Guide

Domain 1: Author and maintain workflows (40% of exam)¶

Work with events that trigger workflows¶

• Configure workflows to run for one or more events
• Configure workflows to run for scheduled events
• Configure workflows to run for manual events
• Configure workflows to run for webhook events (i.e. check_run, check_suite, deployment, etc.)
• Demonstrate a GitHub event to trigger a workflow based on a practical use case

Use the components of a workflow¶

• Identify the correct syntax for workflow jobs (i.e. indentation and encapsulation of parts of the workflow)
• Use job steps for actions and shell commands
• Use conditional keywords for steps
• Describe how actions, workflows, jobs, steps, runs, and the marketplace work together
• Identify scenarios suited for using GitHub-hosted and self-hosted runners
• Implement workflow commands as a run step to communicate with the runner
• Demonstrate the use of dependent jobs

Use encrypted secrets and environment variables as part of a workflow¶

• Use encrypted secrets to store sensitive information
• Identify the available default environment variables during the construction of the workflow
• Identify the location to set custom environment variables in a workflow
• Identify when to use the GITHUB_TOKEN secret
• Demonstrate how to use workflow commands to set environment variables

Create a workflow for a particular purpose¶

• Add a script to a workflow
• Demonstrate how to publish to GitHub Packages using a workflow
• Demonstrate how to publish to GitHub Container Registry using a workflow
• Use database and service containers in a GitHub Actions workflow
• Use labels to route workflows to specific runners
• Use CodeQL as a step in a workflow
• Demonstrate how to publish a component as a GitHub release using GitHub Actions
• Deploy a release to a cloud provider using a GitHub Actions workflow

Manage workflow runs¶

• Configure caching of workflow dependencies
• Identify steps to pass data between jobs in a workflow
• Remove workflow artifacts from GitHub
• Add a workflow status badge
• Add environment protections
• Define a matrix of different job configurations
• Implement workflow approval gates

Domain 2: Consume workflows (20% of exam)¶

Interpret the effects of a workflow¶

• Identify the event that triggered a workflow from its effects in a repository, issue, or pull request
• Describe a workflow’s effects from reading its configuration file
• Diagnose a failed workflow run (i.e. using a workflow run history and its logs, determine why a workflow run may have failed)
• Identify ways to access the workflow logs from the user interface
• Identify ways to access the workflow logs from GitHub’s REST API
• Enable step debug logging in a workflow
• Demonstrate how to use default environment variables in a workflow
• Demonstrate the correct syntax for passing custom environment variables in a workflow step

Locate a workflow, its logs, and artifacts¶

• Describe where to locate a workflow in a repository
• Explain the difference between disabling and deleting of workflows
• Demonstrate how to download workflow artifacts from the user interface
• Describe how to use an organization’s templated workflow

Use actions in a workflow¶

• Define the indicators of what makes a trustworthy action
• Identify an action’s type, inputs, and outputs
• Demonstrate how to use the specific version of an action in a workflow

Domain 3: Author and maintain actions (25% of exam)¶

Use available action types¶

• Identify the type of action required for a given problem (i.e. JavaScript, Docker container, run step)
• Demonstrate how to troubleshoot JavaScript actions
• Demonstrate how to troubleshoot Docker container actions

Describe the components of an action¶

• Identify the files and directory structure needed to create an action
• Identify the metadata and syntax needed to create an action
• Implement workflow commands within an action to communicate with the runner (Note: this includes exit codes)

Distribute an action¶

• Identify how to select an appropriate distribution model for an action (i.e., public, private, marketplace) - [x] Identify the best practices for distributing custom actions
• Demonstrate how to create a release strategy for an action (i.e. versioning)
• Demonstrate how to publish an action to the GitHub marketplace

Domain 4: Manage GitHub Actions in the enterprise (15% of exam)¶

Distribute actions and workflows to the enterprise¶

• Explain reuse templates for actions and workflows
• Define an approach for managing and leveraging reusable components (i.e. repos for storage, naming conventions for files/folders, and plans for ongoing maintenance)
• Define how to distribute actions for an enterprise
• Define how to control access to actions within the enterprise
• Configure organizational use policies for GitHub Actions

Manage runners for the enterprise¶

• Describe the effects of configuring IP allow lists on GitHub-hosted and self-hosted runners
• Describe how to select appropriate runners to support workloads (i.e. using a self-hosted versus GitHub-hosted runner, choosing supported operating systems)
• Explain the difference between GitHub-hosted and self-hosted runners
• Configure self-hosted runners for enterprise use (i.e. including proxies, labels, networking)
• Demonstrate how to manage self-hosted runners using groups (i.e. managing access, moving runners into and between groups)
• Demonstrate how to monitor, troubleshoot, and update self-hosted runners

Manage encrypted secrets in the enterprise¶

• Identify the scope of encrypted secrets
• Demonstrate how to access encrypted secrets within actions and workflows
• Explain how to manage organization-level encrypted secrets
• Explain how to manage repository-level encrypted secrets