---
title: CI Pipeline
description: How the OpenClaw CI pipeline works
summary: "CI job graph, scope gates, and local command equivalents"
read_when:
  - You need to understand why a CI job did or did not run
  - You are debugging failing GitHub Actions checks
---

# CI Pipeline

The CI runs on every push to `main` and every pull request. It uses smart scoping to skip expensive jobs when only docs changed.

## Job Overview

| Job               | Purpose                                  | When it runs                                      |
| ----------------- | ---------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| `docs-scope`      | Detect docs-only changes                 | Always                                            |
| `changed-scope`   | Detect which areas changed (node/skills) | Non-docs PRs                                      |
| `check`           | TypeScript types, lint, format           | Push to `main`, or PRs with Node-relevant changes |
| `check-docs`      | Markdown lint + broken link check        | Docs changed                                      |
| `code-analysis`   | LOC threshold check (1000 lines)         | PRs only                                          |
| `secrets`         | Detect leaked secrets                    | Always                                            |
| `build-artifacts` | Build dist once, share with other jobs   | Non-docs, node changes                            |
| `release-check`   | Validate npm pack contents               | After build                                       |
| `checks`          | Node/Bun tests + protocol check          | Non-docs, node changes                            |

## Fail-Fast Order

Jobs are ordered so cheap checks fail before expensive ones run:

1. `docs-scope` + `code-analysis` + `check` (parallel, ~1-2 min)
2. `build-artifacts` (blocked on above)
3. `checks` (blocked on build)

Scope logic lives in `scripts/ci-changed-scope.mjs` and is covered by unit tests in `src/scripts/ci-changed-scope.test.ts`.

## Runners

| Runner                          | Jobs                                 |
| ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| `blacksmith-16vcpu-ubuntu-2404` | Most jobs, including scope detection |

## Local Equivalents

```bash
pnpm check          # types + lint + format
pnpm test           # vitest tests
pnpm check:docs     # docs format + lint + broken links
pnpm release:check  # validate npm pack
```