Debug-action-cache Exclusive -

The operation of a debug-action-cache can be broken down into a few straightforward steps:

To view a complete list of all saved caches, their sizes, their creation times, and their explicit keys, run:

Enviroment variables are notorious for busting caches covertly. System updates might change your local PATH or add variables like USER or LANG . debug-action-cache

Create a secret named ACTIONS_STEP_DEBUG and set its value to true .

Most cache problems boil down to key mismanagement. Let’s break down the anatomy of a cache action: The operation of a debug-action-cache can be broken

Add a step after restore to list the cached directory:

The arguments passed to the compiler or tool. Most cache problems boil down to key mismanagement

Look closely at the hashes of the inputs. If a file hash changed but you didn't touch the file, that file is likely catching generated timestamps or dynamic metadata. Step 3: Inspect Environment Leakage

The most powerful debug-action-cache technique is to store a .checksum file inside the cache.

| Step | Command / Action | Result | |------|------------------|--------| | Enable debug logs | Set secret ACTIONS_RUNNER_DEBUG to true | ✅ / ❌ | | List cache entries | gh actions-cache list --limit 50 | Shows: <list keys> | | Check exact key used | Log $ hashFiles('package-lock.json') | Value: <hash> | | Verify path exists | ls -la ~/.npm before save | ✅ / ❌ | | Check cache size | du -sh <path> | Size: <MB> (< 10GB?) | | Test exact key restore | Manual restore using key only | Works / Fails |

Use this UI to: