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miguelangaranocurrents merged 4 commits into from
May 14, 2026
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[CSR-4288] Document Playwright Last Failed action in README #105

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docs: rewrite README for Playwright Last Failed action
cursoragent May 13, 2026
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docs: use third-person wording in README (no you/your)
cursoragent May 13, 2026
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docs: fix README for markdownlint and textlint (CI)
cursoragent May 13, 2026
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docs: hyphenate post-cache step in README
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# Create a GitHub Action Using TypeScript

[![GitHub Super-Linter](https://github.com/actions/typescript-action/actions/workflows/linter.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/super-linter/super-linter)
![CI](https://github.com/actions/typescript-action/actions/workflows/ci.yml/badge.svg)
[![Check dist/](https://github.com/actions/typescript-action/actions/workflows/check-dist.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/actions/typescript-action/actions/workflows/check-dist.yml)
[![CodeQL](https://github.com/actions/typescript-action/actions/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/actions/typescript-action/actions/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml)
[![Coverage](./badges/coverage.svg)](./badges/coverage.svg)

Use this template to bootstrap the creation of a TypeScript action. :rocket:

This template includes compilation support, tests, a validation workflow,
publishing, and versioning guidance.

If you are new, there's also a simpler introduction in the
[Hello world JavaScript action repository](https://github.com/actions/hello-world-javascript-action).

## Create Your Own Action

To create your own action, you can use this repository as a template! Just
follow the below instructions:

1. Click the **Use this template** button at the top of the repository
1. Select **Create a new repository**
1. Select an owner and name for your new repository
1. Click **Create repository**
1. Clone your new repository

> [!IMPORTANT]
>
> Make sure to remove or update the [`CODEOWNERS`](./CODEOWNERS) file! For
> details on how to use this file, see
> [About code owners](https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/managing-your-repositorys-settings-and-features/customizing-your-repository/about-code-owners).

## Initial Setup

After you've cloned the repository to your local machine or codespace, you'll
need to perform some initial setup steps before you can develop your action.

> [!NOTE]
>
> You'll need to have a reasonably modern version of
> [Node.js](https://nodejs.org) handy (20.x or later should work!). If you are
> using a version manager like [`nodenv`](https://github.com/nodenv/nodenv) or
> [`nvm`](https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm), this template has a `.node-version`
> file at the root of the repository that will be used to automatically switch
> to the correct version when you `cd` into the repository. Additionally, this
> `.node-version` file is used by GitHub Actions in any `actions/setup-node`
> actions.

1. :hammer_and_wrench: Install the dependencies

```bash
npm install
```

1. :building_construction: Package the TypeScript for distribution

```bash
npm run bundle
```

1. :white_check_mark: Run the tests

```bash
$ npm test

PASS ./index.test.js
✓ throws invalid number (3ms)
✓ wait 500 ms (504ms)
✓ test runs (95ms)

...
```

## Update the Action Metadata

The [`action.yml`](action.yml) file defines metadata about your action, such as
input(s) and output(s). For details about this file, see
[Metadata syntax for GitHub Actions](https://docs.github.com/en/actions/creating-actions/metadata-syntax-for-github-actions).

When you copy this repository, update `action.yml` with the name, description,
inputs, and outputs for your action.

## Update the Action Code

The [`src/`](./src/) directory is the heart of your action! This contains the
source code that will be run when your action is invoked. You can replace the
contents of this directory with your own code.

There are a few things to keep in mind when writing your action code:

- Most GitHub Actions toolkit and CI/CD operations are processed asynchronously.
In `main.ts`, you will see that the action is run in an `async` function.

```javascript
import * as core from '@actions/core'
//...

async function run() {
try {
//...
} catch (error) {
core.setFailed(error.message)
}
}
```

For more information about the GitHub Actions toolkit, see the
[documentation](https://github.com/actions/toolkit/blob/master/README.md).

So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and start customizing your action!

1. Create a new branch

```bash
git checkout -b releases/v1
```

1. Replace the contents of `src/` with your action code
1. Add tests to `__tests__/` for your source code
1. Format, test, and build the action

```bash
npm run all
```

> This step is important! It will run [`ncc`](https://github.com/vercel/ncc)
> to build the final JavaScript action code with all dependencies included.
> If you do not run this step, your action will not work correctly when it is
> used in a workflow. This step also includes the `--license` option for
> `ncc`, which will create a license file for all of the production node
> modules used in your project.

1. Commit your changes

```bash
git add .
git commit -m "My first action is ready!"
```

1. Push them to your repository

```bash
git push -u origin releases/v1
```

1. Create a pull request and get feedback on your action
1. Merge the pull request into the `main` branch

Your action is now published! :rocket:

For information about versioning your action, see
[Versioning](https://github.com/actions/toolkit/blob/master/docs/action-versioning.md)
in the GitHub Actions toolkit.

## Validate the Action

You can now validate the action by referencing it in a workflow file. For
example, [`ci.yml`](./.github/workflows/ci.yml) demonstrates how to reference an
action in the same repository.
# Playwright Last Failed (GitHub Action)

This action supports **re-running only the Playwright tests that failed** when
GitHub Actions runs “re-run failed jobs” (or similar retries). It works together
with [Currents](https://currents.dev) and the
[`@currents/cmd`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@currents/cmd) CLI.

**Full setup, sharding, orchestration, and CI build ID details:** [Re-run only
failed tests (GitHub Actions)][gha-rerun] on [docs.currents.dev][docs]. For
background on why re-runs need extra configuration, see the guide [Re-run only
failed tests][guide-rerun].

## Purpose

- Before the Playwright test step: restores **last run** metadata (via Currents
cache or the Currents API) and exposes **extra Playwright CLI flags** as a
step output.
- After the job (cache mode only): saves updated **last run** metadata so the
next retry can target failures again.

The step output is passed into the Playwright command—for example
`npx playwright test … ${{ steps.<id>.outputs.extra-pw-flags }}`—so only failed
tests run on retry.

## How it works

The action runs on **Node 24** and installs `@currents/cmd` globally
(`npm install -g @currents/cmd`). It then behaves in one of two ways:

### 1. Cache mode (default)

Suited to workflows that report runs to Currents with a **record key** (typical
Playwright reporter + sharding flow).

1. **Main step:** runs `npx currents cache get` with the `last-run` preset. On
success, it reads a generated preset file and sets the output
`extra-pw-flags`.
1. **Post step:** runs `npx currents cache set` with the same preset so the next
workflow attempt can read an updated snapshot.

Authentication and targeting use the **Currents record key** (input `key` or
`CURRENTS_RECORD_KEY`). Optional `id`, `path`, matrix inputs, and
`pw-output-dir` tune what is cached.

### 2. API / orchestration mode (`use-api` or `or8n`)

Suited to workflows that rely on **Currents Orchestration** (or otherwise need
the CLI to resolve failures via the API). In this mode the **post-cache step is
skipped**.

On **re-run attempts** (`GITHUB_RUN_ATTEMPT` > 1), the main step runs
`npx currents api get-run` to fetch the previous run and, when successful, sets
`extra-pw-flags` to `--last-failed`. The workflow should define
**`CURRENTS_API_KEY`**, **`CURRENTS_PROJECT_ID`** (and related environment
variables as in the docs), and set **`or8n: true`** (or `use-api: true`) as
shown in the [orchestration section][or8n-section] of the documentation.

## Outputs

| Name | Description |
| ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| `extra-pw-flags` | Flags to append to the Playwright test command. |

If restoration fails, the output may be empty; the workflow can still run tests
normally.

## Inputs (options)

- **`key`** (optional, default `''`). Currents **record key**, or set
`CURRENTS_RECORD_KEY`. Used in cache mode.
- **`debug`** (optional, default `false`). Enables debug logging for CLI
commands.
- **`id`** (optional, default `''`). Cache ID namespace for `cache get` /
`cache set`.
- **`path`** (optional, default `''`). Comma-separated paths to include when
writing cache (post step).
- **`output-dir`** (optional, default `''`). Directory for preset output during
`cache get`.
- **`pw-output-dir`** (optional, default `test-results`). Playwright output
directory; used for API mode `.last-run.json` path and for `--pw-output-dir`
on cache set.
- **`matrix-index`** (optional, default `1`). Shard index for parallel runs
(`cache get` / `cache set`).
- **`matrix-total`** (optional, default `1`). Total shards.
- **`use-api`** (optional, default `false`). API-based last-failed resolution
(same code path as `or8n`).
- **`or8n`** (optional, default `false`). Orchestration-oriented behavior (API
path; no post-cache step).
- **`api-key`** (optional, default `''`). API key, or set `CURRENTS_API_KEY` in
the environment.
- **`project-id`** (optional, default `''`). Currents project ID, or set
`CURRENTS_PROJECT_ID`.
- **`previous-ci-build-id`** (optional, default `''`). Override for the previous
CI build ID when resolving the prior run (see [custom CI build
ID][custom-ci-build-id]).

\*In cache mode a record key (input or environment) is required for meaningful
cache reads/writes.

## Setup

1. **Add `@currents/cmd` to the repository** as a dev dependency and install
with a **frozen lockfile** in CI (`npm ci`, etc.). The action installs a
global CLI for convenience; pinning `@currents/cmd` in the repository keeps
CI reproducible. See the note in the [official docs][gha-rerun].
1. **Configure Currents** (record key, and for API mode, API key and project ID)
using secrets and `env` as described in the documentation.
1. **Add this action before the Playwright step** and pass `extra-pw-flags` into
the test command.
1. **Sharding:** set `matrix-index` and `matrix-total` from the job matrix (for
example `${{ matrix.shard }}` and `${{ strategy.job-total }}`).

### Minimal example (cache mode, sharded)

```yaml
steps:
- name: Checkout
id: checkout
uses: actions/checkout@v4

- name: Test Local Action
id: test-action
uses: ./
with:
milliseconds: 1000

- name: Print Output
id: output
run: echo "${{ steps.test-action.outputs.time }}"
- name: Playwright Last Failed
id: last-failed
uses: currents-dev/playwright-last-failed@v1
env:
CURRENTS_RECORD_KEY: ${{ secrets.CURRENTS_RECORD_KEY }}
with:
pw-output-dir: test-results
matrix-index: ${{ matrix.shard }}
matrix-total: ${{ strategy.job-total }}

- name: Run Playwright
run: npx playwright test ${{ steps.last-failed.outputs.extra-pw-flags }}
```

For example workflow runs, check out the
[Actions tab](https://github.com/actions/typescript-action/actions)! :rocket:
For orchestration (`or8n: true`), environment variables, custom
`CURRENTS_CI_BUILD_ID`, and copypaste workflows, see **[Re-run only failed tests
(GitHub Actions)][gha-rerun]**.

## Usage
## Action metadata

After testing, you can create version tag(s) that developers can use to
reference different stable versions of your action. For more information, see
[Versioning](https://github.com/actions/toolkit/blob/master/docs/action-versioning.md)
in the GitHub Actions toolkit.
Input/output definitions are in [`action.yml`](./action.yml).

To include the action in a workflow in another repository, you can use the
`uses` syntax with the `@` symbol to reference a specific branch, tag, or commit
hash.
## Developing this repository

```yaml
steps:
- name: Checkout
id: checkout
uses: actions/checkout@v4

- name: Test Local Action
id: test-action
uses: actions/typescript-action@v1 # Commit with the `v1` tag
with:
milliseconds: 1000

- name: Print Output
id: output
run: echo "${{ steps.test-action.outputs.time }}"
```
This action is implemented in TypeScript (`src/index.ts`, `src/post.ts`). After
changing sources, run `npm run all` to format, lint, test, and rebuild `dist/`
before committing.

<!-- prettier-ignore-start -->
<!-- markdownlint-disable MD013 -->

[docs]: https://docs.currents.dev
[gha-rerun]: https://docs.currents.dev/getting-started/ci-setup/github-actions/re-run-failed-only-tests
[guide-rerun]: https://docs.currents.dev/guides/ci-optimization/re-run-only-failed-tests
[or8n-section]: https://docs.currents.dev/getting-started/ci-setup/github-actions/re-run-failed-only-tests#currents-orchestration
[custom-ci-build-id]: https://docs.currents.dev/getting-started/ci-setup/github-actions/re-run-failed-only-tests#custom-ci-build-id-for-reruns

## Publishing a New Release

This project includes a helper script, [`script/release`](./script/release)
designed to streamline the process of tagging and pushing new releases for
GitHub Actions.

GitHub Actions allows users to select a specific version of the action to use,
based on release tags. This script simplifies this process by performing the
following steps:

1. **Retrieving the latest release tag:** The script starts by fetching the most
recent SemVer release tag of the current branch, by looking at the local data
available in your repository.
1. **Prompting for a new release tag:** The user is then prompted to enter a new
release tag. To assist with this, the script displays the tag retrieved in
the previous step, and validates the format of the inputted tag (vX.X.X). The
user is also reminded to update the version field in package.json.
1. **Tagging the new release:** The script then tags a new release and syncs the
separate major tag (e.g. v1, v2) with the new release tag (e.g. v1.0.0,
v2.1.2). When the user is creating a new major release, the script
auto-detects this and creates a `releases/v#` branch for the previous major
version.
1. **Pushing changes to remote:** Finally, the script pushes the necessary
commits, tags and branches to the remote repository. From here, you will need
to create a new release in GitHub so users can easily reference the new tags
in their workflows .
<!-- markdownlint-enable MD013 -->
<!-- prettier-ignore-end -->