How to push to another repository in github actions?

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In Github Actions, I'm trying to make some changes to a different repo than the repository the workflow belongs to. See this code:

      - name: Generate API module
        env:
          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
        run: |

          git clone https://user:$GITHUB_TOKEN@github.com/owner/my-repo # This works

          cd my-repo
          git config user.name "user"
          git config user.email "dev@example.com"

          git checkout -b api-version-$COMMIT

          touch new-file.sh
          git add new-file.sh
          git commit -m "Add new file"

          git remote -v # Prints:
          # origin ***github.com/owner/my-repo.git (fetch)
          # origin ***github.com/owner/my-repo.git (push)

          git push --set-upstream origin api-version-$COMMIT # This does not work
          git push --set-upstream https://user:$GITHUB_TOKEN@github.com/owner/my-repo api-version-$COMMIT # This does not work either

I can clone the owner/repo repository just fine. I can checkout the new branch, add the file and commit the changes. The problem occurs when I try to push the changes upstream. That doesn't work at all, and I get this error:

remote: Repository not found.
fatal: repository 'https://github.com/owner/my-repo/' not found

I'm just guessing that it has something to do with authentication. The GITHUB_TOKEN is a personal access token and has all possible permissions.

What gives?

github-actions git
6 Answers

There is an extra configuration to silently pass $GITHUB_TOKEN in AUTHORIZATION header, which interacts badly with another repo git auth.

You need to remove it before pushing to another repo:

git config --unset-all http.https://github.com/.extraheader

Solution taken from another SO thread Auth error trying to copy a repo with Github Actions

user_43504120

Not sure if you were able to solve that yet, but figured I'll post one potential solution for future folks that come across that same issue, as did I. I had the same issue, which eventually turned out to be lack of edit permissions on the repo to which I was trying to push. Unfortunately the error message from GitHub (remote: Repository not found.) was really unhelpful in pointing out the real issue (I assume it's a matter of obfuscation for security purposes, but then- if that account was already able to clone the repo and have read access to it- what's the point of obfuscation? This is obviously an authorization issue for an already authenticated user ‍♂️). Either way- I was able to solve this on my end by gaining write access to the repo. After getting the needed permissions - I was able to successfully push into that repo.

user_51418990

GITHUB_TOKEN is also a system variable, see the doc here. You might be running into some conflict between your secret and the system one. Renaming your secret to something else might work.

user_14130190

you need to create a GitHub Private Access Token with permissions for repositories and store it in a secret, let's say ACTIONS_GITHUB_TOKEN in the repository you are running your workflow/action in.

then pass this token to the checkout action:

push:
  runs-on: ubuntu-latest
  steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
      with:
        repository: <repo name>
        ref: 'master'
        token:  ${{ secrets.ACTIONS_GITHUB_TOKEN }}
    - name: setup git config
      run: |
        git config user.name "GitHub Actions Bot"
        git config user.email "<>"
    - <make changes and commit >
    - run: git push origin master
user_10741350 
# .github/workflows/deploy.yml
name: Deploy GitHub Pages to external repository

on:
  # https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-workflows/workflow-syntax-for-github-actions#on
  #  push:
  #    branches: [ "main" ]
  push:
    tags:
      - "*"

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest

    strategy:
      matrix:
        node-version: [18.x]

    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v3

      - name: Use Node.js ${{ matrix.node-version }}
        uses: actions/setup-node@v3
        with:
          node-version: ${{ matrix.node-version }}
          cache: yarn

      - name: Install dependencies
        run: yarn install --frozen-lockfile

      - name: Build website
        run: yarn build

      - name: Deploy to external repository
        uses: cpina/github-action-push-to-another-repository@main
        env:
          # ️ <internal repository>, run GitHub Action.
          #  <external repository>, receiving Artifacts.
          #
          # Way 1: using Personal Access Token
          # @see https://cpina.github.io/push-to-another-repository-docs/setup-using-personal-access-token.html#setup-personal-access-token
          # 1.1 Generate Personal Access Token: <external repository>/<Avatar>/Settings/Developer settings/Personal access tokens/Generate new token
          #     Select `No expiration` and Check `✅️ repo    Full control of private repositories`, Generate and then Copy the Token
          # 1.2 Then make the token available to the GitHub Action: <internal repository>/Settings/Secrets/Actions/New repository secret
          #     Name: EXTERNAL_REPOSITORY_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN, Value Paste the Token
          API_TOKEN_GITHUB: ${{ secrets.EXTERNAL_REPOSITORY_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN }}
          # Way 2: using SSH deploy keys
          # @see https://cpina.github.io/push-to-another-repository-docs/setup-using-ssh-deploy-keys.html#setup-ssh-deploy-keys
          # 2.1 Generate an SSH key in terminal (Leave the passphrase empty)
          # 2.2 Add public key in the external repository: <external repository>/Settings/Deploy keys/Add deploy key
          #     Name: DEPLOY_PUBLIC_KEY, Value Paste the public key. Enable "✅️ Allow write access"
          # 2.3 Add private key in the source repository: <external repository>/Settings/Secrets/Actions/New repository secret
          #     Name: DEPLOY_PRIVATE_KEY, Value Paste the private key.
          # SSH_DEPLOY_KEY: ${{ secrets.DEPLOY_PRIVATE_KEY }}

        with:
          # GitHub Action output files
          source-directory: public/
          destination-github-username: <external org/user name>
          destination-repository-name: <external repository>
          user-email: <your email>
          # It defaults to `main`
          target-branch: "gh-pages"

      - name: Test get variable exported by push-to-another-repository
        run: echo $DESTINATION_CLONED_DIRECTORY
user_58191570

There is a action for this:

name: Push File(or Dir) to another repository

on: push

jobs:
  copy-file:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    steps:
    - name: Checkout
      uses: actions/checkout@v2

    - name: Push to another repo
      uses: dmnemec/copy_file_to_another_repo_action@main
      env:
        API_TOKEN_GITHUB: ${{ secrets.API_TOKEN_GITHUB }} 
      with:
        source_file: 'test2.md'
        destination_repo: 'another_repo/release-test'
        destination_folder: 'test-dir' # optional
        user_email: 'example@email.com'# your email
        user_name: 'dmnemec'           # your login
        commit_message: 'A custom message for the commit'

https://github.com/dmnemec/copy_file_to_another_repo_action

user_74402560
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