Action: Text Variables

Replace mustache style variables in text templates. Returns modified text as an output for use in other actions.

Typical uses:

• Dynamically build an Issue or Pull Request description, beyond GitHub's built-in templating.
• Using a consistent format for commenting on issues and pull requeests.
• Replace variables in committed files, issues, prs, comments, wiki pages.

Workflow Inputs

Provide the template as a file or direclty as text. If both are provided, the file will be ignored.

Input Name	Description	Required	Default
template-file	The path to a text file to load as the template.	No	-
template-text	The template text with variable placeholders.	No	-
template-vars	An ENV style list or stringified JSON object.	Yes	-

Workflow Outputs

After replacing variables in the template, the modified text is returned as an Action output. As such it can easily be referenced in subsequent steps.

Output Name	Description
updated-text	The text content with variables replaced.

Scenarios

Direct Text (JSON variables)

steps:
  - name: Build comment using template
    id: build-comment
    uses: skills/action-text-variables@v1
    with:
      template-text: 'Hello {{ login }}, nice to meet you!'
      template-vars: '{"login": "${{ github.actor }}" }'

  - name: Do something with result
    run: echo "${{ steps.build-comment.outputs.updated-text }}"

Direct Text (ENV variables)

steps:
  - name: Build comment using template
    id: build-comment
    uses: skills/action-text-variables@v1
    with:
      template-text: 'Hello {{ login }}, nice to meet you!'
      template-vars: |
        login=${{ github.actor }}

  - name: Do something with result
    run: echo "${{ steps.build-comment.outputs.updated-text }}"

Use template from same repository

steps:
  - name: Checkout
    uses: actions/checkout@v4

  - name: Build comment using template
    id: build-comment
    uses: skills/action-text-variables@v1
    with:
      template-file: my-files/my-template.md
      template-vars: '{ "login": "${{ github.actor }}" }'

  - name: Do something with result
    run: echo "${{ steps.build-comment.outputs.updated-text }}"

Use template from other repository

steps:
  - name: Get templates from another repository
    uses: actions/checkout@v4
    with:
      repository: skills/response-templates
      path: response-templates

  - name: Show available templates
    run: ls -R response-templates

  - name: Build comment using template
    id: build-comment
    uses: skills/action-text-variables@v1
    with:
      template-file: response-templates/step-feedback/lesson-finished.md
      template-vars: '{
          "login": "${{ github.actor }}",
          "repo_full_name": "${{ github.repository }}"
        }'

  - name: Do something with result
    run: echo "${{ steps.build-comment.outputs.updated-text }}"