Agent skill · software engineering · github
github-actions-runtime-upgrade-conventions
Upgrade GitHub Actions to supported runtimes by selecting safe action versions, preserving workflow behavior, and validating post-upgrade execution.
Why this skill is useful
Provides specific upgrade conventions and validation steps for GitHub Actions that the AI wouldn't reliably generate on its own.
What it needs
About 2k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-08-07. 37,534 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
GitHub Actions Runtime Upgrade Conventions Use this skill when editing GitHub Actions workflows to address deprecation warnings about action runtimes (for example Node.js runtime migrations). Use This Skill When Workflow logs report an action is running on a deprecated runtime. You are upgrading action versions in .github/workflows/.yml or .github/workflows/.yaml. You need to keep existing workflow behavior while modernizing action dependencies. Upgrade Rules Prefer upgrading to the latest stable major version of each action that is compatible with the workflow. Prefer immutable pins: resolve the target release to a full commit SHA and use that SHA in uses:. Do not pin to mutable tags or branches (for example @v4 or @main) in final recommendations. Upgrade one action at a time per commit (or one tightly related group) so failures are easy to isolate. Keep existing workflow behavior unchanged while upgrading runtime/dependency actions. Actions We Track in This Repo Prioritize runtime review for these groups when warnings appear: Any first-party action under actions/ Especially setup actions under actions/setup- (for example setup-node, setup-python, setup-dotnet) Any other action explicitly named by the runtime deprecation warning in workflow logs Pinning Pattern When recommending upgrades, identify the latest compatible release first, then use the corresponding commit SHA with an optional version comment. Verification Checklist After changing action versions: 1. Ensure all edited workflows still parse and keep the same triggers/permissions unless intentionally changed. 2. Run the affected workflows (or equivalent local build/test commands) and confirm the upgraded steps complete successfully. 3. Confirm release/signing/artifact steps still produce expected outputs where applicable. 4. Check workflow run logs for any new deprecation warnings or runtime migration notes. PR Notes Include in the PR summary: Which actions were upgraded (from -> to). …
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills github/github-actions-runtime-upgrade-conventions