Contradictory info on `$GITHUB_OUTPUT`

[95-martin-orion]

Code of Conduct

• I have read and agree to the GitHub Docs project's Code of Conduct

What article on docs.github.com is affected?

Defining outputs for jobs (source) and Default environment variables (source).

What part(s) of the article would you like to see updated?

The note in this line:

docs/data/reusables/actions/jobs/section-defining-outputs-for-jobs.md

Line 11 in 66af710

**Note:** `$GITHUB_OUTPUT` is shared between all steps in a job. If you use the same output name in multiple steps, the last step to write to the output will override the value. If your job uses a matrix and writes to `$GITHUB_OUTPUT`, the content will be overwritten for each matrix combination. You can use the `matrix` context to create unique output names for each job configuration. For more information, see "[AUTOTITLE](/actions/learn-github-actions/contexts#matrix-context)."

appears to contradict this entry in the table:

docs/content/actions/learn-github-actions/variables.md

Line 316 in 66af710

| `GITHUB_OUTPUT` | The path on the runner to the file that sets the current step's outputs from workflow commands. This file is unique to the current step and changes for each step in a job. For example, `/home/runner/work/_temp/_runner_file_commands/set_output_a50ef383-b063-46d9-9157-57953fc9f3f0`. For more information, see "[AUTOTITLE](/actions/using-workflows/workflow-commands-for-github-actions#setting-an-output-parameter)." |

Is the value of $GITHUB_OUTPUT shared between all steps, or unique to each step?

Docs Plan

Outlined in this comment.

[welcome]

Thanks for opening this issue. A GitHub docs team member should be by to give feedback soon. In the meantime, please check out the contributing guidelines.

[nguyenalex836]

@95-martin-orion Thank you for opening this issue! I'll get this triaged for review ✨

[RSS1102]

i want to konw,
in:

jobs:
  check:
     steps:
      - name: Check for new commits
        run: |
             echo "new_commits=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
  build:
    needs: check
    if: ${{ needs.check.outputs.new_commits}}

I cannot correctly determine new_commits is true.

but:

    outputs:
      new_commits: ${{ steps.check.outputs.new_commits }}

  build:
    needs: check
    if: ${{ needs.check.outputs.new_commits}}

it do.

docs/data/reusables/actions/jobs/section-defining-outputs-for-jobs.md

Line 11 in 66af710

**Note:** `$GITHUB_OUTPUT` is shared between all steps in a job. If you use the same output name in multiple steps, the last step to write to the output will override the value. If your job uses a matrix and writes to `$GITHUB_OUTPUT`, the content will be overwritten for each matrix combination. You can use the `matrix` context to create unique output names for each job configuration. For more information, see "[AUTOTITLE](/actions/learn-github-actions/contexts#matrix-context)."

Is it necessary to clarify that $GITHUB_OUTPUTcannot access different jobs here? (I don't know if he can access different jobs)

[SiaraMist]

Hey @95-martin-orion, thank you for opening this issue!

I definitely see where your confusion is coming from. While the contents of the output file are shared between all steps in a job, the path to the output file changes in each step. For example, on the first step the path to the output file could be /home/runner/work/_temp/_runner_file_commands/set_output_9bfa0a1d-ab75-4c96-b61f-bfccd45eeb08, and in the next step the path could be /home/runner/work/_temp/_runner_file_commands/set_output_330f510f-d204-409d-9657-49261468a340.

To make this clearer in the docs, I think we could update this line to say:

The path on the runner to the file that sets the current step's outputs from workflow commands. The path to this file is unique to the current step and changes for each step in a job. For example, /home/runner/work/_temp/_runner_file_commands/set_output_a50ef383-b063-46d9-9157-57953fc9f3f0. For more information, see "AUTOTITLE."

Instead of saying the file is unique to the current step, we'll say that the path to the file is unique to the current step.

You or anyone else is welcome to open a pull request to make these changes!