GitHub Actions Secrets.md

On GitHub, secrets are stored in GitHub Actions Secrets and Dependabot Secrets. These are encrypted and can be used in workflows securely.

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🔹 How to Add a Secret in GitHub Actions

Step 1: Navigate to Your Repository's Settings

1. Go to your repository on GitHub.
2. Click on "Settings" (⚙️).
3. Scroll down and click on "Secrets and variables" → "Actions".

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Step 2: Add a New Secret

1. Click "New repository secret".
2. Enter the name of the secret (e.g., GOOGLE_TRANSLATE_API_KEY).
3. Paste the secret value (e.g., API key, password, or token).
4. Click "Add secret".

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🔹 How to Use Secrets in GitHub Actions

Once stored, you can access them in your workflow using the ${{ secrets.SECRET_NAME }} syntax.

Example Usage in a GitHub Action

jobs:
  example_job:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
      - name: Access Secret
        run: echo "My secret is ${{ secrets.MY_SECRET }}" # Never echo secrets in real workflows!

⚠️ Warning: Never print secrets to the console (echo), as they can be exposed in logs.

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🔹 Where Else Can You Store Secrets?

• Organization Secrets (For all repositories in an organization)
• Environment Secrets (Scoped to specific environments like staging, production)
• Dependabot Secrets (For managing dependency updates)

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Need to Secure API Keys in GitHub?

• Rotate secrets regularly.
• Use GitHub Environments for different scopes (e.g., dev, prod).
• Never hardcode secrets in your repo.

Need help integrating secrets into a specific workflow? 🚀