How it works
A workflow is a YAML file in .github/workflows that says when to run (on a push, a pull request, a schedule or a button press) and what to do. Each job runs on a fresh virtual machine called a runner, with Linux, Windows or macOS, and is made of steps: shell commands or reusable actions from the Marketplace, such as checking out code or setting up Node.js. Secrets such as deploy keys are stored encrypted and passed in at run time.
Jobs can run in parallel, across a matrix of versions and operating systems, and can deploy to any cloud. Scheduled workflows use cron syntax in UTC and may start late when GitHub is busy. Teams can also run jobs on their own machines (self-hosted runners). Third-party actions run with access to the code and its secrets, so pinning each one to a specific commit is a sensible habit.
GitHub Actions pros and cons
Pros
- Built into GitHub, with no separate service to connect
- Free for public repositories, with a monthly allowance for private ones
- Thousands of ready-made actions in the Marketplace
- Linux, Windows and macOS runners, plus your own machines
Cons
- YAML workflows are awkward to debug and to test locally
- macOS minutes cost roughly ten times as much as Linux minutes
- Ties the pipeline to GitHub, and third-party actions are a supply-chain risk
When to use GitHub Actions
Pick it when
- Your code already lives on GitHub
- Tests, builds and deploys on every push or pull request
- Scheduled chores such as nightly jobs, backups or dependency checks
Skip it when
- Code is hosted on GitLab or Bitbucket, which have their own CI
- Heavy iOS build pipelines, where your own Macs or a dedicated service cost less
GitHub Actions pricing
Free tier
Free for public repositories and self-hosted runners. Private repositories get 2,000 minutes a month on Free (3,000 on Team), then about $0.006 a minute on Linux, $0.01 on Windows and $0.062 on macOS.
GitHub Actions pricing page (opens in a new tab)Approximate, checked September 2026.What the other tools cost
Related terms
More in Dev workflow and DevOps
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