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Debug Mode

GrillMyCode supports GitHub Actions' built-in debug logging mechanism. When enabled, the action emits two additional log entries that show exactly what was resolved and what was sent to the AI provider — useful for troubleshooting unexpected assessment results or verifying that context inputs are being picked up correctly.

What gets logged​

Debug entryContents
Resolved inputsEvery parsed input value after defaults and clamping have been applied. Sensitive fields (github_token, api_key) are shown as [REDACTED].
Code after comment strippingThe full code content after comments have been removed. Omitted when keep_comments: true — a message is logged instead confirming no comments were removed.
Prompt messagesThe full [system, user] message array passed to the AI provider, including all injected code content, file lists, assignment context, and instructor instructions.

How to enable it​

Set the ACTIONS_STEP_DEBUG secret (or variable) to true in your repository or organisation settings.

  1. Go to Settings → Secrets and variables → Actions
  2. Under Secrets, add a new secret:
    • Name: ACTIONS_STEP_DEBUG
    • Value: true

Debug output will appear in the workflow run logs under the step that runs this action. Lines are prefixed with ##[debug].

tip

Setting ACTIONS_STEP_DEBUG as a secret rather than a variable prevents the value from being visible in workflow run summaries. GitHub recommends this for debug flags that you enable temporarily during troubleshooting.

Re-running with debug enabled​

You can also enable debug output for a single re-run without adding a permanent secret:

  1. Open the failed (or any past) workflow run
  2. Click Re-run jobs → Re-run all jobs
  3. Check Enable debug logging in the dialog

This enables ACTIONS_STEP_DEBUG only for that run, with no permanent repository changes required.

What it does not log​

  • The raw AI response (only the structured questions output is retained)
  • Git diff content (already visible in core.info output under normal logging)
  • Code content before comment stripping