How to use env variables in the `with` block of Github Action workflows?

Question

I want to define a key-value pair for the entire workflow and access it in the with block of multiple jobs.

Right now, I get the error:

The workflow is not valid. .github/workflows/main.yaml (Line: 41, Col: 25): Unrecognized named-value: 'env'. Located at position 1 within expression: env.database_version .github/workflows/main.yaml (Line: 64, Col: 25): Unrecognized named-value: 'env'. Located at position 1 within expression: env.database_version

My snippet is as follows:

name: Main

on:
  push:
    branches:
      - main
      - fix-main-deployment-workflow-post-database_version

env:
  database_version: 3.1.0-git-c919c26

jobs:

  <job_name>:
    name: Deploy to <some zone>
    needs:
      - helm
      - docker
    uses: <another yaml>
    with:
      database_version: ${{ env.database_version }}

I also tried removing the env and directly referencing it:

The workflow is not valid. .github/workflows/main.yaml (Line: 41, Col: 25): Unrecognized named-value: 'database_version'. Located at position 1 within expression: database_version .github/workflows/main.yaml (Line: 64, Col: 25): Unrecognized named-value: 'database_version'. Located at position 1 within expression: database_version

Marleen

There is not steps field in the <job_name> implementation you shared. Is it informed on the original workflow? – Mcclintock

Yes, the workflow referred in the uses section has the steps in many jobs. – Marleen

Does this answer your question? Passing env variable inputs to a reusable workflow – Subtraction

For reusable workflows, you can configure a separate job to set env vars as output parameters and then use those in the input parameters. See the duplicate threads for an example. – Subtraction

Answer 1

It is limitation of reusable workflows. Environments specified inside YAML are worthless as they aren't passed down to nested YAMLs.

To achieve what you want you can:

1. use vars context instead or...
2. wrap your workflow into another reusable flow with default input

on:
  workflow_call:
    inputs:
      database_version:
        default: '3.1.0-git-c919c26'
        type: string

jobs:
  nested-job:
    name: Deploy to <some zone>
    needs:
      - helm
      - docker
    uses: <another yaml>
    with:
      database_version: ${{ inputs.database_version }}

And then you call your workflow like this:

name: Main

on:
  push:
    branches:
      - main
      - fix-main-deployment-workflow-post-database_version

jobs:
  <job_name>:
    uses: ./.github/workflows/<workflow_above_name>.yml
# optionally you can inherit secrets
    secrets: inherit
# and add some fixed inputs
    with:
      some_input: 'some_fixed_value'

Hamburg