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Create Github Action Workflow Specification

GitHubOfficialOriginally contributed by @PlagueHO as prompts/create-github-action-workflow-specification.prompt.md; moved into a skill by pull request #761Distributed by GitHub

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From the author

Create a formal specification for an existing GitHub Actions CI/CD workflow, optimized for AI consumption and workflow maintenance.
— the description by PlagueHO

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

This skill provides a structured framework for documenting GitHub Actions CI/CD workflows. By abstracting implementation details and focusing on behavioral requirements, inputs, outputs, and constraints, it creates a standardized specification that is easier for both human engineers and AI agents to interpret, maintain, and update. The output is a comprehensive Markdown document containing dependency diagrams, requirement matrices, and governance policies.

What it does

  • Extracts core business objectives and functional requirements from existing workflow files.
  • Maps job execution flows and dependencies using Mermaid diagrams.
  • Documents input/output contracts, secrets, and environment variables.
  • Defines performance metrics, quality gates, and error handling strategies.
  • Establishes compliance, audit requirements, and change management processes.
  • Standardizes documentation format for improved AI-assisted maintenance.

When to use it

  • When preparing to refactor or migrate complex CI/CD pipelines.
  • When onboarding new team members to existing automation processes.
  • When you need to improve the maintainability of legacy GitHub Actions workflows.
  • When establishing governance and compliance documentation for automated deployments.

Advantages

  • Reduces technical debt by decoupling workflow behavior from specific syntax.
  • Enhances AI agent performance by providing structured, token-efficient documentation.
  • Centralizes critical information like security constraints and quality gates.
  • Facilitates easier audits and compliance checks through standardized reporting.

Usage examples

“Create a formal specification for the workflow file located at .github/workflows/main-ci.yml.”
The agent analyzes the specified YAML file and generates a comprehensive /spec/spec-process-cicd-main-ci.md document detailing the workflow's purpose, job dependencies, and requirements.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://autogineer.com/agent-skills/github/create-github-action-workflow-specification/download
  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip create-github-action-workflow-specification.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by PlagueHO

Create GitHub Actions Workflow Specification

Create a comprehensive specification for the GitHub Actions workflow: ${input:WorkflowFile}.

This specification serves as a specification for the workflow's behavior, requirements, and constraints. It must be implementation-agnostic, focusing on what the workflow accomplishes rather than how it's implemented.

AI-Optimized Requirements

  • Token Efficiency: Use concise language without sacrificing clarity

  • Structured Data: Leverage tables, lists, and diagrams for dense information

  • Semantic Clarity: Use precise terminology consistently throughout

  • Implementation Abstraction: Avoid specific syntax, commands, or tool versions

  • Maintainability: Design for easy updates as workflow evolves

Specification Template

Save as: /spec/spec-process-cicd-[workflow-name].md

---
title: CI/CD Workflow Specification - [Workflow Name]
version: 1.0
date_created: [YYYY-MM-DD]
last_updated: [YYYY-MM-DD]
owner: DevOps Team
tags: [process, cicd, github-actions, automation, [domain-specific-tags]]
---

## Workflow Overview

**Purpose**: [One sentence describing workflow's primary goal]
**Trigger Events**: [List trigger conditions]
**Target Environments**: [Environment scope]

## Execution Flow Diagram

```mermaid
graph TD
    A[Trigger Event] --> B[Job 1]
    B --> C[Job 2]
    C --> D[Job 3]
    D --> E[End]
    
    B --> F[Parallel Job]
    F --> D
    
    style A fill:#e1f5fe
    style E fill:#e8f5e8

Jobs & Dependencies

Job NamePurposeDependenciesExecution Context
job-1[Purpose][Prerequisites][Runner/Environment]
job-2[Purpose]job-1[Runner/Environment]

Requirements Matrix

Functional Requirements
IDRequirementPriorityAcceptance Criteria
REQ-001[Requirement]High[Testable criteria]
REQ-002[Requirement]Medium[Testable criteria]
Security Requirements
IDRequirementImplementation Constraint
SEC-001[Security requirement][Constraint description]
Performance Requirements
IDMetricTargetMeasurement Method
PERF-001[Metric][Target value][How measured]

Input/Output Contracts

Inputs
# Environment Variables
ENV_VAR_1: string  # Purpose: [description]
ENV_VAR_2: secret  # Purpose: [description]

# Repository Triggers
paths: [list of path filters]
branches: [list of branch patterns]
Outputs
# Job Outputs
job_1_output: string  # Description: [purpose]
build_artifact: file  # Description: [content type]
Secrets & Variables
TypeNamePurposeScope
SecretSECRET_1[Purpose]Workflow
VariableVAR_1[Purpose]Repository

Execution Constraints

Runtime Constraints
  • Timeout: [Maximum execution time]

  • Concurrency: [Parallel execution limits]

  • Resource Limits: [Memory/CPU constraints]

Environmental Constraints
  • Runner Requirements: [OS/hardware needs]

  • Network Access: [External connectivity needs]

  • Permissions: [Required access levels]

Error Handling Strategy

Error TypeResponseRecovery Action
Build Failure[Response][Recovery steps]
Test Failure[Response][Recovery steps]
Deployment Failure[Response][Recovery steps]

Quality Gates

Gate Definitions
GateCriteriaBypass Conditions
Code Quality[Standards][When allowed]
Security Scan[Thresholds][When allowed]
Test Coverage[Percentage][When allowed]

Monitoring & Observability

Key Metrics
  • Success Rate: [Target percentage]

  • Execution Time: [Target duration]

  • Resource Usage: [Monitoring approach]

Alerting
ConditionSeverityNotification Target
[Condition][Level][Who/Where]

Integration Points

External Systems
SystemIntegration TypeData ExchangeSLA Requirements
[System][Type][Data format][Requirements]
Dependent Workflows
WorkflowRelationshipTrigger Mechanism
[Workflow][Type][How triggered]

Compliance & Governance

Audit Requirements
  • Execution Logs: [Retention policy]

  • Approval Gates: [Required approvals]

  • Change Control: [Update process]

Security Controls
  • Access Control: [Permission model]

  • Secret Management: [Rotation policy]

  • Vulnerability Scanning: [Scan frequency]

Edge Cases & Exceptions

Scenario Matrix
ScenarioExpected BehaviorValidation Method
[Edge case][Behavior][How to verify]

Validation Criteria

Workflow Validation
  • VLD-001: [Validation rule]

  • VLD-002: [Validation rule]

Performance Benchmarks
  • PERF-001: [Benchmark criteria]

  • PERF-002: [Benchmark criteria]

Change Management

Update Process
  1. Specification Update: Modify this document first

  2. Review & Approval: [Approval process]

  3. Implementation: Apply changes to workflow

  4. Testing: [Validation approach]

  5. Deployment: [Release process]

Version History
VersionDateChangesAuthor
1.0[Date]Initial specification[Author]
  • [Link to related workflow specs]

  • [Link to infrastructure specs]

  • [Link to deployment specs]


## Analysis Instructions

When analyzing the workflow file:

1. **Extract Core Purpose**: Identify the primary business objective
2. **Map Job Flow**: Create dependency graph showing execution order
3. **Identify Contracts**: Document inputs, outputs, and interfaces
4. **Capture Constraints**: Extract timeouts, permissions, and limits
5. **Define Quality Gates**: Identify validation and approval points
6. **Document Error Paths**: Map failure scenarios and recovery
7. **Abstract Implementation**: Focus on behavior, not syntax

## Mermaid Diagram Guidelines

### Flow Types
- **Sequential**: `A --> B --> C`
- **Parallel**: `A --> B & A --> C; B --> D & C --> D`
- **Conditional**: `A --> B{Decision}; B -->|Yes| C; B -->|No| D`

### Styling
```mermaid
style TriggerNode fill:#e1f5fe
style SuccessNode fill:#e8f5e8
style FailureNode fill:#ffebee
style ProcessNode fill:#f3e5f5
Complex Workflows

For workflows with 5+ jobs, use subgraphs:

graph TD
    subgraph "Build Phase"
        A[Lint] --> B[Test] --> C[Build]
    end
    subgraph "Deploy Phase"  
        D[Staging] --> E[Production]
    end
    C --> D

Token Optimization Strategies

  1. Use Tables: Dense information in structured format

  2. Abbreviate Consistently: Define once, use throughout

  3. Bullet Points: Avoid prose paragraphs

  4. Code Blocks: Structured data over narrative

  5. Cross-Reference: Link instead of repeat information

Focus on creating a specification that serves as both documentation and a template for workflow updates.

Files

LICENSE

MIT License

Copyright GitHub, Inc.

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.

Requirements and compatibility

Written for: GitHub Copilot

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Security

No issues found by our static scan· No issues found

A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.

Attribution and licence

Originally contributed by
GitHub avatar of PlagueHO@PlagueHOas prompts/create-github-action-workflow-specification.prompt.mdmoved into a skill by pull request #761
Publisher
GitHub (Official)
Distributed by
GitHub
Source
github/awesome-copilot · skills/create-github-action-workflow-specification · commit 797337f
Licence
MIT License (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
Synced
Contributors
CypherHK, PlagueHO, derekclair

AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by PlagueHO or GitHub.

Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download create-github-action-workflow-specification.zip