create-github-action-workflow-specification

by github

Generates formal, AI-optimized specifications for GitHub Actions workflows to standardize documentation and enable maintenance. Produces structured markdown specifications with execution flow diagrams, job dependency matrices, and requirement tables designed for token efficiency Covers functional, security, and performance requirements alongside input/output contracts, error handling strategies, and quality gates Includes sections for monitoring, compliance, edge cases, and change management... npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill create-github-action-workflow-specification Download ZIPGitHub36.2k

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.

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 Name Purpose Dependencies Execution Context job-1 [Purpose] [Prerequisites] [Runner/Environment] job-2 [Purpose] job-1 [Runner/Environment]

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

Type Name Purpose Scope Secret SECRET_1 [Purpose] Workflow Variable VAR_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 Type Response Recovery Action Build Failure [Response] [Recovery steps] Test Failure [Response] [Recovery steps] Deployment Failure [Response] [Recovery steps]

Quality Gates

Gate Definitions

Gate Criteria Bypass 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

Condition Severity Notification Target [Condition] [Level] [Who/Where]

Integration Points

External Systems

System Integration Type Data Exchange SLA Requirements [System] [Type] [Data format] [Requirements]

Dependent Workflows

Workflow Relationship Trigger 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

Scenario Expected Behavior Validation 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

• Specification Update: Modify this document first

• Review & Approval: [Approval process]

• Implementation: Apply changes to workflow

• Testing: [Validation approach]

• Deployment: [Release process]

Version History

Version Date Changes Author 1.0 [Date] Initial specification [Author]

Related Specifications

• [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

• Use Tables: Dense information in structured format

• Abbreviate Consistently: Define once, use throughout

• Bullet Points: Avoid prose paragraphs

• Code Blocks: Structured data over narrative

• Cross-Reference: Link instead of repeat information

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