BlogGitHub Actions Webhooks

How to Test GitHub Actions Webhooks

GitHub Actions can trigger repository_dispatch webhook events and workflow_run notifications for CI/CD pipeline integrations.

GitHub Actions Official Webhook Docs

1. GitHub Actions Webhook Events

GitHub Actions can send the following webhook events to your endpoint:

workflow_run.completed
workflow_run.requested
workflow_job.completed
workflow_job.in_progress
repository_dispatch
check_run.completed

2. Set Up a Test Endpoint with HookRay

Follow these steps to start receiving GitHub Actions webhooks for testing:

  1. Go to HookRay and click "Start Testing — Free" to get your unique webhook URL.
  2. Copy the URL (e.g., https://h.hookray.com/abc123).
  3. In your GitHub Actions dashboard, navigate to the webhook settings and paste the HookRay URL as your endpoint.
  4. Select the events you want to receive (see list above).
  5. Trigger a test event — HookRay will show the incoming webhook in real-time.

3. Sample GitHub Actions Webhook Payload

Here's an example of what a GitHub Actions webhook payload looks like:

payload.json
{
  "action": "completed",
  "workflow_run": {
    "id": 2345678901,
    "name": "CI Pipeline",
    "head_branch": "main",
    "head_sha": "abc123def456",
    "status": "completed",
    "conclusion": "success",
    "run_number": 127
  },
  "repository": {
    "full_name": "acme/hookray"
  }
}

4. Common Issues & Troubleshooting

Webhook not arriving?

Check that your endpoint URL is correct and publicly accessible. GitHub Actions cannot reach localhost URLs — use HookRay's cloud URL instead.

Getting 400 or 500 errors?

HookRay accepts any payload and returns 200 OK by default, so the issue is likely on GitHub Actions's side. Check your webhook configuration and event selection.

Need to verify webhook signatures?

GitHub Actions signs webhook requests for security. Use HookRay to capture the raw headers and body, then implement signature verification in your application code.

5. Next Steps

  • Use HookRay's webhook replay feature to re-send captured webhooks while building your handler
  • Enable smart parsing (Pro plan) to see GitHub Actions-specific fields highlighted automatically
  • Check the GitHub Actions webhook documentation for the complete event reference

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