Repository Dispatch Event Action

Custom GitHub Action to trigger repository dispatch events programmatically.

A GitHub Action that allows you to trigger repository dispatch events in any repository where you have appropriate permissions. This action is useful for creating custom webhook-like workflows and cross-repository automation.

Features

• Trigger repository dispatch events in any accessible repository
• Customize event types for different workflow scenarios
• Send custom JSON payloads with your events
• Proper error handling with meaningful messages
• Support for Node.js 20

Usage

Basic Example

- name: Trigger repository dispatch event
  uses: diekotto/repository-dispatch@v1
  with:
    token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
    repository: octocat/example-repo
    event-type: build-application

Advanced Example with Custom Payload

- name: Trigger repository dispatch event with payload
  uses: diekotto/repository-dispatch@v1
  with:
    token: ${{ secrets.PAT_TOKEN }}
    repository: octocat/example-repo
    event-type: deploy-production
    client-payload: |
      {
        "environment": "production",
        "version": "1.2.3",
        "deployed_by": "workflow"
      }

Inputs

Input	Description	Required	Default
token	GitHub token with repository scope	Yes	${{ github.token }}
repository	Target repository in owner/repo format	Yes	Current repository
event-type	Type of event to trigger	Yes	N/A
client-payload	JSON payload to send with the event	No	{}

Token Permissions

• If using ${{ github.token }}, you can only trigger events in the current repository
• To trigger events in other repositories, use a Personal Access Token (PAT) with the repo scope

Error Handling

The action handles common errors and provides clear error messages:

• Repository not found
• Insufficient permissions
• Invalid JSON payload
• Network or API issues

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Author

Created by Diego Maroto

Acknowledgments

This action uses the official GitHub Actions Toolkit:

• @actions/core
• @actions/github