fix(setup-node): maintain cache for projects outside GITHUB_WORKSPACE using symlinks

[Copilot]

The setup-node action fails with "Some specified paths were not resolved" when get-package-manager is invoked from external composite actions (e.g., hoverkraft-tech/ci-github-common). The glob package requires cache paths within GITHUB_WORKSPACE, but external actions run from /__w/_actions/....

Changes

actions/get-package-manager/action.yml

• Detect when working directory is outside GITHUB_WORKSPACE (relative path starts with ../)
• Create a symlink (.github-actions-cache) inside GITHUB_WORKSPACE pointing to the external directory
• Use symlink path for cache dependencies, maintaining caching functionality
• Graceful fallback to disable caching if symlink creation fails

actions/setup-node/action.yml

• Conditionally enable caching only when cache-dependency-path is non-empty
• Gracefully disables caching for external composite actions (fallback scenario)

Behavior

# Inside GITHUB_WORKSPACE (unchanged)
cache-dependency-path: "tests/npm/**/package-lock.json"
cache: "npm"

# Outside GITHUB_WORKSPACE (new - with symlink)
cache-dependency-path: ".github-actions-cache/**/package-lock.json"
cache: "npm"

# Outside GITHUB_WORKSPACE (fallback - symlink creation fails)
cache-dependency-path: ""
cache: ""

Existing workflows unaffected. External composite actions now maintain full caching functionality through symlinks, with automatic fallback if needed.

Original prompt

On action.yml, Cache dependency path must be inside GITHUB_WORKSPACE

because of setup-node action iss using glob package and its having this constraint: https://github.com/actions/toolkit/blob/main/packages/glob/src/internal-hash-files.ts#L23

Sadlyu when using an external composite action that using get-package-manager, the cache depency path is something like this:

cache-dependency-path: /__w/_actions/hoverkraft-tech/ci-github-common/d95c78dc4b10250a07e227d3ddf33b0ea093e28d/actions/parse-ci-reports/**/package-lock.json

So when using this path with setup-nde action, we have this error:

Error: Some specified paths were not resolved, unable to cache dependencies.

We must find a way to manage this case

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[neilime]

@copilot, will it possible to maintain cache feature using symlink for path outside workspace?

[Copilot]

@copilot, will it possible to maintain cache feature using symlink for path outside workspace?

Yes! Great suggestion. I've implemented a symlink approach in commit b65dbeb. When the working directory is outside GITHUB_WORKSPACE, the action now creates a symlink named .github-actions-cache inside the workspace pointing to the external directory. This allows setup-node to cache dependencies while respecting the glob package constraints. If symlink creation fails, it gracefully falls back to disabling caching.

[github-actions]

Code Coverage Report

Summary

Summary

Generated on:	11/20/2025 - 16:24:14
Parser:	LCov
Assemblies:	1
Classes:	1
Files:	1
Line coverage:	100% (2 of 2)
Covered lines:	2
Uncovered lines:	0
Coverable lines:	2
Total lines:	5
Method coverage:	Feature is only available for sponsors
Tag:	526_19543299942

Coverage

Default - 100%

Name	Line
Default	100%
src/index.js	100%