Don't run actions on draft pull requests

[carestad]

I am trying to set up my workflow so it doesn’t run when opening/synching/reopening pull requests that are marked as draft.

I have found that I can use

if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false

on my job, but it will still run for a few seconds, and “fail”, leaving a red X on every commit on the PR until it is marked ready for reveiw.

I could maybe add a dummy-job that has

if: github.event.pull_request.draft == true

on it, and just echo something, but it will still run for a few seconds though.

My test-workfow so far looks like this:

name: Deploy test
on:

pull_request:

branches: [master]

types: [synchronize, opened, reopened, ready_for_review]
jobs:

build:

runs-on: ubuntu-latest

if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false

timeout-minutes: 10
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v1
- name: Run all the stuff to set up my site and run tests
  run: set_up_site

draft-build:

runs-on: ubuntu-latest

if: github.event.pull_request.draft == true

timeout-minutes: 1
steps:
- name: Run a one-line script
  run: echo Draft PR, you are good.

Will those seconds be added up and billed? Is there another or better way of getting around this?

[wipe2238]

jobs.<id>.if is broken currently, that’s why you get “fail” instead of “skip” status.

[carestad]

Ah, okay. So if I just leave it as-is and they fix the issue it won’t be a problem?

[wipe2238]

Yeah, if you don’t mind extra notifications. I’m not touching mine waiting for a fix - beauty of betas :]

[dbirks]

I can confirm that this works for me now:

if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false

Thanks for pointing it out!

[viktorianer]

Because of this, I have found a better way for myself.

on:
  pull_request:
    types: [review_requested, ready_for_review]

See
https://help.github.com/en/actions/reference/events-that-trigger-workflows#pull-request-event-pull_request
https://help.github.com/en/actions/reference/workflow-syntax-for-github-actions#onevent_nametypes

[julioromano]

@viktorianer 

on:
  pull_request:
    types: [review_requested, ready_for_review]

This isn’t working for me. Github actions are run anyways.

[Notso]

This works for me if I create two separate workflows (two separate ymls) where one only has these pull request types and another has the other types (e.g., opened, synchronize, reopened)

[julioromano]

@wipe2238 

if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false

Is working but it has 2 drawbacks:

 - The check is reported as successful even though it didn’t actually run

 - When the PR is switched from “draft” to “ready” the CI does not run again and the check is still marked as successful so  a user is able to merge the PR without having the check actually pass. 

[gajus]

These are pretty major drawbacks. Just encountered this myself. Has anyone got a better suggestion?

[dalyr95]

Add the ready_for_review trigger, it does nothing by itself, if you have a trigger like push your action will still run without the if. But when you add the if, your workflow will run when you push the ready for review button

[viktorianer]

@julioromano
Could you provide your configuration? Because, it should work. We use it in our configuration and it is working very well.

[julioromano]

@viktorianer 

name: My CI
on:

push:

branches: [master]

tags:

- '*'

pull_request:

types: [review_requested, ready_for_review]

jobs:

build:

runs-on: ubuntu-latest

steps:

# omitted

[viktorianer]

@julioromano
Thank you.

But I do not see my suggested solution in your configuration 🙄.

[julioromano]

Sorry brainfart :slight_smile: I edited it.

I pasted wrong code while trying other solutions.

[viktorianer]

@julioromano I think it is not working because you have these two lines here, which is not what I suggested. 

@julioromano wrote:

@viktorianer 

 

name: My CI

on:
push:
branches: [master]
…

---

 

You should remove them. 

It should look like this:

name: reviewdog
on:
  pull_request:
    types: [review_requested, ready_for_review]
jobs:
  ...:

[0gust1]

I tested it, still not very practical : it would run action once after undrafting or review request, but not for further pushes on the PR (e.g. when the reviewer asked changes and the developer pushes them).

When your actions are running tests or lint… it’s not ideal.

[viktorianer]

Just invite the reviewer again (small refresh button next to the name). It is not really good, but works. Unlike other things.

[natario1]

It seems to me that you should just use both:

on:  
  pull_request:
    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened, ready_for_review]
jobs:
  JOB:
    if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false

So it won’t run while draft, but it does run when undrafting and for future updates.

[lydell]

@natario1’s solution works very well! Thanks!

I have one issue though: When I press “Ready for review”, it takes a couple of seconds for the new run to trigger. During that time the check is marked as passed. It’s enough time to easily merge the pull request. This makes it possible to accidentally bypass the branch protection rule that the check must pass before merging. 😱

[chenrui333]

natario1:

on:  
  pull_request:
    types: [opened, synchronize, reopened, ready_for_review]
jobs:
  JOB:
    if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false

This would be a simpler solution

on:  
  pull_request:
jobs:

JOB:

if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false

[missedone]

@chenrui333 nope, your simpler version won’t work, see the official notes:

Note: By default, a workflow only runs when a pull_request 's activity type is opened , synchronize , or reopened . To trigger workflows for more activity types, use the types keyword.

docs.github.com

Events that trigger workflows - GitHub Docs

//docs.github.com/en/actions/reference/events-that-trigger-workflows

[UnHumbleBen]

You can add an additional job that fails if pull request is a draft to prevent the bypass problem:

Example:

  fail_if_pull_request_is_draft:
    if: github.event.pull_request.draft == true
    runs-on: ubuntu-18.04
    steps:
    - name: Fails in order to indicate that pull request needs to be marked as ready to review and unit tests workflow needs to pass.
      run: exit 1

[LeoBorai]

Using the following trigger options worked for me. You have to first open PRs as Draft but whenever you turn it Ready for review CI workflows will be executed.

on:
  push:
    branches:
      - main
  pull_request:
    branches: [main]
    paths:
      - "**"
      - "!/*.md"
      - "!/**.md"
    types:
      - ready_for_review

[bbredewold]

This only responds to the ready_for_review change on the PR. You have to add conditionals to the tasks you don't want to run.

[matifali]

They would not be run on subsequent pushes i.e., the synchronize event

[vfilter]

This took us a while to figure out, but if you want the

    types: [review_requested, ready_for_review]

to work, make sure your workflow has the right permission to read PRs in the repo. Without that, it won't trigger.

[h-mayorquin]

Why do you also add the review_requested?

[GuillermoAbadLopez]

I think, its so you can manually trigger it, whenever you want, by re-requesting review

[wolfch-elsevier]

I need the ability to to run CI on a draft PR when the PR is for changes to the GHA code itself and I don't want/need review/feedback in early stages of GHA code fixes/features. In fact, I'm running a CI build right now on a draft PR to test a GHA change.
https://github.com/elsevier-health/hgraph/actions/runs/12675721072

[eivindjahren]

As it is now, the workarounds are too ad hoc for us. It should be possible to have the github actions not start at all as long as the PR is draft and have it start as soon as you get the ready for review event. It should also start immediately if the PR is opened not as a draft.

[iulspop]

yes!