fix: honor GH_AW_WORKFLOWS_DIR in GetWorkflowDir() and eliminate 27 hardcoded literals by Copilot · Pull Request #32100 · github/gh-aw

Copilot · 2026-05-14T11:35:41Z

Bug Fix

What was the bug?

GetWorkflowDir() was documented to read GH_AW_WORKFLOWS_DIR at call time but always returned the hardcoded string. Additionally, 27 production sites bypassed the helper entirely by inlining ".github/workflows", making the env-var override non-functional throughout the codebase.

How did you fix it?

pkg/constants/constants.go — implement the documented contract:

func GetWorkflowDir() string {
    if dir := os.Getenv("GH_AW_WORKFLOWS_DIR"); dir != "" {
        return dir
    }
    return filepath.Join(".github", "workflows")
}

Call-site consolidation — replaced all 27 hardcoded ".github/workflows" literals with constants.GetWorkflowDir() across 20 files:

pkg/cli/: workflows.go (shim), enable.go, logs_utils.go, compile_orchestrator.go, compile_validation.go, mcp_safe_update_cache.go, upgrade_command.go, list_workflows_command.go, lint_command.go, mcp_list.go, trial_helpers.go, fix_command.go, remove_command.go (×3), resolver.go, add_command.go, compile_watch.go, run_workflow_execution.go, update_container_pins.go
pkg/parser/import_bfs.go
Added constants import to 7 files that lacked it

Flag defaults in lint_command.go and list_workflows_command.go now call constants.GetWorkflowDir() at command-construction time so they also respect the env var.

Testing

Added TestGetWorkflowDirEnvOverride and TestGetWorkflowDirEnvEmpty to pkg/constants/constants_test.go to pin the env-var override behaviour as a regression guard.

Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

…e 27 hardcoded literals - Add os.Getenv("GH_AW_WORKFLOWS_DIR") override to constants.GetWorkflowDir() - Add regression tests for env-var override and empty-env fallback - Replace getWorkflowsDir() shim in pkg/cli/workflows.go with constants.GetWorkflowDir() - Replace all 27 hardcoded ".github/workflows" literals across pkg/cli/ and pkg/parser/ with constants.GetWorkflowDir() calls - Add constants import to files that lacked it (compile_orchestrator, compile_validation, mcp_safe_update_cache, mcp_list, compile_watch, update_container_pins, import_bfs) Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

pelikhan · 2026-05-14T11:51:51Z

@copilot merge main and recompile

…owdir-env-var-drift Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot · 2026-05-14T11:58:17Z

@copilot merge main and recompile

Done — merged main and ran make recompile. The only artifact was an updated .github/workflows/architecture-guardian.lock.yml, committed in chore: merge main and recompile workflows.

Copilot

Pull request overview

Fixes constants.GetWorkflowDir() to honor GH_AW_WORKFLOWS_DIR at runtime and propagates the helper across the CLI/parser so the workflow directory override works consistently (instead of being bypassed by hardcoded ".github/workflows" literals). Adds regression tests for the env-var override behavior, and includes regenerated workflow lockfiles.

Changes:

Implement env-var override in pkg/constants.GetWorkflowDir() and add unit tests covering override + empty behavior.
Replace hardcoded ".github/workflows" usage across CLI/parser call sites with constants.GetWorkflowDir().
Regenerate multiple .github/workflows/*.lock.yml files (notably updating the claude_harness invocation argument ordering/placement).

Show a summary per file

File	Description
pkg/constants/constants.go	Implement runtime `GH_AW_WORKFLOWS_DIR` override in `GetWorkflowDir()`.
pkg/constants/constants_test.go	Add regression tests for env override + empty env behavior.
pkg/parser/import_bfs.go	Use `constants.GetWorkflowDir()` as default base path for remote nested imports.
pkg/cli/workflows.go	Route workflow-dir resolution through `constants.GetWorkflowDir()`.
pkg/cli/upgrade_command.go	Default workflow directory now uses `constants.GetWorkflowDir()`.
pkg/cli/update_container_pins.go	Default workflow directory now uses `constants.GetWorkflowDir()`.
pkg/cli/trial_helpers.go	Use `constants.GetWorkflowDir()` when building workflow description path.
pkg/cli/run_workflow_execution.go	Use `constants.GetWorkflowDir()` for lock-file path resolution.
pkg/cli/resolver.go	Default workflow directory now uses `constants.GetWorkflowDir()`.
pkg/cli/remove_command.go	Default workflows directory now uses `constants.GetWorkflowDir()`.
pkg/cli/mcp_safe_update_cache.go	Default workflows directory now uses `constants.GetWorkflowDir()`.
pkg/cli/mcp_list.go	Default workflow directory now uses `constants.GetWorkflowDir()`.
pkg/cli/logs_utils.go	Default workflow directory now uses `constants.GetWorkflowDir()`.
pkg/cli/list_workflows_command.go	Default `--path` now uses `constants.GetWorkflowDir()`.
pkg/cli/lint_command.go	Default `--dir` now uses `constants.GetWorkflowDir()`.
pkg/cli/fix_command.go	Default workflow directory now uses `constants.GetWorkflowDir()`.
pkg/cli/enable.go	Default workflows directory now uses `constants.GetWorkflowDir()`.
pkg/cli/compile_watch.go	Watch mode now targets `constants.GetWorkflowDir()` under git root.
pkg/cli/compile_validation.go	Dependabot validation compares against `constants.GetWorkflowDir()`.
pkg/cli/compile_orchestrator.go	Default workflow directory now uses `constants.GetWorkflowDir()`.
pkg/cli/add_command.go	Default workflows directory now uses `constants.GetWorkflowDir()` under git root.
.github/workflows/test-create-pr-error-handling.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/static-analysis-report.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/smoke-agent-scoped-approved.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/smoke-agent-public-none.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/smoke-agent-public-approved.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/smoke-agent-all-none.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/smoke-agent-all-merged.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/sergo.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/schema-consistency-checker.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/safe-output-health.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/prompt-clustering-analysis.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/lockfile-stats.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/hourly-ci-cleaner.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/go-pattern-detector.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/github-mcp-tools-report.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/github-mcp-structural-analysis.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/example-workflow-analyzer.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/design-decision-gate.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/deep-report.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/daily-token-consumption-report.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/daily-team-evolution-insights.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/daily-subagent-optimizer.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/daily-security-red-team.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/daily-safe-outputs-conformance.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/daily-safe-output-optimizer.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/daily-otel-instrumentation-advisor.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/daily-grafana-otel-instrumentation-advisor.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/daily-function-namer.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/daily-code-metrics.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/daily-choice-test.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/daily-caveman-optimizer.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/daily-aw-cross-repo-compile-check.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/daily-astrostylelite-markdown-spellcheck.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/daily-agentrx-trace-optimizer.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/copilot-session-insights.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/copilot-agent-analysis.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/commit-changes-analyzer.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/cloclo.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/cli-version-checker.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/claude-code-user-docs-review.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/ci-doctor.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/aw-failure-investigator.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/audit-workflows.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/approach-validator.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).
.github/workflows/api-consumption-report.lock.yml	Regenerated lockfile (updates `claude_harness` invocation arg ordering/placement).

Copilot's findings

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Comments suppressed due to low confidence (2)

pkg/cli/logs_utils.go:38

The verbose warning message is hardcoded to "No .github/workflows directory found" even though workflowsDir is now dynamic via constants.GetWorkflowDir(). Update the message (and ideally the preceding comment) to reference the actual workflowsDir so GH_AW_WORKFLOWS_DIR users get accurate output.
pkg/cli/enable.go:287
When GH_AW_WORKFLOWS_DIR is set, this verbose message still says "No .github/workflows directory found" even though workflowsDir is now derived from constants.GetWorkflowDir(). Consider including the actual workflowsDir in the message to avoid confusing output under overrides.

Files reviewed: 22/22 changed files
Comments generated: 7

 func GetWorkflowDir() string {
+	if dir := os.Getenv("GH_AW_WORKFLOWS_DIR"); dir != "" {
+		return dir
+	}
 	return filepath.Join(".github", "workflows")
 }


+	workflowsDir := filepath.Join(gitRoot, constants.GetWorkflowDir())
 	if _, err := os.Stat(workflowsDir); os.IsNotExist(err) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("the .github/workflows directory does not exist in git root (%s)", gitRoot)
 	}


 		workflowsDir := getWorkflowsDir()

 		_, _, err := readWorkflowFile(normalizedID+".md", workflowsDir)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to find workflow in local .github/workflows: %w", err)
 		}


 	// Find all include files in .github/workflows
 	// Only consider files in subdirectories (like shared/) as potential include files
 	// Root-level .md files are workflow files, not include files
-	workflowsDir := ".github/workflows"
+	workflowsDir := constants.GetWorkflowDir()
 	var allIncludes []string


+	cmd.Flags().String("path", constants.GetWorkflowDir(), "Path to workflows directory in the remote repository (used with --repo)")
 	cmd.Flags().StringP("dir", "d", "", "Workflow directory (default: .github/workflows; ignored when --repo is set)")



 		// Check if the lock file exists in .github/workflows
-		lockFilePath = filepath.Join(".github/workflows", lockFileName)
+		lockFilePath = filepath.Join(constants.GetWorkflowDir(), lockFileName)
 		if _, err := os.Stat(lockFilePath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
 			executionLog.Printf("Lock file not found: %s (workflow must be compiled first)", lockFilePath)


pelikhan · 2026-05-14T13:35:20Z

@copilot review all comments

…ators Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot · 2026-05-14T13:43:20Z

@copilot review all comments

All review comments addressed in the latest commits:

constants.go: GetWorkflowDir() now uses filepath.ToSlash on the env-var override (normalizes Windows paths) and returns a hardcoded ".github/workflows" literal as the default — with a doc comment explaining that forward slashes are always required for git/GitHub paths.
compile_watch.go: missing-directory error now references constants.GetWorkflowDir() instead of the hardcoded string.
run_workflow_execution.go: both the readWorkflowFile error and the lock-file-not-found message now reference the computed directory; stale .github/workflows comment updated.
remove_command.go: comment updated to remove the hardcoded directory name.
list_workflows_command.go: --dir help text now reads "default: $GH_AW_WORKFLOWS_DIR or .github/workflows".

The lockfile changes in test-create-pr-error-handling.lock.yml are a natural byproduct of running make recompile after merging main.

Initial plan

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Copilot AI assigned Copilot and pelikhan May 14, 2026

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Copilot AI linked an issue May 14, 2026 that may be closed by this pull request

Fix GetWorkflowDir() env-var contract drift + consolidate 27 hardcoded ".github/workflows" literals #32056

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Copilot AI and others added 2 commits May 14, 2026 11:42

chore: initial plan outline

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Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot AI changed the title ~~[WIP] Fix GetWorkflowDir() env-var contract drift and consolidate hardcoded literals~~ fix: honor GH_AW_WORKFLOWS_DIR in GetWorkflowDir() and eliminate 27 hardcoded literals May 14, 2026

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Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/main' into copilot/fix-getworkfl…

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…owdir-env-var-drift Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

chore: merge main and recompile workflows

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Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

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github-actions Bot mentioned this pull request May 14, 2026

[Contribution Check Report] Contribution Check — 2026-05-14 #32037

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fix: address review comments on hardcoded paths and OS-specific separ…

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…ators Co-authored-by: pelikhan <4175913+pelikhan@users.noreply.github.com>

docs: clarify GetWorkflowDir forward-slash requirement

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Copilot finished work on behalf of pelikhan May 14, 2026 13:44

pelikhan merged commit 4076b10 into main May 14, 2026
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Smoke Test: Codex - 25863982671 #32144

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fix: insert -- end-of-options separator before prompt to prevent ENAMETOOLONG #32114

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fix: honor GH_AW_WORKFLOWS_DIR in GetWorkflowDir() and eliminate 27 hardcoded literals#32100

fix: honor GH_AW_WORKFLOWS_DIR in GetWorkflowDir() and eliminate 27 hardcoded literals#32100
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		cmd.Flags().String("path", constants.GetWorkflowDir(), "Path to workflows directory in the remote repository (used with --repo)")
		cmd.Flags().StringP("dir", "d", "", "Workflow directory (default: .github/workflows; ignored when --repo is set)")

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Bug Fix

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