Step Name Alignment Issues
Found across multiple .github/workflows/*.lock.yml files (152 workflows analyzed, 225 unique step names reviewed).
Summary
Several recurring inconsistencies were found across the compiled workflows. The issues fall into three categories: verb inconsistency (Echo vs Print), casing/hyphenation of safe-outputs/safe-inputs, and a small set of minor naming problems. All source changes should be made in the .md files and recompiled.
Issues Identified
1. [High Priority] Inconsistent Verb: Echo agent output types vs Print pattern
Current step name (142 workflows):
Issue:
Two other high-frequency steps in every workflow use the verb Print:
Print prompt (152 workflows)
Print firewall logs (152 workflows)
Using Echo (a shell command name) as a step verb is inconsistent with the established Print pattern.
Suggested improvement:
Echo agent output types → Print agent output types
Example files: .github/workflows/agent-performance-analyzer.lock.yml, .github/workflows/archie.lock.yml, and 140 others.
2. [High Priority] Terminology Mismatch: safe-outputs/safe-inputs casing
Current step names with lowercase-hyphenated form (8 workflows each):
Parse safe-inputs logs for step summary
Upload safe-outputs assets
Dominant form used in 145+ other steps:
Upload Safe Outputs
Write Safe Outputs Config
Generate Safe Outputs MCP Server Config
Start Safe Outputs MCP HTTP Server
Process Safe Outputs
Generate Safe Inputs MCP Server Config
Setup Safe Inputs Config
Start Safe Inputs MCP HTTP Server
Issue:
The overwhelming majority of steps (145+) use Title Case Safe Outputs / Safe Inputs. Two outlier steps use the hyphenated lowercase form safe-outputs / safe-inputs, creating inconsistency. The glossary notes that safe-outputs is used hyphenated in technical (YAML) contexts, but step names are prose labels and should follow the same Title Case convention as all other steps.
Suggested improvements:
Parse safe-inputs logs for step summary → Parse Safe Inputs logs for step summary
Upload safe-outputs assets → Upload Safe Outputs assets
Example files: .github/workflows/copilot-pr-merged-report.lock.yml, .github/workflows/audit-workflows.lock.yml, and others.
3. [Medium Priority] Inconsistent Verb: Run Codex vs Execute for AI engine steps
Current step names:
Run Codex (11 workflows)
Execute Claude Code CLI (37 workflows)
Execute GitHub Copilot CLI (104 workflows)
Issue:
All three steps perform the same conceptual action — invoking an AI engine. Two use Execute while the Codex engine uses Run. Similarly, Install Codex (11 workflows) is consistent with Install Claude Code CLI and Install GitHub Copilot CLI, but the run step is not.
Suggested improvement:
Run Codex → Execute Codex
Example files: .github/workflows/ai-moderator.lock.yml, .github/workflows/codex-github-remote-mcp-test.lock.yml, and others.
4. [Low Priority] Missing verb: Dev dependencies
Current step name (1 workflow — tidy.lock.yml):
Issue:
Every other dependency installation step uses an explicit verb:
Install dev dependencies
Install dependencies
Install development dependencies
This step is missing its verb entirely.
Suggested improvement:
Dev dependencies → Install dev dependencies
5. [Low Priority] Underscore in step name: Run stale_repos tool
Current step name (1 workflow — stale-repo-identifier.lock.yml):
Issue:
This is the only step name in the entire codebase that contains an underscore. All other multi-word identifiers in step names use spaces or hyphens. The underscore comes from the action/tool name stale-repos but should not appear in the human-readable step label.
Suggested improvement:
Run stale_repos tool → Run stale-repos tool
6. [Low Priority] Wrong preposition capitalization: Assign To Agent
Current step name (2 workflows — issue-monster.lock.yml, workflow-generator.lock.yml):
Issue:
Short prepositions like "to" should not be capitalized in step names. Compare with Assign Copilot to created issues which correctly uses lowercase "to".
Suggested improvement:
Assign To Agent → Assign to agent
Agentic Task Description
To fix these step names:
- Review source files — Changes must be made in the
.md source files, not the .lock.yml compiled files
- Apply renames — Update each affected step name in the relevant
.md workflow file
- Recompile — Run
gh aw compile (workflow-name).md to regenerate the .lock.yml
- Verify consistency — Confirm the new names appear correctly in the compiled output
Related Files
- Source workflows:
.github/workflows/*.md
- Compiled workflows:
.github/workflows/*.lock.yml
- Project glossary:
docs/src/content/docs/reference/glossary.md
Priority
This issue is High Priority for items 1–3 (affects 100+ workflows each) and Low Priority for items 4–6 (single-workflow outliers).
AI generated by Step Name Alignment for daily maintenance
Generated by Step Name Alignment
Step Name Alignment Issues
Found across multiple
.github/workflows/*.lock.ymlfiles (152 workflows analyzed, 225 unique step names reviewed).Summary
Several recurring inconsistencies were found across the compiled workflows. The issues fall into three categories: verb inconsistency (
EchovsPrint), casing/hyphenation ofsafe-outputs/safe-inputs, and a small set of minor naming problems. All source changes should be made in the.mdfiles and recompiled.Issues Identified
1. [High Priority] Inconsistent Verb:
Echo agent output typesvsPrintpatternCurrent step name (142 workflows):
Echo agent output typesIssue:
Two other high-frequency steps in every workflow use the verb
Print:Print prompt(152 workflows)Print firewall logs(152 workflows)Using
Echo(a shell command name) as a step verb is inconsistent with the establishedPrintpattern.Suggested improvement:
Echo agent output types→Print agent output typesExample files:
.github/workflows/agent-performance-analyzer.lock.yml,.github/workflows/archie.lock.yml, and 140 others.2. [High Priority] Terminology Mismatch:
safe-outputs/safe-inputscasingCurrent step names with lowercase-hyphenated form (8 workflows each):
Parse safe-inputs logs for step summaryUpload safe-outputs assetsDominant form used in 145+ other steps:
Upload Safe OutputsWrite Safe Outputs ConfigGenerate Safe Outputs MCP Server ConfigStart Safe Outputs MCP HTTP ServerProcess Safe OutputsGenerate Safe Inputs MCP Server ConfigSetup Safe Inputs ConfigStart Safe Inputs MCP HTTP ServerIssue:
The overwhelming majority of steps (145+) use Title Case
Safe Outputs/Safe Inputs. Two outlier steps use the hyphenated lowercase formsafe-outputs/safe-inputs, creating inconsistency. The glossary notes thatsafe-outputsis used hyphenated in technical (YAML) contexts, but step names are prose labels and should follow the same Title Case convention as all other steps.Suggested improvements:
Parse safe-inputs logs for step summary→Parse Safe Inputs logs for step summaryUpload safe-outputs assets→Upload Safe Outputs assetsExample files:
.github/workflows/copilot-pr-merged-report.lock.yml,.github/workflows/audit-workflows.lock.yml, and others.3. [Medium Priority] Inconsistent Verb:
Run CodexvsExecutefor AI engine stepsCurrent step names:
Run Codex(11 workflows)Execute Claude Code CLI(37 workflows)Execute GitHub Copilot CLI(104 workflows)Issue:
All three steps perform the same conceptual action — invoking an AI engine. Two use
Executewhile the Codex engine usesRun. Similarly,Install Codex(11 workflows) is consistent withInstall Claude Code CLIandInstall GitHub Copilot CLI, but the run step is not.Suggested improvement:
Run Codex→Execute CodexExample files:
.github/workflows/ai-moderator.lock.yml,.github/workflows/codex-github-remote-mcp-test.lock.yml, and others.4. [Low Priority] Missing verb:
Dev dependenciesCurrent step name (1 workflow —
tidy.lock.yml):Dev dependenciesIssue:
Every other dependency installation step uses an explicit verb:
Install dev dependenciesInstall dependenciesInstall development dependenciesThis step is missing its verb entirely.
Suggested improvement:
Dev dependencies→Install dev dependencies5. [Low Priority] Underscore in step name:
Run stale_repos toolCurrent step name (1 workflow —
stale-repo-identifier.lock.yml):Run stale_repos toolIssue:
This is the only step name in the entire codebase that contains an underscore. All other multi-word identifiers in step names use spaces or hyphens. The underscore comes from the action/tool name
stale-reposbut should not appear in the human-readable step label.Suggested improvement:
Run stale_repos tool→Run stale-repos tool6. [Low Priority] Wrong preposition capitalization:
Assign To AgentCurrent step name (2 workflows —
issue-monster.lock.yml,workflow-generator.lock.yml):Assign To AgentIssue:
Short prepositions like "to" should not be capitalized in step names. Compare with
Assign Copilot to created issueswhich correctly uses lowercase "to".Suggested improvement:
Assign To Agent→Assign to agentAgentic Task Description
To fix these step names:
.mdsource files, not the.lock.ymlcompiled files.mdworkflow filegh aw compile (workflow-name).mdto regenerate the.lock.ymlRelated Files
.github/workflows/*.md.github/workflows/*.lock.ymldocs/src/content/docs/reference/glossary.mdPriority
This issue is High Priority for items 1–3 (affects 100+ workflows each) and Low Priority for items 4–6 (single-workflow outliers).