GitHub Actions "required input ... not provided" for a reusable workflow in CI

By Daniel Zoghalchali·Latchkey

A reusable-workflow input declared required: true must be supplied by every caller. If the caller's with: block omits it, the call fails before any job runs.

What this error means

The caller fails with "input X is required and must be provided" or "missing required input". The reusable workflow declares that input as required.

Invalid workflow file: .github/workflows/ci.yml#L8
input "environment" is required and must be provided by the caller
of "./.github/workflows/deploy.yml".

Common causes

The caller omitted a required input

The reusable workflow marks environment as required: true, but the calling job has no with.environment.

A default was expected but not set

You assumed the input had a default; a required input has no default, so the caller must always pass it.

How to fix it

Pass the required input from the caller

1. Read which input the callee marks required.
2. Add it to the calling job with: block.
3. Re-run so the call has every required input.

jobs:
  deploy:
    uses: ./.github/workflows/deploy.yml
    with:
      environment: production

Give the input a default if it is optional

If most callers use the same value, make the input optional with a default in the reusable workflow instead of required.

inputs:
  environment:
    required: false
    type: string
    default: staging

How to prevent it

• Document required inputs in the reusable workflow header.
• Give sensible defaults to inputs that are usually the same.
• Add a caller template so required inputs are always present.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

References

• GitHub Actions documentation
• Workflow syntax for GitHub Actions