Question 1

Where do I put my GitHub Actions workflow file?

Accepted Answer

Place the .yml file inside .github/workflows/ at the root of your repository. GitHub automatically detects files in that directory and runs them as workflows on the triggers you specified.

Question 2

What triggers can I use?

Accepted Answer

Common triggers: push (on commits to branches), pull_request (on PRs), workflow_dispatch (manual run button), schedule (cron), release (on published releases), and repository_dispatch (via API). You can combine multiple triggers in one workflow.

Question 3

How do matrix builds work?

Accepted Answer

A matrix strategy runs the same job in parallel across multiple configurations — e.g. Node 18, 20, 22 and ubuntu-latest, windows-latest. Each combination gets its own runner, speeding up testing across environments.

Question 4

Is this GitHub Actions generator free?

Accepted Answer

Yes, completely free with no signup. The YAML is generated in your browser and nothing is uploaded. GitHub Actions itself gives 2,000 free minutes/month for public repositories and private repos on the free plan.