Bottom line: Accept a check-only result for its stated configuration review, then require separate evidence for building and publishing the intended image. Keep those outcomes distinct in the workflow and release checklist.
\nThe Validating build configuration with GitHub Actions documentation is the primary reference.
\nDocker build checks validate build configuration without running the build itself. For docker/build-push-action, the documented call: check setting runs checks and fails the workflow when check warnings are detected. The guide also documents a Bake check target and a separate build-and-push step in its workflow example.
This article reviews the check-only/build distinction. It does not define every available check, prescribe a particular warning fixture or establish that an image is runnable, tested or published after configuration validation. Confirm the installed actions and required release steps rather than inferring broader acceptance from a green check.
\nDSE recommends naming the check stage for configuration validation and giving image construction and publication separate checklist entries. Have the pipeline owner identify the responsible step for each outcome. Keep a failed check visible rather than disabling validation simply to recover an unrelated publish step.
\nInspect the selected action inputs or Bake target in the managed workflow. Mark the check-only invocation clearly and review which target it addresses. Preserve the distinction when a shared workflow is reused by several repositories. Require the caller to explain what later step is responsible for the actual deliverable.
\nAssign warnings to a review process appropriate to the installed checks. Ask the build owner to explain the underlying configuration before approving a change or an exception. Do not invent a warning name, assume every warning represents a vulnerability or replace the check with an unreviewed automatic rewrite.
\nTie the later build result to the intended source revision and approved image identity. Review publication evidence independently of the check report. Keep application tests and deployment approval as their own requirements, so a successful configuration check cannot silently satisfy all release criteria.
\nProposed verification: prepare a harmless test repository with a known configuration accepted by the installed documented checks. Retain the check-only invocation and actual check report. Separately inspect whether the planned build and publication steps ran and what artifacts they produced.
\nFor a warning case, have the owner choose a benign fixture supported by the installed check set and predict the expected outcome before running it. Compare the check report with the workflow result without prescribing an unverified error message. Retain source revision, selected target, action configuration and separate build/publication observations. No proposed test result should be entered as completed release evidence.
\nSource review completed October 30, 2026. Recheck the official documentation and deployment-specific applicability before a production change.
\n", "content_text": "Bottom line: Accept a check-only result for its stated configuration review, then require separate evidence for building and publishing the intended image. Keep those outcomes distinct in the workflow and release checklist.\nSource fact: documented behavior\nThe Validating build configuration with GitHub Actions documentation is the primary reference.\nDocker build checks validate build configuration without running the build itself. For docker/build-push-action, the documented call: check setting runs checks and fails the workflow when check warnings are detected. The guide also documents a Bake check target and a separate build-and-push step in its workflow example.\nWhat the source does not establish\nThis article reviews the check-only/build distinction. It does not define every available check, prescribe a particular warning fixture or establish that an image is runnable, tested or published after configuration validation. Confirm the installed actions and required release steps rather than inferring broader acceptance from a green check.\nApplicability questions\n\nWhich step performs only configuration checks?\nWhat actual warnings should cause investigation?\nWhich separate step produces the intended image?\nWhat evidence establishes the expected registry result rather than merely job success?\n\nDSE recommendation: name the outcome of each CI stage\nDSE recommends naming the check stage for configuration validation and giving image construction and publication separate checklist entries. Have the pipeline owner identify the responsible step for each outcome. Keep a failed check visible rather than disabling validation simply to recover an unrelated publish step.\nInspect the selected action inputs or Bake target in the managed workflow. Mark the check-only invocation clearly and review which target it addresses. Preserve the distinction when a shared workflow is reused by several repositories. Require the caller to explain what later step is responsible for the actual deliverable.\nAssign warnings to a review process appropriate to the installed checks. Ask the build owner to explain the underlying configuration before approving a change or an exception. Do not invent a warning name, assume every warning represents a vulnerability or replace the check with an unreviewed automatic rewrite.\nTie the later build result to the intended source revision and approved image identity. Review publication evidence independently of the check report. Keep application tests and deployment approval as their own requirements, so a successful configuration check cannot silently satisfy all release criteria.\nVerification and evidence\nProposed verification: prepare a harmless test repository with a known configuration accepted by the installed documented checks. Retain the check-only invocation and actual check report. Separately inspect whether the planned build and publication steps ran and what artifacts they produced.\nFor a warning case, have the owner choose a benign fixture supported by the installed check set and predict the expected outcome before running it. Compare the check report with the workflow result without prescribing an unverified error message. Retain source revision, selected target, action configuration and separate build/publication observations. No proposed test result should be entered as completed release evidence.\nOfficial references\n\nValidating build configuration with GitHub Actions — Docker Docs.\n\nSource review completed October 30, 2026. Recheck the official documentation and deployment-specific applicability before a production change.", "content_markdown": "Bottom line: Accept a check-only result for its stated configuration review, then require separate evidence for building and publishing the intended image. Keep those outcomes distinct in the workflow and release checklist.\n\n## Source fact: documented behavior\n\nThe [Validating build configuration with GitHub Actions](https://docs.docker.com/build/ci/github-actions/checks/) documentation is the primary reference.\n\nDocker build checks validate build configuration without running the build itself. For docker/build-push-action, the documented call: check setting runs checks and fails the workflow when check warnings are detected. The guide also documents a Bake check target and a separate build-and-push step in its workflow example.\n\n## What the source does not establish\n\nThis article reviews the check-only/build distinction. It does not define every available check, prescribe a particular warning fixture or establish that an image is runnable, tested or published after configuration validation. Confirm the installed actions and required release steps rather than inferring broader acceptance from a green check.\n\n## Applicability questions\n\n- Which step performs only configuration checks?\n\n- What actual warnings should cause investigation?\n\n- Which separate step produces the intended image?\n\n- What evidence establishes the expected registry result rather than merely job success?\n\n## DSE recommendation: name the outcome of each CI stage\n\nDSE recommends naming the check stage for configuration validation and giving image construction and publication separate checklist entries. Have the pipeline owner identify the responsible step for each outcome. Keep a failed check visible rather than disabling validation simply to recover an unrelated publish step.\n\nInspect the selected action inputs or Bake target in the managed workflow. Mark the check-only invocation clearly and review which target it addresses. Preserve the distinction when a shared workflow is reused by several repositories. Require the caller to explain what later step is responsible for the actual deliverable.\n\nAssign warnings to a review process appropriate to the installed checks. Ask the build owner to explain the underlying configuration before approving a change or an exception. Do not invent a warning name, assume every warning represents a vulnerability or replace the check with an unreviewed automatic rewrite.\n\nTie the later build result to the intended source revision and approved image identity. Review publication evidence independently of the check report. Keep application tests and deployment approval as their own requirements, so a successful configuration check cannot silently satisfy all release criteria.\n\n## Verification and evidence\n\nProposed verification: prepare a harmless test repository with a known configuration accepted by the installed documented checks. Retain the check-only invocation and actual check report. Separately inspect whether the planned build and publication steps ran and what artifacts they produced.\n\nFor a warning case, have the owner choose a benign fixture supported by the installed check set and predict the expected outcome before running it. Compare the check report with the workflow result without prescribing an unverified error message. Retain source revision, selected target, action configuration and separate build/publication observations. No proposed test result should be entered as completed release evidence.\n\n## Official references\n\n- [Validating build configuration with GitHub Actions](https://docs.docker.com/build/ci/github-actions/checks/) — Docker Docs.\n\nSource review completed October 30, 2026. Recheck the official documentation and deployment-specific applicability before a production change." }, "json_ld": { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://dsesecurity.com/#organization", "name": "Detection Systems & Engineering", "alternateName": "DSE Security", "url": "https://dsesecurity.com/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/assets/dse-logo-20260812.png?v=1.8.20" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/#editorial-team", "name": "DSE Security Editorial Team", "url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/", "parentOrganization": { "@id": "https://dsesecurity.com/#organization" } }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/#website", "name": "DSE Updates", "alternateName": "DSE Security Knowledge Hub", "url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/", "inLanguage": "en-US", "publisher": { "@id": "https://dsesecurity.com/#organization" }, "potentialAction": { "@type": "SearchAction", "target": { "@type": "EntryPoint", "urlTemplate": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/?q={search_term_string}" }, "query-input": "required name=search_term_string" } }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/keep-docker-check-only-ci-results-separate-from-image-builds/", "url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/keep-docker-check-only-ci-results-separate-from-image-builds/", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/#website" }, "lastReviewed": "2026-10-30" }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/keep-docker-check-only-ci-results-separate-from-image-builds/#breadcrumbs", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "DSE Updates", "item": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Cybersecurity", "item": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/topic/cybersecurity/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Keep Docker check-only CI results separate from image builds", "item": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/keep-docker-check-only-ci-results-separate-from-image-builds/" } ] }, { "@type": [ "Article", "TechArticle" ], "@id": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/keep-docker-check-only-ci-results-separate-from-image-builds/#article", "identifier": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/keep-docker-check-only-ci-results-separate-from-image-builds/", "url": "https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/keep-docker-check-only-ci-results-separate-from-image-builds/", "headline": "Keep Docker check-only CI results separate from image builds", "description": "A check-only Docker build action validates configuration; keep its warnings and result separate from the later image build and push.", "abstract": "A check-only Docker build action validates configuration; keep its warnings and result separate from the later image build and push.", "articleBody": "Bottom line: Accept a check-only result for its stated configuration review, then require separate evidence for building and publishing the intended image. Keep those outcomes distinct in the workflow and release checklist.\nSource fact: documented behavior\nThe Validating build configuration with GitHub Actions documentation is the primary reference.\nDocker build checks validate build configuration without running the build itself. For docker/build-push-action, the documented call: check setting runs checks and fails the workflow when check warnings are detected. The guide also documents a Bake check target and a separate build-and-push step in its workflow example.\nWhat the source does not establish\nThis article reviews the check-only/build distinction. It does not define every available check, prescribe a particular warning fixture or establish that an image is runnable, tested or published after configuration validation. Confirm the installed actions and required release steps rather than inferring broader acceptance from a green check.\nApplicability questions\n\nWhich step performs only configuration checks?\nWhat actual warnings should cause investigation?\nWhich separate step produces the intended image?\nWhat evidence establishes the expected registry result rather than merely job success?\n\nDSE recommendation: name the outcome of each CI stage\nDSE recommends naming the check stage for configuration validation and giving image construction and publication separate checklist entries. Have the pipeline owner identify the responsible step for each outcome. Keep a failed check visible rather than disabling validation simply to recover an unrelated publish step.\nInspect the selected action inputs or Bake target in the managed workflow. Mark the check-only invocation clearly and review which target it addresses. Preserve the distinction when a shared workflow is reused by several repositories. Require the caller to explain what later step is responsible for the actual deliverable.\nAssign warnings to a review process appropriate to the installed checks. Ask the build owner to explain the underlying configuration before approving a change or an exception. Do not invent a warning name, assume every warning represents a vulnerability or replace the check with an unreviewed automatic rewrite.\nTie the later build result to the intended source revision and approved image identity. Review publication evidence independently of the check report. Keep application tests and deployment approval as their own requirements, so a successful configuration check cannot silently satisfy all release criteria.\nVerification and evidence\nProposed verification: prepare a harmless test repository with a known configuration accepted by the installed documented checks. Retain the check-only invocation and actual check report. Separately inspect whether the planned build and publication steps ran and what artifacts they produced.\nFor a warning case, have the owner choose a benign fixture supported by the installed check set and predict the expected outcome before running it. Compare the check report with the workflow result without prescribing an unverified error message. Retain source revision, selected target, action configuration and separate build/publication observations. No proposed test result should be entered as completed release evidence.\nOfficial references\n\nValidating build configuration with GitHub Actions — Docker Docs.\n\nSource review completed October 30, 2026. 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All rights reserved.", "citation": { "@type": "CreativeWork", "name": "Docker Docs — Validating build configuration with GitHub Actions", "url": "https://docs.docker.com/build/ci/github-actions/checks/" } } ] } }