Variables

Learn how to pass data between jobs or steps or set conditionals using variables in Workflows.

Variables can be used in workflows to pass data between jobs or steps. They are useful for conditionals on subsequent jobs or affecting the output of a workflow.

You can set variables in the workflow file with the set-output function:

jobs:
  fingerprint:
    outputs:
      fingerprint_hash_for_workflow: ${{ steps.fingerprint_step_id.outputs.fingerprint_hash }}
    steps:
      - name: Set fingerprint hash
        id: fingerprint_step_id
        outputs: [fingerprint_hash]
        run: |
          FINGERPRINT_HASH=$(npx expo-updates fingerprint:generate --platform ios | jq '.hash')
          set-output fingerprint_hash $FINGERPRINT_HASH
      - name: Do something with the fingerprint hash
        run: |
          echo ${{ steps.fingerprint_step_id.outputs.fingerprint_hash }}
    maybe_build:
      needs: [fingerprint]
      if: ${{ needs.fingerprint.outputs.fingerprint_hash_for_workflow != '1234' }}
      type: build
      params:
        platform: ios

In the example above, three things are happening:

• The set-output function sets the fingerprint_hash variable.
• The outputs keyword on the step inside the fingerprint job exposes the fingerprint_hash variable to other steps in fingerprint job. That variable is used in an echo statement later in the job.
• The outputs keyword on the fingerprint job specifies that the whole workflow will have access to a variable called fingerprint_hash_for_workflow. That variable is later used in the maybe_build job to conditionally run the build job.