How to Retry failed commands or composite action configured in a step from a Github action.yml file

[GithubUserPraveen]

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Hi All,

I am new to github. But I have past experience with git.
I have a query regarding retry the failed commands or composite actions.
These commands or composite actions are configured as a step in my action.yml.
I want to give a retry to these failed steps from the action.yml.

Any suggestion or documents are welcome.

Thank you,
Praveen

[nirav-gajera]

There are two ways to retry failed commands or composite actions in your action.yml file:

• Use the retry-step action. The retry-step action is a GitHub Action that allows you to retry a failed step up to a specified number of times. The retry-step action takes the following inputs:
  • command: The command to run.
  • max_attempts: The maximum number of times to retry the command.
  • retry_wait_seconds: The number of seconds to wait between retries.

For example, the following action.yml file will retry the npm install command up to 3 times, with a 10-second delay between retries:

steps:
  - name: Install dependencies
    run: npm install
    retry:
      command: npm install
      max_attempts: 3
      retry_wait_seconds: 10

• Use the continue-on-error attribute. The continue-on-error attribute allows you to continue the workflow even if a step fails. This means that you can retry the failed step manually by running the workflow again.

For example, the following action.yml file will continue the workflow even if the npm install command fails:

steps:
  - name: Install dependencies
    run: npm install
    continue-on-error: true

[GithubUserPraveen]

Hi Nirav,

Thank you for the reply.
Is this feature will also be available in Github enterprise.
I get an error : Unexpected value 'retry'.

Is it because my company doesn't allow to use global action only local actions can be used withing the company enterprise Github account.

[GithubUserPraveen]

Hi All,

Even I tried running retry-setup action as mentioned above from my private account on github.
I am getting the same error which says "Unexpected value 'retry'."
Can anyone help me below is the step I have defined in my workflow file.

• name: Test Retry
  run: npm install
  retry:
  command: npm install
  max_attempts: 3
  retry_wait_seconds: 5

[tao12345666333]

@GithubUserPraveen maybe its retry-step action.
https://github.com/marketplace/actions/retry-step

[carolinectan]

GitHub Actions doesn’t have a built-in retry: key, but I was able to hand-roll a retry loop in the workflow step itself. For example:

- name: "Run specific folder of tests"
  run: |
    max_attempts=3
    attempt=1

    # First run (no retry message)
    bundle exec rspec spec/integration && exit 0

    # Retries if the first run failed
    until [ "$attempt" -ge "$max_attempts" ]
    do
      echo "❌ Attempt $attempt failed. Retrying..."
      attempt=$((attempt+1))
      bundle exec rspec spec/integration && exit 0
    done

    echo "❌ All $max_attempts attempts failed."
    exit 1