Disable Workflows Script - Implementation Summary

February 9, 2026 · View on GitHub

Overview

Created a comprehensive Node.js script to disable GitHub Actions workflows across all repositories in a GitHub account EXCEPT for quantum-x-builder.

Files Created

1. Main Script

Location: scripts/disable-workflows-except-qxb.js

  • Pure Node.js implementation (no external dependencies required)
  • Uses GitHub REST API v3
  • ~450 lines with comprehensive error handling

2. Full Documentation

Location: docs/DISABLE_WORKFLOWS_GUIDE.md

  • Complete usage guide
  • Prerequisites and setup instructions
  • Troubleshooting section
  • Security best practices
  • Examples and workflows

3. Quick Reference

Location: DISABLE_WORKFLOWS_QUICK.md

  • TL;DR commands
  • Common usage patterns
  • Quick troubleshooting

Features

Safety Features

✅ Automatic Protection: quantum-x-builder is hardcoded and will never be disabled ✅ Dry-Run Default: Defaults to preview mode if no mode specified ✅ Clear Reporting: Shows protected vs. processed repositories ✅ Error Handling: Graceful handling of API failures ✅ Rate Limiting: Built-in delays to avoid API throttling

Operation Modes

  • Dry-Run Mode (--dry-run): Preview changes without applying
  • Interactive Mode (--interactive): Confirm each repository individually
  • Automatic Mode (--auto): Disable all at once (except quantum-x-builder)

Flexibility

  • Works with personal accounts and organizations
  • No external npm dependencies (pure Node.js)
  • Supports environment variables and command-line arguments
  • Cross-platform compatible (Linux, Mac, Windows)

Usage Examples

export GITHUB_TOKEN=ghp_your_token_here
node scripts/disable-workflows-except-qxb.js --dry-run

2. Interactive Mode

node scripts/disable-workflows-except-qxb.js --interactive

3. Automatic Disable

node scripts/disable-workflows-except-qxb.js --auto

4. For Organization

node scripts/disable-workflows-except-qxb.js --owner InfinityXOneSystems --auto

Requirements

  • Node.js 16+ (uses built-in https and readline modules)
  • GitHub Personal Access Token with scopes:
    • repo - Full control of private repositories
    • workflow - Update GitHub Action workflows

How to Get a Token

  1. Go to: https://github.com/settings/tokens
  2. Click "Generate new token (classic)"
  3. Name: "Disable Workflows Script"
  4. Select scopes: repo, workflow
  5. Generate and copy the token

What It Does

The script:

  1. Authenticates with GitHub API
  2. Lists all repositories for the specified owner
  3. Filters out quantum-x-builder (hardcoded protection)
  4. Checks which repositories have Actions enabled
  5. Disables Actions for each repository (except quantum-x-builder)
  6. Provides detailed reporting of results

API Calls Made

  • GET /user - Get authenticated user info
  • GET /users/{username}/repos - List user repositories
  • GET /orgs/{org}/repos - List organization repositories
  • GET /repos/{owner}/{repo}/actions/permissions - Check Actions status
  • PUT /repos/{owner}/{repo}/actions/permissions - Disable Actions

Output Example

╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║   Disable GitHub Actions - Except quantum-x-builder          ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

🔐 Authenticated as: Neo
📁 Target owner: InfinityXOneSystems
🛡️  Protected repository: quantum-x-builder
⚙️  Mode: DRY RUN

📋 Fetching repositories for: InfinityXOneSystems...
✅ Found 25 repositories

📊 Repository Summary:
   Total repositories: 25
   Protected (excluded): 1
   Will be processed: 24

🛡️  Protected repositories (Actions will remain enabled):
   ✓ InfinityXOneSystems/quantum-x-builder

🔍 Checking which repositories have Actions enabled...
   • InfinityXOneSystems/repo1 - Actions ENABLED
   • InfinityXOneSystems/repo2 - Actions ENABLED
   • InfinityXOneSystems/repo3 - Actions already disabled
   ...

📋 Found 15 repositories with Actions enabled

🔧 Processing repositories...
  [DRY RUN] Would disable Actions for: InfinityXOneSystems/repo1
  [DRY RUN] Would disable Actions for: InfinityXOneSystems/repo2
  ...

╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║                    Operation Summary                          ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

📊 Results:
   Would disable: 15
   Protected: 1 (quantum-x-builder)

💡 This was a dry run. Use --auto or --interactive to apply changes.

Security Considerations

  • Token should be kept secure and never committed
  • Use environment variables for token storage
  • Script includes rate limiting to be nice to GitHub API
  • All API calls are logged for audit purposes
  • Protected repositories are hardcoded (can't be accidentally disabled)

Testing Performed

✅ Help command displays correctly ✅ Error handling works (missing token) ✅ Script is executable ✅ No external dependencies required ✅ Clear and informative output

Next Steps for Users

  1. Read the full guide: docs/DISABLE_WORKFLOWS_GUIDE.md
  2. Get a GitHub token with required scopes
  3. Run dry-run mode first to preview changes
  4. Choose appropriate mode based on needs
  5. Verify quantum-x-builder remains protected

Notes

  • The script does NOT delete workflows, it just disables them
  • Workflows can be re-enabled via GitHub UI or API
  • quantum-x-builder is permanently protected in the script
  • No npm packages needed - uses only Node.js built-ins
  • Compatible with GitHub Free, Pro, Team, and Enterprise