Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

In GitHub Actions, cancel-in-progress: true tells GitHub to cancel currently running work in the same concurrency group when new work enters that group. The group determines which jobs or workflow runs can affect one another. This cancels Actions work; it does not promise to undo a deployment or other external side effect the work has already caused.

What does cancel-in-progress do?

GitHub Actions concurrency lets you define a group of jobs or workflow runs that should not all proceed independently. With cancel-in-progress: true, a new item entering a group cancels matching work that is already running. You can configure this at the workflow level or on an individual job. See GitHub’s workflow syntax reference.

The setting is not a global cancel switch. Only work that shares the configured concurrency group is in scope. Group names are case-insensitive, so changing only capitalization does not create a separate group.

How do scope and group name affect cancellation?

Workflow-level concurrency

At the workflow level, concurrency governs workflow runs as a whole. A common pattern is to use the workflow name and Git ref in the group:

Free tools Windows power users keep installed

One-click scans. No signup required.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
#1 Best Overall
Elebase USB to USB C Adapter for iPhone 18 Pro Max,USBC Car Charger Adapter
  • Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
  • Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
  • Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
  • Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
  • 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
concurrency:
  group: ${{ github.workflow }}-${{ github.ref }}
  cancel-in-progress: true

Including ${{ github.workflow }} helps keep separate workflows from colliding when they run on the same ref. If multiple workflows use the same group name, a run in one workflow can cancel matching work in another.

Job-level concurrency

At the job level, concurrency applies to that job rather than making the entire workflow run the unit being managed:

Rank #2
Anker USB-C Hub, 5-in-1 USB Hub for Laptops, 4K HDMI Multiport Adapter
  • 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
  • 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
  • Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
  • 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
  • What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    concurrency:
      group: test-${{ github.ref }}
      cancel-in-progress: true

Use this scope when a particular job should be canceled or held pending while other jobs in the workflow can continue.

Expressions and events

Group names can use expressions. If a context property may be undefined for an event, GitHub’s documented fallback pattern is ${{ github.head_ref || github.run_id }}, so the group still has a value for events without a pull-request head ref.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #3
Sale
Anker USB C Hub, 7in1 Multi-Port USB Adapter, 4K@60Hz USBC to HDMI Splitter
  • Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
  • Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
  • Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
  • Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
  • What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.

cancel-in-progress can itself be an expression. For example, GitHub documents using a condition to cancel matching work on non-release branches while letting release-branch runs continue. This lets a workflow treat rapidly superseded development work differently from release work.

Why can a pending run be canceled even when active work is preserved?

Canceling active work and replacing pending work are separate concurrency behaviors. Under the default queue: single policy, a group can have one active item and at most one pending item. If another item is queued, it replaces—and cancels—the pending item already waiting, even if cancel-in-progress is not enabled.

Rank #4
Sale
UGREEN USB to USB C Adapter Combo 4-Pack, 10Gbps USB C Converter Space Gray
  • Dual Converters, Infinite Potential:Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
  • Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
  • Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
  • Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
  • Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft

GitHub also supports queue: max, which allows up to 100 pending jobs or workflow runs. If the limit is reached, additional items are canceled. This policy cannot be combined with cancel-in-progress: true. These limits and policies are configuration behavior, not a performance measurement.

GitHub describes waiting order as FIFO based on when work began waiting for the concurrency group, but actual start times can vary; concurrency should not be treated as a strict dispatch-order guarantee. The details are in the concurrency documentation.

What’s actually slowing this PC down?

Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Best Value
Anker USB C Hub, 5-in-1 USBC to HDMI Splitter with 4K Display
  • 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
  • Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
  • Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
  • HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
  • What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
Configuration Pending work Currently running work
Default queue: single, without active cancellation One pending item; a newer queued item replaces the existing pending item. Preserved when new work arrives.
cancel-in-progress: true with the default queue policy One pending item; a newer queued item replaces the existing pending item. Matching running work is canceled when new work enters the group.
queue: max Up to 100 pending items; additional items are canceled when the limit is full. Cannot be combined with cancel-in-progress: true.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Does cancellation undo a deployment?

No rollback is promised by the concurrency setting. GitHub documents cancellation of matching in-progress jobs or workflow runs, but does not say that canceling reverses external operations a script has already completed or initiated. That distinction follows from the documented scope: the feature controls Actions work, not the state of the external system it interacts with.

If a deployment or API operation must be reversed or safely retried, design that behavior into the application or deployment process—for example, with explicit cleanup, rollback, or idempotent operations. Do not treat cancellation itself as evidence that external changes were undone.

Does a GitHub environment create a concurrency group?

No. Environments and concurrency are separate settings. GitHub’s deployment guidance explicitly says that “concurrency” and “environment” are not connected. Using an environment does not automatically put a workflow into a matching concurrency group; configure concurrency separately when you need that behavior.

Choosing a configuration

  • Use workflow-level concurrency when the workflow run as a whole is the unit you want to manage.
  • Use job-level concurrency when only one job should be serialized or canceled and other jobs should remain free to proceed.
  • Include workflow or ref context in the group when separate workflows or branches should not cancel one another; verify the group expression for every event type that can trigger the workflow.
  • Choose the pending policy deliberately: the default replaces older pending work, while queue: max allows a larger pending queue but cannot be combined with active cancellation.
  • Plan external recovery separately if cancellation could interrupt work after it has changed a remote system.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.