Guide · Agent skill
How to use the GitHub Actions Templates agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The github-actions-templates skill gives an AI agent a set of tested-pattern examples and instructions for writing GitHub Actions workflow files, the YAML that tells GitHub what to run on each push or pull request. It is for developers who want a working starting point for continuous integration and deployment, and for people who want to learn what a typical workflow looks like. By the end of this guide you will know how to install the skill, ask for workflows in plain language, and review the output before it goes anywhere near a real repository.
GitHub Actions Templateswshobson/agents · MIT Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download and unzip. Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it so you have a folder containing SKILL.md.
- 2Place the skill folder. Copy it to ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or to .claude/skills/ inside one project. Alternatively, upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills in the Claude apps.
- 3Prepare your repository. Make sure the repository has GitHub Actions enabled and create any secrets your workflow will reference.
- 4Ask for a workflow. Describe the task, language, versions and deploy target in a plain request so the agent loads the skill.
- 5Review the YAML. Check the generated file in .github/workflows/, replace any placeholder commands and example URLs, and confirm secret names.
- 6Commit and run. Commit the workflow file and check the first run in the Actions tab of your repository.
What is an agent skill and what does this one make the agent do?
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file of instructions and examples that an AI agent can load when a task matches the skill's description. This skill is only instructions and example templates; it does not run anything on its own.
Once installed, the agent can produce ready-to-use GitHub Actions workflow YAML for common automation tasks. The source covers running tests across several language versions, building and pushing Docker images, deploying to Kubernetes, running security scans, and setting up reusable workflows and approval-gated production deploys.
- Test workflows with matrix builds across multiple versions (for example Node.js 18.x and 20.x)
- Docker image builds pushed to a registry such as GHCR
- Kubernetes deployments with rollout status checks
- Security scans with Trivy and Snyk, with results uploaded to GitHub Security
- Reusable workflows called from other workflows
- Production deploys using a GitHub environment, with a Slack notification step
Install the GitHub Actions Templates skill
Download the ZIP for this skill from this page and unzip it. The skill is delivered as a folder containing SKILL.md. Put that folder in one of these locations:
For all of your projects, place it in ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, place it in that project's .claude/skills/ folder. You can also upload the ZIP in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal: ~/.claude/skills/
- Single project: .claude/skills/ inside the project folder
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload the ZIP
Trigger the skill with a natural request
You do not need a special command. The skill's description says it applies when you set up CI/CD with GitHub Actions, automate development workflows, or create reusable workflow templates, so ask in those terms. Name the thing you want automated, the language or stack, and where the workflow should live.
Be specific about your repository. The source's examples assume a .github/workflows/ folder, and the agent needs to know whether you use npm, pip, Docker or Kubernetes so it picks the right pattern.
- "Write a GitHub Actions test workflow for my Node project that runs lint and tests on Node 18 and 20."
- "Create a workflow that builds my Docker image and pushes it to ghcr.io on tags starting with v."
- "Make a reusable test workflow in .github/workflows/ that other workflows can call with a Node version input."
- "Add a security scan with Trivy that uploads SARIF results to GitHub Security."
Review and adapt the output before you use it
The agent writes the workflow file, usually into .github/workflows/. Read it before committing. The skill's examples reference secrets such as AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID, AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY, SNYK_TOKEN, SLACK_WEBHOOK and NPM_TOKEN, and you must create those in your GitHub repository yourself.
The production deploy example is a template. Its deploy step contains only a placeholder comment (# Deployment commands here) and an example URL, https://app.example.com. Replace both with your real commands and address, and test the workflow before relying on it.
- Confirm every referenced secret exists in GitHub
- Replace placeholder deploy commands and example URLs
- Check the cluster name, region and namespace in Kubernetes examples
- Commit the file and watch the first run in the Actions tab
name: Test
on:
push:
branches: [main, develop]
pull_request:
branches: [main]Understand the safety notes: scripts and network
According to the skill's listing, it runs no scripts and makes no network calls of its own. Its job is to write text. The workflows it produces are a different matter: when GitHub runs them, they can deploy code, push images and call external services such as Slack, so their effects are real.
Follow the skill's own best practices when reviewing output: pin action versions (for example @v4 rather than @latest), keep credentials in secrets rather than in the file, set appropriate permissions, and use approval gates for production. The skill also suggests self-hosted runners for sensitive workloads.
- The skill itself runs no scripts and uses no network
- Generated workflows run in GitHub and can take real actions, so review them
- Store credentials as GitHub secrets, not in YAML
- Use environments with approvals for production deploys
Tips for better results
Ask for one workflow per purpose, such as separate test, build and deploy files. This matches the source's patterns and keeps each file easier to review and debug.
If you use several repositories, ask for a reusable workflow once and call it from each repository's workflow with uses: and a with: block, as the source's reusable workflow example does.
- Name your language version, OS matrix and registry up front
- Ask for caching of dependencies (the skill recommends it)
- Ask for a Slack or failure notification step if your team uses one
- If you use GitLab, use the separate gitlab-ci-patterns skill instead
What people use it for
- Running lint and tests on several Node.js or Python versions with a matrix build
- Building a Docker image and pushing it to a container registry on version tags
- Deploying a Kubernetes manifest set and checking rollout status
- Adding Trivy or Snyk security scans that report to GitHub Security
- Creating a reusable test workflow shared across several repositories
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the GitHub Actions Templates skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it. Place the folder in ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or in a project's .claude/skills/ folder, or upload the ZIP in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
What do I need to use this skill?
You need a GitHub repository with GitHub Actions enabled and an AI agent that can read and write files so it can save the workflow YAML. For the deploy examples you also need the relevant secrets in GitHub and cloud or Kubernetes access.
Is the GitHub Actions Templates skill free?
The skill is published under the MIT licence. This page does not list any price, so check the licence in the source repository for the terms that apply.
Does the skill run code or access the internet?
According to the listing, it runs no scripts and uses no network. It contains instructions and example templates. The workflows it generates run in GitHub when you commit them, and those runs can call external services.
Can I use this skill for GitLab CI?
No. This skill covers GitHub Actions syntax only. The source points to a separate gitlab-ci-patterns skill for GitLab CI workflows.
Why does the production deploy example not work as is?
It is a template. The deploy step contains a placeholder comment and an example URL, https://app.example.com, so you must add your real deployment commands and address and test it before relying on it.
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Our verdict
Use this skill if you are setting up or improving CI/CD in a GitHub repository and want a fast, well-structured starting point, or if you are learning what typical workflows look like. Pick something else if you have no GitHub or deployment experience, since the output still needs review and setup, or if you need deployments to production without human checks, or if your team uses GitLab or another CI system.
Download the skill