Using if expressions with Step contexts

Learn how to control step execution based on the outcome of previous steps. In this guide, we’ll update a Unit Testing workflow so that the Archive Test Result step runs regardless of test success or failure.

Initial Workflow

Our current Unit Testing job runs on Node.js v18 and v20 across Ubuntu and macOS. If any step fails, subsequent steps (like archiving test results) are skipped:

name: Unit Testing
strategy:
  matrix:
    nodejs_version: [18, 20]
    operating_system: [ubuntu-latest, macos-latest]
    exclude:
      - nodejs_version: 18
        operating_system: macos-latest
runs-on: ${{ matrix.operating_system }}
steps:
  - name: Checkout Repository
    uses: actions/checkout@v4

  - name: Setup Node.js ${{ matrix.nodejs_version }}
    uses: actions/setup-node@v3
    with:
      node-version: ${{ matrix.nodejs_version }}

  - name: Install Dependencies
    run: npm install

  - name: Unit Testing
    run: npm test

  - name: Archive Test Result
    uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
    with:
      name: Mocha-Test-Result
      path: test-results.xml

Simulating a Failing Test

Modify app-test.js to introduce an assertion error and force a failure:

// app-test.js
let mongoose = require("mongoose");
let server = require("../app");
let chai = require("chai");
let chaiHttp = require("chai-http");

chai.should();
chai.use(chaiHttp);

describe("Planets API Suite", () => {
  describe("Fetching Planet Details", () => {
    it("it should fetch a planet named Mercury", (done) => {
      let payload = { id: 1 };
      chai.request(server)
        .post("/planet")
        .send(payload)
        .end((err, res) => {
          res.should.have.status(200);
          // Intentional error to force a failure:
          res.body.should.have.property("name").eql("Mercury_ERRORRRRRRRRRR");
          done();
        });
    });

    it("it should fetch a planet named Venus", (done) => {
      let payload = { id: 2 };
      chai.request(server)
        .post("/planet")
        .send(payload)
        .end((err, res) => {
          done();
        });
    });
  });
});

After pushing this change, the workflow fails at the Unit Testing step:

The image shows a GitHub Actions workflow summary with a failed status, indicating that unit testing jobs did not pass.

$ npm test
> mocha app-test.js --timeout 10000 --reporter mocha-junit-reporter --exit

Server successfully running on port - 3000
Error: Process completed with exit code 1.

Because the test step failed, the Archive Test Result step never runs and no XML artifact is produced.

Understanding Step Contexts

GitHub Actions exposes a steps context to examine the outcome of previous steps. Each step can have properties like outcome, conclusion, and custom outputs accessible by its id.

You can learn more about contexts in the official docs:
Contexts documentation

The image shows a GitHub Docs page about "Contexts" in GitHub Actions, explaining how to access context information in workflows and actions. It includes a sidebar with navigation links and a warning about security considerations.

The image shows a GitHub Docs page about the "steps context" in GitHub Actions, detailing properties like outputs and conclusions for job steps.

Reference a step property like this:

${{ steps.<step-id>.<property> }}

Assigning an ID to the Testing Step

Give your test step an id so other steps can refer to it:

- name: Unit Testing
  id: nodejs-unit-testing
  run: npm test

Status Check Functions

Use built-in functions to control when steps run:

Function	Description
`success()`	Only if all previous steps and jobs succeeded (default)
`failure()`	Only if a previous step or job failed
`always()`	Run regardless of the outcome of previous steps or jobs

Learn more in the GitHub Actions expressions guide: Evaluating expressions

The image shows a GitHub Docs page about evaluating expressions in workflows and actions, with navigation links on the left and a content section on the right.

Conditional Archive Step

1. Archive Only on Failure

To upload artifacts only when tests fail:

- name: Archive Test Result
  if: failure() && steps.nodejs-unit-testing.outcome == 'failure'
  uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
  with:
    name: Mocha-Test-Result
    path: test-results.xml

This runs the archive step when the testing step fails:

The image shows a GitHub Actions workflow in progress, with unit testing and code coverage jobs being executed. Some unit tests have failed, as indicated by red and yellow status icons.

The image shows a GitHub Actions interface with a failed unit testing job on Ubuntu, displaying error logs and details about artifact uploads.

2. Archive on Every Run

If you want the test results available on both success and failure, use always():

steps:
  - name: Checkout Repository
    uses: actions/checkout@v4

  - name: Setup Node.js ${{ matrix.nodejs_version }}
    uses: actions/setup-node@v3
    with:
      node-version: ${{ matrix.nodejs_version }}

  - name: Install Dependencies
    run: npm install

  - name: Unit Testing
    id: nodejs-unit-testing
    run: npm test

  - name: Archive Test Result
    if: always()
    uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
    with:
      name: Mocha-Test-Result
      path: test-results.xml

On a successful run, archiving still occurs:

The image shows a GitHub Actions workflow interface with a unit testing job for Ubuntu, displaying a list of completed steps in the job.

Introduction

Continuous Integration with GitHub Actions

Continuous Deployment with GitHub Actions

Reusable Workflows and Reporting

Custom Actions

Self Hosted Runner

Security Guide

GitHub Actions - Core Concepts

Using if expressions with Step contexts

Initial Workflow

Simulating a Failing Test

Understanding Step Contexts

Assigning an ID to the Testing Step

Status Check Functions

Conditional Archive Step

1. Archive Only on Failure

2. Archive on Every Run

Links and References

Watch Video

Practice Lab

​Initial Workflow

​Simulating a Failing Test

​Understanding Step Contexts

​Assigning an ID to the Testing Step

​Status Check Functions

​Conditional Archive Step

​1. Archive Only on Failure

​2. Archive on Every Run

​Links and References

Watch Video

Practice Lab

Initial Workflow

Simulating a Failing Test

Understanding Step Contexts

Assigning an ID to the Testing Step

Status Check Functions

Conditional Archive Step

1. Archive Only on Failure

2. Archive on Every Run

Links and References