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GitHub Actions CI Workflow Draft for Your Stack

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Draft a GitHub Actions CI workflow YAML that installs, lints, tests and caches dependencies for your stack, with notes on what to check.

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[VERIFY] is an editorial flag, not a blank to fill. Wherever the prompt shows [VERIFY], check that item against a reliable source before you use it.

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Draft a GitHub Actions continuous integration workflow for my repository. Language and framework: [LANGUAGE_AND_FRAMEWORK]. Package manager: [PACKAGE_MANAGER]. Test command: [TEST_COMMAND]. Lint or format command: [LINT_COMMAND]. Branches that should trigger it: [TRIGGER_BRANCHES]. Versions I need to support: [RUNTIME_VERSIONS].

Give me the output in four parts. First, a complete .github/workflows/ci.yml file in one code block, with a clear name, triggers for pushes and pull requests, a build matrix only if I listed more than one runtime version, dependency caching, and separate steps for install, lint and test. Second, a line-by-line plain-language walkthrough of each block so I can maintain it later. Third, a short table with the columns Step, Why it exists, What a failure means. Fourth, a list of optional improvements I could add later, such as concurrency cancellation or restricting token permissions, each flagged [VERIFY] because action names, versions and syntax change over time.

Use the least permissions that work and say which permissions you set. Pin actions to a major version tag and tell me to check the current recommended version and any pinning policy my organisation has. Do not invent secrets, runners or action names you are not sure exist; if something depends on my setup, leave a clearly marked placeholder comment in the YAML. Do not include deployment steps in this file.

Add a worked example with invented details: a Node project using npm, test command npm test, lint command npm run lint, branches main and develop, runtime versions 18 and 20. Show the finished YAML and explain why the matrix produces two jobs.

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