GitHub Actions Practice Exam

What the GitHub Actions exam covers

• Workflows and Events79 questions
• Jobs, Steps, and Runners85 questions
• Secrets and Security65 questions
• Reuse and Optimization64 questions

Free GitHub Actions sample questions

A sample of 10 questions with answers and explanations. Sign up free to practice all 293.

1. Question 1Workflows and Events

   In what file format and location are GitHub Actions workflows defined?

   • AA DHCP config
   • BYAML files in .github/workflows/ in the repositoryCorrect
   • CA DNS zone file
   • DJSON in the repo root only
   ✓ Correct answer: B

   GitHub Actions workflows are the fundamental automation mechanism in GitHub, defined through YAML configuration that specifies triggers, jobs, and steps. Workflows execute on events like pushes, pull requests, or manual dispatch, providing CI/CD capabilities integrated directly into repositories. Understanding workflow structure and configuration is essential for GitHub Actions certification.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • AA DHCP config is incorrect because DHCP and DNS are network infrastructure concepts unrelated to GitHub Actions or Git version control.
   • CA DNS zone file is incorrect because DHCP and DNS are network infrastructure concepts unrelated to GitHub Actions or Git version control.
   • DJSON in the repo root only is incorrect because it does not represent the appropriate GitHub feature for this scenario.
2. Question 2Jobs, Steps, and Runners

   Which step keyword runs shell commands?

   • AOn:
   • Brun:Correct
   • Cneeds:
   • Duses:
   ✓ Correct answer: B

   run: executes command-line programs in the runner's shell, such as Bash on Linux/macOS or PowerShell on Windows, and you can supply multiple lines with a block scalar. Each run: step starts a new shell process by default, and you can change the interpreter with the shell: key. It is how a step performs custom scripting rather than delegating to a prebuilt action.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • AOn: defines the events that trigger the workflow; it controls when the workflow runs and does not execute shell commands.
   • Cneeds: makes a job wait for other jobs to finish first; it sequences jobs rather than running any commands.
   • Duses: references a reusable action to run in a step; it invokes packaged code instead of running inline shell commands.
3. Question 3Reuse and Optimization

   For GitHub-hosted runners on private repos, how is billable usage of standard Linux runners calculated?

   • ABy number of steps regardless of duration
   • BBy rounded-up wall-clock minutes per job, with a per-minute rate (Windows and macOS cost more multipliers)Correct
   • CBy number of commits pushed
   • DBy repository size in GB
   ✓ Correct answer: B

   Runners are the execution environments where GitHub Actions workflows run. GitHub provides hosted runners with standard operating system images including Ubuntu, Windows, and macOS. Self-hosted runners enable execution on custom infrastructure for specialized hardware, network access, or compliance requirements. Runner selection directly impacts workflow capabilities and cost.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • ABy number of steps regardless of duration is incorrect because it does not represent the appropriate GitHub feature, configuration, or best practice for this scenario.
   • CBy number of commits pushed is incorrect because it does not represent the appropriate GitHub feature, configuration, or best practice for this scenario.
   • DBy repository size in GB is incorrect because it does not represent the appropriate GitHub feature, configuration, or best practice for this scenario.
4. Question 4Workflows and Events

   Which trigger configuration avoids running the same heavy workflow on every commit of a busy branch while still validating the final state?

   • AAdd continue-on-error to every job
   • BUse schedule every minute
   • CCombine concurrency with cancel-in-progress so only the latest push of a branch keeps runningCorrect
   • DTrigger on push to all branches with no concurrency
   ✓ Correct answer: C

   GitHub Actions workflows are the fundamental automation mechanism in GitHub, defined through YAML configuration that specifies triggers, jobs, and steps. Workflows execute on events like pushes, pull requests, or manual dispatch, providing CI/CD capabilities integrated directly into repositories. Understanding workflow structure and configuration is essential for GitHub Actions certification.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • AAdd continue-on-error to every job is incorrect because it does not represent the appropriate GitHub feature, configuration, or best practice for this scenario.
   • BUse schedule every minute is incorrect because it does not represent the appropriate GitHub feature, configuration, or best practice for this scenario.
   • DTrigger on push to all branches with no concurrency is incorrect because it does not represent the appropriate GitHub feature, configuration, or best practice for this scenario.
5. Question 5Reuse and OptimizationSelect all that apply

   Which TWO are valid ways to reduce duplicated workflow logic across a repository? (Choose TWO)

   • ADefine a reusable workflow with on: workflow_call and invoke it via a job's uses:Correct
   • Bcreate a composite action in .github/actions and call it with uses:Correct
   • CCopy the same steps into every workflow file manually
   • DStore the YAML in a Gist and link it in the README
   ✓ Correct answer: A, B

   create a composite action in .github/actions and call it with uses:. Both correct answers represent complementary best practices that work together to address the requirement. Implementing both approaches provides comprehensive coverage of the GitHub concept or optimization.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • CCopy the same steps into every workflow file manually is incorrect because it does not represent a valid GitHub feature or pattern.
   • DStore the YAML in a Gist and link it in the README is incorrect because it does not represent a valid GitHub feature or pattern.
6. Question 6Reuse and Optimization

   You are deciding between GitHub-hosted and self-hosted runners for a job that must reach an on-prem database behind a corporate firewall. Which is the better architectural fit and why?

   • Aneither; jobs cannot access databases
   • BGitHub-hosted runners, because they automatically have access to private corporate networks
   • Ceither one; network location is irrelevant to runners
   • Dself-hosted runners, because they can be placed inside the network with access to private/on-prem resourcesCorrect
   ✓ Correct answer: D

   Runners are the execution environments where GitHub Actions workflows run. GitHub provides hosted runners with standard operating system images including Ubuntu, Windows, and macOS. Self-hosted runners enable execution on custom infrastructure for specialized hardware, network access, or compliance requirements. Runner selection directly impacts workflow capabilities and cost.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • Aneither; jobs cannot access databases is incorrect because it incorrectly claims a feature or capability does not exist when GitHub Actions or Git actually supports it.
   • BGitHub-hosted runners, because they automatically have access to private corporate networks is incorrect because it does not represent the appropriate GitHub feature, configuration, or best practice for this scenario.
   • Ceither one; network location is irrelevant to runners is incorrect because it does not represent the appropriate GitHub feature, configuration, or best practice for this scenario.
7. Question 7Reuse and Optimization

   An environment has a required reviewer and a wait timer of 30 minutes. A deploy job targets this environment. What is the gotcha regarding the workflow run time limit?

   • AThe approval/wait time counts against the overall run lifetime (max 35 days), and a job can wait for approval up to 30 days before it is cancelledCorrect
   • BWait timers and approvals do not consume any time limit
   • CApproval gates make the job exempt from all time limits permanently
   • DThe job restarts the 6-hour clock for every reviewer
   ✓ Correct answer: A

   GitHub Actions workflows are the fundamental automation mechanism in GitHub, defined through YAML configuration that specifies triggers, jobs, and steps. Workflows execute on events like pushes, pull requests, or manual dispatch, providing CI/CD capabilities integrated directly into repositories. Understanding workflow structure and configuration is essential for GitHub Actions certification.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • BWait timers and approvals do not consume any time limit is incorrect because it does not represent the appropriate GitHub feature, configuration, or best practice for this scenario.
   • CApproval gates make the job exempt from all time limits permanently is incorrect because it does not represent the appropriate GitHub feature, configuration, or best practice for this scenario.
   • DThe job restarts the 6-hour clock for every reviewer is incorrect because README files are documentation artifacts, gists are code snippets, stars are social features for marking favorite repositories, and printers are hardware devices - none are GitHub Actions or Git functionality.
8. Question 8Workflows and EventsSelect all that apply

   Which TWO help you observe and report the outcome of a workflow externally? (Choose TWO)

   • AAppend the result to a DNS TXT record
   • Buse the Checks/Commit Status API to publish run status to the commit/PRCorrect
   • CWrite a Markdown summary to $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARYCorrect
   • DStore the result only in the runner's BIOS
   ✓ Correct answer: B, C

   Write a Markdown summary to $GITHUB_STEP_SUMMARY. These answers correctly identify valid GitHub Actions features or patterns. Both represent correct implementations for the scenario described in the question.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • AAppend the result to a DNS TXT record is incorrect because it involves network infrastructure concepts unrelated to GitHub Actions or Git functionality.
   • DStore the result only in the runner's BIOS is incorrect because it does not represent a valid GitHub feature or pattern.
9. Question 9Reuse and Optimization

   You integrate a workflow with an external API and must avoid leaking the API key in logs. Besides storing it as a secret, what additional protection does GitHub Actions provide automatically?

   • ASecrets are stored in a public artifact
   • BLogs are disabled whenever a secret is used
   • CSecrets are emailed to admins instead of logged
   • DRegistered secret values are masked (replaced with ***) in workflow logsCorrect
   ✓ Correct answer: D

   GitHub Actions workflows are the fundamental automation mechanism in GitHub, defined through YAML configuration that specifies triggers, jobs, and steps. Workflows execute on events like pushes, pull requests, or manual dispatch, providing CI/CD capabilities integrated directly into repositories. Understanding workflow structure and configuration is essential for GitHub Actions certification.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • ASecrets are stored in a public artifact is incorrect because it does not represent the appropriate GitHub feature, configuration, or best practice for this scenario.
   • BLogs are disabled whenever a secret is used is incorrect because it incorrectly claims a feature or capability does not exist when GitHub Actions or Git actually supports it.
   • CSecrets are emailed to admins instead of logged is incorrect because it does not represent the appropriate GitHub feature, configuration, or best practice for this scenario.
10. Question 10Secrets and Security

    In an OIDC trust policy for a cloud role, which claim should you constrain to limit assumption to a specific repository and branch?

    • AThe 'jti' claim
    • BThe 'sub' claim (e.g., repo:org/name:ref:refs/heads/main)Correct
    • CThe 'aud' claim set to the repo URL
    • DThe 'iat' claim
    ✓ Correct answer: B

    Git is the distributed version control system that underlies GitHub. Commits represent immutable snapshots of code changes with unique SHA hashes. Branches enable parallel development lines. Understanding Git concepts is fundamental to using GitHub effectively for version control and collaboration.

    Why the other options are wrong

    • AThe 'jti' claim is incorrect because it does not represent the appropriate GitHub feature, configuration, or best practice for this scenario.
    • CThe 'aud' claim set to the repo URL is incorrect because it does not represent the appropriate GitHub feature, configuration, or best practice for this scenario.
    • DThe 'iat' claim is incorrect because it does not represent the appropriate GitHub feature, configuration, or best practice for this scenario.

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