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How to reduce GitHub Actions cold starts
Jobs sit for 30 to 90 seconds before the first step runs.
4 min read
Jobs sit for 30 to 90 seconds before the first step runs.
Why it happens
A cold VM has to boot, register with GitHub and prepare the workspace before your workflow begins.
How to fix it
- Use a provider with warm pools so a machine is already booted
- Reduce the number of tiny jobs — each pays the start cost separately
- Avoid container jobs for short work; pulling the image adds to the start cost
Your next build could be twice as fast, at half the price
Start free. Migrating away is the same one line, and we publish that diff too.
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