Are github.head_ref and github.base_ref null when not a pull request?

[dlech]

Code of Conduct

• I have read and agree to the GitHub Docs project's Code of Conduct

What article on docs.github.com is affected?

https://docs.github.com/en/actions/learn-github-actions/contexts#github-context

What part(s) of the article would you like to see updated?

The base_ref or target branch of the pull request in a workflow run. This property is only available when the event that triggers a workflow run is either pull_request or pull_request_target.

Stating that the property is not available is ambiguous. If I use ${{ github.base_ref }} in an action, does it return null, does it cause an error, or something else if the trigger is not a pull request?

Additional information

The same clarification is needed for github.base_ref.

[welcome]

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[ramyaparimi]

@dlech
Thanks so much for opening an issue! I'll triage this for the team to take a look 👀

[skedwards88]

Yep! The docs have now .been updated to state this.

[YashNagayach95]

@ramyaparimi @dlech @skedwards88
How to get the target branch on push event (Not a PR yet)?
Target branch here I mean is main branch from where I created my own foo branch.
I need the target branch so that I can calculate the baseBranchCoverage on every push event.
Any suggestions?

[dlech]

Branches by definition do not have a target, so you will need to get this information from somewhere else. For example, we just assume that the default branch (e.g. main or master) is the base branch.

[cmwilson21]

@YashNagayach95 👋 This question would best be handled by our support team. Please reach out to them.

If there's anything in the documents that you have suggestions for updating, please feel free to open an issue. 💛

[malachid]

Coming across this a year later, I can say that the link in the original description is still ambiguous and does not appear to have actually been resolved. It states that it is not available; it does not state how you validate whether it is set.