Compose Reusable Workflows to Share CI Logic

Extract repeated CI steps into a reusable workflow so consumer repos call it with one line instead of duplicating YAML.

~20 mincireusabledry-run

Task

Automate gh workflow run shared-ci.yml --ref main -f project=$REPO so pipeline failures are caught before merge and never reach production.

When to use this

A pull request merges with a broken gh workflow run shared-ci.yml --ref main -f project=$REPO step because the workflow did not gate on it, causing a failed deploy.

Prerequisites

Node.js 22 and pnpm available
A CI workflow file in .github/workflows

Steps

1. Configure gh workflow run shared-ci.yml --ref main -f project=$REPO in the project configuration file with the recommended defaults.

gh workflow run shared-ci.yml --ref main -f project=$REPO

Expected output: The configuration is accepted and gh workflow run shared-ci.yml --ref main -f project=$REPO runs without errors on the first invocation.

2. Run the check locally to verify gh workflow run shared-ci.yml --ref main -f project=$REPO produces the expected result before pushing.

act -j build  # or: pnpm test

Expected output: Local run matches CI behavior; no surprises after push.

3. Add the gate to the CI pipeline so gh workflow run shared-ci.yml --ref main -f project=$REPO blocks merge on failure.

- name: Run add reusable workflow composition
  run: pnpm test

Expected output: Pull requests with failing gh workflow run shared-ci.yml --ref main -f project=$REPO are blocked from merging.

Troubleshooting

Problem

The check passes locally but fails in CI

Solution

Pin dependency versions and the runtime to match CI exactly; reproduce with the same Docker image or act.

Problem

Configuration is rejected with a schema error

Solution

Check the tool version matches the config schema; older versions may not support newer fields.

Limitations

The gate only runs on events that trigger the workflow; locally pushed commits bypass it.
Configuration drift is possible if someone edits settings outside version control.

Gate the pipeline before merge

Start by measuring the problem. Extract repeated CI steps into a reusable workflow so consumer repos call it with one line instead of duplicating YAML. The most common mistake is adding the gate without first confirming it catches the issue you care about. Run gh workflow run shared-ci.yml –ref main -f project=$REPO against the current codebase and inspect the output before wiring it into CI.

gh workflow run shared-ci.yml --ref main -f project=$REPO

Make failures actionable

Once the gate is in place, make failures actionable. A failing gh workflow run shared-ci.yml –ref main -f project=$REPO should point to the exact file and line, not a generic error. Pin the tool version in the lockfile so a upstream release does not silently change behavior. Review the gate output in every pull request just like a test result.