feat: vcpkg and ccache for windows and some macos ci

Author: sanaa-hamel-microsoft

.github/actions/locate-vcvarsall-and-setup-env/action.yml

@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ inputs:
     description: 'Target architecture (x64 or x86)'
     required: true
     default: 'x64'
+  cache_key:
+    description: 'a workflow & job qualified unique key to distinguish a cache. used as a suffix for subcaches.'
+    required: true
 outputs:
   vcvarsall_path:
     description: "Path to vcvarsall.bat"
@@ -78,3 +81,38 @@ runs:
 
         REM Call the Python script to update the GitHub Actions environment
         python ${{ github.action_path }}\update_environment.py
+
+    - name: Set cache dir env vars
+      env:
+        github_runner_temp: ${{ runner.temp }}
+      shell: pwsh
+      run: |
+        echo "CCACHE_DIR=${env:github_runner_temp}/.ccache" >> "${env:GITHUB_ENV}"
+        echo "VCPKG_DEFAULT_BINARY_CACHE=${env:github_runner_temp}/.vcpkg-cache" >> "${env:GITHUB_ENV}"
+
+        # vcpkg will error/exit if `VCPKG_DEFAULT_BINARY_CACHE` does not exist as a directory.
+        # c.f.  ccache happily creates the cache dir if it does not exist.
+        #       Don't create ccache's dir so that `action/cache` skips if ccache isn't populated.
+        New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path "${env:github_runner_temp}/.vcpkg-cache" -Force
+
+        # HACK: `actions/cache` will somehow pick up `tar` from the git installation. This bin dir is not on the PATH.
+        #       `tar` tries to find `gzip` (which is right next to it), and fails b/c the git bin dir isn't on the PATH.
+        #       This breaks attempts to download/upload caches.
+        #       Add git's bin dir to the PATH so that `actions/cache`'s invoke of `tar` can find `gzip`.
+        echo "PATH=${env:PATH};C:\\Program Files\\Git\\usr\\bin" >> "${env:GITHUB_ENV}"
+
+    # n.b. Caller is responsible for building w/ ccache enabled via `--use_cache`
+    #      We could set the env var `ORT_BUILD_WITH_CACHE` to indirectly enable it, but this hack seems deprecated.
+    #      Ideally ccache should be auto-enabled by the build system if ccache/sccache is detected on the PATH.
+    - name: Setup CCache
+      uses: actions/cache@v4
+      with:
+        # Fully qualify by `cache_key`. `actions/cache` does not isolate by workflow, unlike ADO cache actions.
+        key: ccache | ${{ inputs.cache_key }}
+        path: ${{ runner.temp }}/.ccache # ensure this is coordinated/matches w/ env-vars step above
+
+    - name: Setup VCPKG Cache
+      uses: actions/cache@v4
+      with:
+        key: vcpkg-cache | ${{ inputs.cache_key }}
+        path: ${{ runner.temp }}/.vcpkg-cache

.github/workflows/macos-ci-build-and-test-workflow.yml

@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ jobs:
     # see also: https://github.com/actions/runner-images/blob/main/README.md
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.machine == 'x86_64' && 'macos-13' || 'macos-15' }}
     env:
-      build_flags: >
+      CCACHE_DIR: ~/.cache/ccache # be explicit. must match `action/cache` below.
+      build_flags: >-
         --build_dir ./build
         --skip_submodule_sync
         --parallel
@@ -66,7 +67,9 @@ jobs:
         ${{ inputs.use_webgpu && '--use_webgpu' || '' }}
         ${{ inputs.use_xnnpack && '--use_xnnpack' || '' }}
         ${{ inputs.use_coreml && '--use_coreml --skip_onnx_tests' || '' }}
-        --use_vcpkg --use_vcpkg_ms_internal_asset_cache
+        --use_cache
+        --use_vcpkg
+        --use_vcpkg_ms_internal_asset_cache
         --config ${{ matrix.build_config }}
         --osx_arch ${{ matrix.target }}
 
@@ -76,13 +79,15 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Checkout code
         uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      - uses: microsoft/onnxruntime-github-actions/setup-build-tools@v0.0.9
+
+      - uses: microsoft/onnxruntime-github-actions/setup-build-tools@8bad63a3c05d448311dfa8e5f531171c97471aa1 # v0.0.12
         with:
+          ccache-version: 4.13.1
+          ccache-hash: d831cbd84ac1efb32441c5bfbc7cc662830c0c22e96c5b5b27a6ce4746c81d6076261cf61217fb67ff4585fbd6cbd91ea817aa4ed904b81fcba621bb60881f56
           vcpkg-version: '2025.08.27'
           vcpkg-hash: 9a4b32849792e13bee1d24726f073b3881acae4165206ddf1a6378e44a4ddd05b3ee93f55ff46d8e8873b3cbcd06606212989e248f0bd615a5bf365070074079
           cmake-version: '3.31.8'
           cmake-hash: 99cc9c63ae49f21253efb5921de2ba84ce136018abf08632c92c060ba91d552e0f6acc214e9ba8123dee0cf6d1cf089ca389e321879fd9d719a60d975bcffcc8
-          add-cmake-to-path: 'true'
           disable-terrapin: 'true'
 
       - name: macOS CI pipeline prepare steps
@@ -93,6 +98,18 @@ jobs:
           xcode_version: ${{ env.xcode_version }}
           use_cache: true
 
+      - name: Setup CCache
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          key: ccache | macos-ci-build-and-test-workflow.yml | build-and-test | ${{ matrix.machine }}-${{ matrix.target }}-${{ matrix.build_config }}
+          path: ~/.cache/ccache
+
+      - name: Setup VCPKG Cache
+        uses: actions/cache@v4
+        with:
+          key: vcpkg-cache | macos-ci-build-and-test-workflow.yml | build-and-test | ${{ matrix.machine }}-${{ matrix.target }} # build config doesn't matter, vcpkg builds both
+          path: ~/.cache/vcpkg
+
       - uses: actions/cache@v5
         id: onnx-node-tests-cache
         with:

.github/workflows/windows_build_x64_asan.yml

@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/locate-vcvarsall-and-setup-env # Use the composite action
         with:
           architecture: x64
+          cache_key: windows_build_x64_asan.yml | build_x64
 
       - name: Build and Test (Combined)
         shell: cmd

.github/workflows/windows_cuda.yml

@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/locate-vcvarsall-and-setup-env
         with:
           architecture: x64
+          cache_key: windows_cuda.yml | build
 
       - name: Install python modules
         run: python -m pip install -r .\tools\ci_build\github\windows\python\requirements.txt
@@ -190,6 +191,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/locate-vcvarsall-and-setup-env
         with:
           architecture: x64
+          cache_key: windows_cuda.yml | build # reuse build's caches. we do not expect this stage to modify them.
 
       - name: Install python modules
         run: python -m pip install -r .\tools\ci_build\github\windows\python\requirements.txt

.github/workflows/windows_dml.yml

@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/locate-vcvarsall-and-setup-env
         with:
           architecture: x64
+          cache_key: windows_dml.yml | build_x64_RelWithDebInfo
 
       - name: Install python modules
         run: python -m pip install -r .\tools\ci_build\github\windows\python\requirements.txt

.github/workflows/windows_openvino.yml

@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/locate-vcvarsall-and-setup-env
         with:
           architecture: x64
+          cache_key: windows_openvino.yml | BUILD_OPENVINO_EP
 
       - name: Download OpenVINO Toolkit v2025.4.1
         env:

.github/workflows/windows_qnn_x64.yml

@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/locate-vcvarsall-and-setup-env
         with:
           architecture: x64
+          cache_key: windows_qnn_x64.yml | build_test_qnn_ep_${{ matrix.QnnLibKind }}
 
       - name: Download QNN SDK
         working-directory: ${{ runner.temp }}

.github/workflows/windows_tensorrt.yml

@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/locate-vcvarsall-and-setup-env
         with:
           architecture: x64
+          cache_key: windows_tensorrt.yml | build
 
       - name: Install python modules
         run: python -m pip install -r .\tools\ci_build\github\windows\python\requirements.txt
@@ -196,6 +197,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/locate-vcvarsall-and-setup-env
         with:
           architecture: x64
+          cache_key: windows_tensorrt.yml | build # re-use build's caches, we do not expect to modify/extend them.
 
       - name: Install python modules
         run: python -m pip install -r .\tools\ci_build\github\windows\python\requirements.txt

.github/workflows/windows_webgpu.yml

@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/locate-vcvarsall-and-setup-env
         with:
           architecture: x64
+          cache_key: windows_webgpu.yml | webgpu_build_x64_RelWithDebInfo_${{ matrix.vcpkg_option }}_${{ matrix.wgsl_template }}
 
       - name: Install python modules
         run: python -m pip install -r tools\ci_build\github\windows\python\requirements.txt
@@ -186,6 +187,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/locate-vcvarsall-and-setup-env
         with:
           architecture: x64
+          cache_key: windows_webgpu.yml | webgpu_plugin_build_x64_RelWithDebInfo
 
       - name: Install python modules
         run: python -m pip install -r tools\ci_build\github\windows\python\requirements.txt
@@ -259,6 +261,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/locate-vcvarsall-and-setup-env
         with:
           architecture: x64
+          cache_key: windows_webgpu.yml | webgpu_external_dawn_build_x64_RelWithDebInfo
 
       - name: Install python modules
         run: python -m pip install -r tools\ci_build\github\windows\python\requirements.txt
@@ -316,6 +319,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/locate-vcvarsall-and-setup-env
         with:
           architecture: x64
+          cache_key: windows_webgpu.yml | webgpu_minimal_build_edge_build_x64_RelWithDebInfo
 
       - name: Install python modules
         run: python -m pip install -r tools\ci_build\github\windows\python\requirements.txt

.github/workflows/windows_x64_debug_build_x64_debug.yml

@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: ./.github/actions/locate-vcvarsall-and-setup-env # Use the composite action
         with:
           architecture: x64
+          cache_key: windows_x64_debug_build_x64_debug.yml | build_x64_debug
 
       - name: Install python modules
         shell: cmd