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GitHub Actions Study Plan

4-Week Study Schedule

Week 1: Workflow Fundamentals

Day 1-2: YAML Syntax and Triggers

  • Study workflow file structure (name, on, jobs, steps)
  • Learn all event triggers (push, pull_request, schedule, workflow_dispatch)
  • Understand trigger filters (branches, paths, tags)
  • Practice creating basic workflows
  • Review Notes: notes/01-workflow-authoring.md

Day 3-4: Expressions and Conditionals

  • Study expression syntax and all contexts (github, env, secrets, etc.)
  • Learn status functions (success, failure, always, cancelled)
  • Practice conditional execution with if
  • Understand GITHUB_TOKEN and permissions
  • Review Notes: notes/02-expressions-contexts.md

Day 5-6: Advanced Workflow Features

  • Study matrix strategies (combinations, include, exclude, fail-fast)
  • Learn artifacts (upload/download between jobs)
  • Understand caching for dependencies
  • Practice concurrency controls
  • Study job dependencies and outputs (needs)

Day 7: Week 1 Review

  • Build a complete CI workflow from scratch
  • Quiz yourself on trigger types and filter syntax
  • Review any weak areas

Week 2: Reusable Workflows and Actions

Day 8-9: Reusable Workflows and Templates

  • Study workflow_call trigger and reusable workflows
  • Learn inputs, secrets, and outputs for reusable workflows
  • Understand secrets: inherit
  • Study starter workflows and organization templates
  • Review Notes: notes/03-consuming-workflows.md

Day 10-11: Custom Action Development

  • Study JavaScript actions (Node.js, @actions/core toolkit)
  • Learn Docker container actions
  • Understand composite actions
  • Study action.yml metadata syntax
  • Review Notes: notes/04-custom-actions.md

Day 12-13: Action Publishing and Marketplace

  • Learn action versioning and release management
  • Study publishing to the GitHub Marketplace
  • Understand action pinning (SHA, tag, branch)
  • Practice creating a simple composite action

Day 14: Week 2 Review

  • Create a reusable workflow and call it from another workflow
  • Build a simple custom action
  • Quiz on action types and their differences

Week 3: Enterprise Management and Security

Day 15-16: Self-Hosted Runners

  • Study self-hosted runner setup and configuration
  • Learn runner groups and access control
  • Understand runner labels and targeting
  • Study auto-scaling options (ARC)
  • Review Notes: notes/05-enterprise-management.md

Day 17-18: Enterprise Policies and Security

  • Study organization and enterprise Actions policies
  • Learn allowed actions configuration
  • Understand OIDC for cloud deployments
  • Study secrets management at org and enterprise level
  • Learn audit logging for Actions

Day 19-20: Security Best Practices

  • Study action pinning and supply chain security
  • Learn GITHUB_TOKEN permission hardening
  • Understand pull_request vs pull_request_target security
  • Study secrets best practices
  • Review billing and usage management

Day 21: Week 3 Review

  • Configure a mock enterprise Actions policy
  • Write an OIDC deployment workflow
  • Quiz on enterprise features and security

Week 4: Comprehensive Review and Exam Prep

Day 22-23: Full Review - High-Weight Domains

  • Deep review of Workflow Authoring (40%)
  • Review Custom Actions (25%)
  • Practice writing workflows and action.yml from memory

Day 24-25: Full Review - Remaining Domains

  • Review Consuming Workflows (20%)
  • Review Enterprise Management (15%)
  • Create flashcards for key concepts

Day 26-27: Practice Exams

  • Take a full-length practice exam (timed, 120 minutes)
  • Review all incorrect answers
  • Take a second practice exam focusing on improvement

Day 28: Pre-Exam Preparation

  • Light review of YAML syntax and key features
  • Verify exam environment
  • Rest and mental preparation

Study Resources

Final Exam Checklist

One Week Before

  • Scoring 75%+ consistently on practice exams
  • Comfortable with workflow YAML syntax
  • All domains reviewed
  • Enterprise features understood

Exam Day

  • Read each question carefully
  • Pay attention to YAML syntax details in answers
  • Flag uncertain questions and return later
  • Use the full 120 minutes