Summary
External repositories using gh-aw compiled workflows are experiencing repeated tarball download timeouts when the GitHub Actions runner tries to fetch github/gh-aw during the "Prepare all required actions" phase.
Affected Run
Error
The runner timed out 3 times (100s HttpClient.Timeout each) trying to download the tarball:
Download action repository 'github/gh-aw@9382be3ca9ac18917e111a99d4e6bbff58d0dccc' ##[warning]Failed to download action 'https://api.github.com/repos/github/gh-aw/tarball/9382be3ca9ac18917e111a99d4e6bbff58d0dccc'. Error: The request was canceled due to the configured HttpClient.Timeout of 100 seconds elapsing. ##[warning]Back off 12.736 seconds before retry. ##[warning]Failed to download action ... (2nd attempt, same error) ##[error]Action download has timed out. (3rd attempt, same error)
Related Issues
Suggested Mitigations
- Reduce tarball size — Use
.gitattributes with export-ignore to exclude tests, docs, and other non-essential files from the tarball that runners download.
- CDN caching — Ensure the tarball endpoint is served from a CDN with proper caching headers so repeated downloads are fast.
- Publish slim action packages — Consider publishing the
actions/setup directory as a standalone action repo (or use a separate lightweight ref) rather than requiring runners to download the entire gh-aw monorepo tarball.
Impact
This is a transient but recurring issue that causes workflow failures in external consumer repos. Since the .lock.yml is auto-generated and cannot be edited, consumers have no way to add retries, caching, or workarounds at the workflow level. The only mitigation available is adding a separate retry workflow that re-runs failed jobs.
/cc @dsyme (filed #12543 on related performance concerns)
Summary
External repositories using gh-aw compiled workflows are experiencing repeated tarball download timeouts when the GitHub Actions runner tries to fetch github/gh-aw during the "Prepare all required actions" phase.
Affected Run
msdo-issue-assistant.lock.yml(compiled frommsdo-issue-assistant.mdviagh aw compile)github/gh-aw/actions/setup@9382be3ca9ac18917e111a99d4e6bbff58d0dcccError
The runner timed out 3 times (100s HttpClient.Timeout each) trying to download the tarball:
Download action repository 'github/gh-aw@9382be3ca9ac18917e111a99d4e6bbff58d0dccc' ##[warning]Failed to download action 'https://api.github.com/repos/github/gh-aw/tarball/9382be3ca9ac18917e111a99d4e6bbff58d0dccc'. Error: The request was canceled due to the configured HttpClient.Timeout of 100 seconds elapsing. ##[warning]Back off 12.736 seconds before retry. ##[warning]Failed to download action ... (2nd attempt, same error) ##[error]Action download has timed out. (3rd attempt, same error)Related Issues
actions/setup-gotarball). Recommended "vendor/cache the action tarball" but was closed as not_planned.Suggested Mitigations
.gitattributeswithexport-ignoreto exclude tests, docs, and other non-essential files from the tarball that runners download.actions/setupdirectory as a standalone action repo (or use a separate lightweight ref) rather than requiring runners to download the entire gh-aw monorepo tarball.Impact
This is a transient but recurring issue that causes workflow failures in external consumer repos. Since the
.lock.ymlis auto-generated and cannot be edited, consumers have no way to add retries, caching, or workarounds at the workflow level. The only mitigation available is adding a separate retry workflow that re-runs failed jobs./cc @dsyme (filed #12543 on related performance concerns)