Rongchai Wang
Jan 17, 2026 09:16
GitHub introduces charge limiting for Actions cache entries at 200 uploads per minute per repository, addressing system stability considerations from high-volume uploads.
GitHub has carried out a brand new charge restrict on its Actions cache system, capping uploads at 200 new cache entries per minute for every repository. The change, introduced January 16, 2026, targets repositories that have been hammering the cache system with rapid-fire uploads and inflicting stability issues throughout the platform.
Downloads stay unaffected. In case your workflows pull current cache entries, nothing adjustments. The restrict particularly targets the creation of recent entries—a distinction that issues for groups operating parallel builds that generate contemporary cache information.
Why now? GitHub cited “cache thrash” because the wrongdoer. Repositories importing large volumes of cache entries briefly bursts have been degrading efficiency for everybody else on the shared infrastructure. The 200-per-minute cap provides heavy customers sufficient headroom for reputable use instances whereas stopping the sort of abuse that was destabilizing the system.
A part of a Broader Actions Overhaul
This charge restrict arrives amid a number of important adjustments to GitHub Actions economics. Earlier this month, GitHub lowered pricing on hosted runners by 15% to 39% relying on dimension. However the greater information hits March 1, 2026, when self-hosted runner utilization in personal repos begins costing $0.002 per minute—a brand new cost that is pushing some groups to rethink their CI/CD structure fully.
The cache system itself bought an improve in late 2025, with repositories now capable of exceed the earlier 10 GB restrict by way of pay-as-you-go pricing. Each repo nonetheless will get 10 GB free, however heavy customers can now purchase extra slightly than consistently combating eviction insurance policies.
What Groups Ought to Examine
Most workflows will not discover this restrict. However when you’re operating matrix builds that generate distinctive cache keys throughout dozens of parallel jobs, do the mathematics. A 50-job matrix finishing concurrently may theoretically hit 200 cache uploads in underneath a minute if every job creates a number of entries.
The repair is easy: consolidate cache keys the place potential, or stagger job completion when you’re genuinely bumping in opposition to the ceiling. GitHub hasn’t introduced any monitoring dashboard for cache add charges, so groups involved about hitting limits might want to audit their workflow logs manually.
Picture supply: Shutterstock
