**" ]
 
concurrency:
  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
  cancel-in-progress: true
 
jobs:
 
  formatting:
    timeout-minutes: 30
    runs-on: latchkey-small
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v2 # v2 minimum required
      - uses: axel-op/googlejavaformat-action@v3
        with:
          args: "--skip-sorting-imports --replace"
 

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• Cancel superseded runs when a branch or PR gets a newer push.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.

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.

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

Actions used in this workflow