2 minute read

Context

CI/CD pipelines are essential—but not every push needs one.

There are legitimate cases where triggering a pipeline adds cost, noise, or delay without providing value. Knowing how to skip a pipeline intentionally gives engineers finer control over their workflows—especially in automation-heavy environments.

This post explains how pipeline skipping works and when it should (and shouldn’t) be used.

When Skipping a Pipeline Makes Sense

Reasonable cases include:

  • documentation-only changes
  • formatting or comment updates
  • experimental or temporary commits
  • work-in-progress pushes
  • branch housekeeping

Skipping pipelines is about intent, not avoidance.

GitLab: Skip Pipeline via Commit Message

GitLab supports pipeline skipping through commit message directives.

Add one of the following to your commit message:

[skip ci]

or

[ci skip]

Example:

git commit -m "Fix typo in README [skip ci]"

When GitLab detects this token, it will not create a pipeline for the commit.

GitHub Actions: Skip via Commit Message

GitHub Actions does not support skipping workflows via commit message by default.

However, many workflows include conditional logic such as:

if: "!contains(github.event.head_commit.message, '[skip ci]')"

If your workflow is configured this way, adding [skip ci] to the commit message will prevent execution.

Always verify your repository’s workflow logic before relying on this behavior.

Skipping Pipelines via Push Options (GitLab)

GitLab also supports push options:

git push -o ci.skip

This skips pipeline creation for that push without modifying commit messages.

This is especially useful when:

  • commits are already created
  • rewriting history is undesirable
  • automation is involved

Branch and Path-Based Skipping

Some pipelines are configured to skip runs based on:

  • branch names
  • changed file paths
  • merge request context

Examples:

  • only run pipelines on main
  • ignore changes under /docs
  • skip on tags

These approaches reduce the need for manual skipping.

Risks and Pitfalls

Skipping pipelines can be dangerous if misused.

Common mistakes:

  • skipping pipelines for functional changes
  • bypassing required checks
  • masking failing tests
  • forgetting skip directives before merge

Pipelines exist to protect the system—don’t undermine them casually.

Best Practices

  • Use skipping sparingly and intentionally
  • Prefer automated path-based rules where possible
  • Avoid skipping on shared or protected branches
  • Document expected usage for your team
  • Treat skipped pipelines as an exception, not a norm

Good defaults reduce the need for manual intervention.

CI Visibility and Auditing

Even when skipped:

  • the commit is still recorded
  • the skip directive is visible
  • intent can be reviewed later

This transparency is important for audits and retrospectives.

Practical Tips

  • Use [skip ci] consistently if your platform supports it
  • Prefer push options when available
  • Don’t rely on undocumented behavior
  • Test skip behavior in non-production repos
  • Remember that merges may trigger pipelines even if commits didn’t

Understanding your CI platform’s behavior matters.

Takeaways

  • Not every commit needs a pipeline
  • GitLab supports explicit skip directives
  • GitHub requires workflow-level conditions
  • Skipping should be intentional and limited
  • Automation should reduce noise, not trust

Used thoughtfully, skipping pipelines can make CI/CD faster and quieter—without compromising safety.

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