Question

A platform team maintains a reusable workflow (build.yml) invoked via workflow_call. The reusable workflow builds an artifact and computes a version string that the calling workflow needs to use in a later deployment job. Inside build.yml, a step named 'compute' writes 'ver=1.4.2' to $GITHUB_OUTPUT in job 'package'. Which combination correctly exposes this value so the caller's downstream job can reference it?

Accepted Answer

In build.yml, add a top-level 'on.workflow_call.outputs.version' mapped to "${{ jobs.package.outputs.buildver }}", set 'package' job's 'outputs.buildver: ${{ steps.compute.outputs.ver }}', then in the caller read 'needs.<callerjob>.outputs.version'.

Answer

In build.yml, set only the step output; the caller can directly read 'needs.build.outputs.ver' because step outputs automatically propagate across workflow boundaries.

Answer

Have build.yml write the value to $GITHUB_ENV; environment variables set in a reusable workflow are inherited by the caller's jobs automatically.

Answer

Upload the version as an artifact in build.yml and reference it in the caller with 'needs.<callerjob>.outputs.version' without any 'on.workflow_call.outputs' declaration.