actions/cache
Cache
This project is a GitHub Actions cache action designed to persist build state, dependencies, and compiled outputs across different runner environments and pipeline executions. It functions as a continuous integration dependency cache that utilizes content hashes to store and retrieve files, reducing installation time between workflow runs.
The system distinguishes itself through cross-platform build caching, allowing build data to be transferred between different operating systems and runner architectures when the files are platform-independent. It also implements branch-based cache isolation to restrict access to specific branches and pull requests, preventing data leakage across different development streams.
The project covers broad capability areas including build dependency and output caching to bypass redundant tasks, and comprehensive cache management for monitoring usage and configuring storage limits. It further supports flexible restoration via fallback matching and provides utilities for manual cache eviction and existence verification.
Features
- Build Optimization - Optimizes CI build performance by caching dependencies and compiled files to reduce execution time.
- Task Skipping - Bypasses subsequent installation or build tasks when a matching cache entry is found.
- Cross-Platform Build Caches - Provides a shared storage layer that allows build data to be transferred between different operating systems.
- Branch-Based Isolation - Restricts cache access to the current branch or pull request to ensure build integrity and prevent data leakage.
- Build Caches - Saves and restores files between workflow runs using unique keys to reduce total build time.
- Environment Caching in CI - Provides a mechanism to store and retrieve files via content hashes, reducing installation time in CI.
- Cross-Platform Cache Mapping - Allows build data to be transferred between different operating systems when files are platform-independent.
- Dependency Management - Avoids repeated library installation by hashing configuration files and caching the resulting folders.
- Remote Build Artifact Storage - Stores archived build artifacts in a centralized external system for retrieval via unique keys.
- Build Artifact Content Hashes - Generates deterministic cache keys by hashing the content of dependency files to trigger updates.
- Environment Caching Actions - Ships a GitHub Action that saves and restores dependencies and build outputs between workflow runs.
- Partial Key Matching - Implements flexible cache restoration using a sequence of partial match keys to find the closest compatible version.
- Cache Fallback Matching - Retrieves the most recent compatible cache by matching keys that start with a specific string.
- CI Cache Limit Configuration - Provides a system for setting and retrieving retention and storage limits for caches across organizations.
- CI Cache Storage Management - Controls and monitors the amount of disk space used by cached build artifacts across repositories.
- Branch-Based Isolation - Implements branch-based isolation to prevent cache data leakage across different development streams.
- Environment Branching - Isolates cached data between different branches and pull requests to prevent environment leakage.
- Build Artifact State - Persists build artifacts and environment data between separate executions of a continuous integration pipeline.
- Cross-Platform Test Execution - Shares build artifacts across different operating system runners to speed up multi-platform verification.
- Deployment and Infrastructure - Caching tool for GitHub Actions workflows.
- Core Workflow Actions - Cache dependencies and build outputs in GitHub Actions.
