Chapter 9: GitHub Actions Hands-On

9.5b Local act / dry thinking before push

By Ravindra Bagale · Last updated: 1 October 2026

Before you push a brand-new workflow, read it top to bottom once:

1. Which events trigger it?
2. Which job runs on PRs vs only on main?
3. Where do secrets enter?
4. What tag will the image get?
5. What would a stranger see in the PR Checks UI?

Optional tools exist to run Actions-like steps locally; they are optional. Careful reading already catches half the mistakes.

What you see when healthy: PR shows a single clear check name; main shows test + docker jobs; registry lists the git SHA tag.