preventing-github-actions-loops

What problem does it solve?

GitHub Actions workflows can accidentally trigger each other in infinite recursive loops when workflow outputs like pushes, pull requests, comments, or tags re-activate other workflows in the same repository. These loops waste CI/CD resources, generate failed runs, and clutter repository activity logs, making it hard to track legitimate pipeline executions.

Core Features & Use Cases

• Pre-write guardrails: Provides a checklist and recommended guard patterns to insert when authoring new workflows to avoid loop-prone trigger configurations.
• Runtime audit workflow: Offers a step-by-step process to scan existing .github/workflows/*.yml files for cyclic trigger paths, including hard-to-detect mutual A→B→A loops.
• Use case: If you maintain a repository with an auto-commit workflow that pushes documentation changes, use this skill to verify the push event won't re-trigger the same workflow and add a [skip ci] guard to eliminate the loop risk.

Quick Start

Use the preventing-github-actions-loops skill to audit all workflows in your repository's .github/workflows directory for potential infinite trigger loops and get prioritized fix recommendations for any high-risk candidates found.