Question 1

How to cache yarn dependencies with setup-node?

Accepted Answer

You must explicitly set the cache input to 'yarn' in the action configuration, as it's not automatic like npm. Optionally, use cache-dependency-path to specify lockfile locations for accurate caching keys.

Question 2

setup-node vs manually installing Node.js in GitHub Actions?

Accepted Answer

setup-node is generally better because it handles version management, caching, and authentication out-of-the-box, reducing boilerplate. Manual scripts offer more control but lack built-in optimizations like problem matchers and are harder to maintain.

Question 3

How to use setup-node in a monorepo with multiple lockfiles?

Accepted Answer

Use the cache-dependency-path input to point to specific lockfiles, e.g., 'subdir/package-lock.json'. This allows per-directory caching, but you might need multiple setup-node steps for different parts of the monorepo.

Question 4

Why does setup-node fail on my self-hosted GitHub Enterprise Server?

Accepted Answer

On GHES, the action downloads versions from github.com and can hit rate limits. Provide a personal access token via the token input to increase the limit, or pre-cache Node.js versions on your runners to avoid downloads.

Question 5

Can I use setup-node with Bun package manager?

Accepted Answer

No, setup-node only supports npm, yarn, and pnpm. For Bun, you'll need to set up Node.js manually using other methods or custom steps in your workflow.

Question 6

How to disable automatic caching for security in setup-node?

Accepted Answer

Set the package-manager-cache input to false if using npm, or avoid specifying the cache input for other package managers. This prevents caching, which is recommended for workflows with sensitive data to reduce risk.

actions/setup-node: Node.js

What is actions/setup-node: Node.js?

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