Run your first CI workflow in RWX

Run tests and lint in RWX Cloud, then see an unchanged run reuse cached results.

Run a Node.js project’s tests and lint checks in RWX Cloud. Then run the same workflow again and see RWX reuse the results from its cache.

You need Git, a terminal, and an RWX account. RWX installs Node.js and the project dependencies in the cloud.

Before you start

Create an RWX account and create or join an organization. Complete the account verification shown in onboarding so your trial credit is available. If your trial is waiting for verification, connect a supported version-control provider or use the support option shown on that page.

This exercise clones a public repository. You can use it after trial activation without granting RWX access to one of your own private repositories.

Check that Git is installed:

git --version

You should see a Git version number.

1. Install the CLI and sign in

On macOS or Windows Subsystem for Linux, install the CLI with Homebrew:

brew install rwx-cloud/tap/rwx

On Linux, follow Installing the CLI, then continue with these commands:

rwx --version
rwx login

In the browser, choose the RWX organization you want to use. To limit this device’s permissions to workflows, turn off Inherit all of your permissions, select None, then select Manage under Runs. RWX also selects Create and Read, allowing the CLI to start, inspect, cancel, and retry runs.

The example shows the Runs permissions using the run: search filter. Select Authorize, then return to your terminal.

Confirm the CLI is signed in:

rwx whoami

Check that the Organization line names the organization you selected.

2. Get the example project

Clone the public example and create a local branch at the version used in this exercise:

git clone https://github.com/rwx-cloud/ci-examples.git rwx-quickstart
cd rwx-quickstart
git switch --create quickstart 03095ad1675765ff77665ecd0bfeb69ec722cc65

The project has 20 unit tests and a lint check. Keep your terminal in rwx-quickstart for the rest of this guide.

3. Add the workflow

Create .rwx/quickstart.yml and paste in this complete definition:

on:
  cli:
    init:
      commit-sha: ${{ event.git.sha }}

base:
  image: ubuntu:24.04
  config: rwx/base 1.2.0

tasks:
  - key: code
    call: git/clone 2.2.0
    with:
      repository: https://github.com/rwx-cloud/ci-examples.git
      ref: ${{ init.commit-sha }}

  - key: node
    call: nodejs/install 1.2.0
    with:
      node-version: "24.8.0"

  - key: npm-install
    use: [code, node]
    timeout: 3m
    run: npm ci --no-audit --no-fund
    filter:
      - package.json
      - package-lock.json

  - key: lint
    use: npm-install
    timeout: 2m
    run: npm run lint
    outputs:
      problems:
        - matcher: eslint

  - key: test
    use: npm-install
    timeout: 2m
    run: npm test -- --runInBand --json --outputFile=test-results.json
    outputs:
      test-results:
        - path: test-results.json

The code and node tasks prepare the project and runtime. npm-install uses both. The lint and test tasks use that prepared environment and can run independently.

Check the definition:

rwx lint .rwx/quickstart.yml

You should see:

Checked 1 file and found 0 problems.

4. Run tests and lint in the cloud

Start the workflow and wait for its result:

rwx run .rwx/quickstart.yml --wait --title "My first RWX run"

Wait for the CLI to report:

Run result status: succeeded

Open the run URL printed by the CLI. In the Tasks view, look for these five tasks:

Task	Expected result
code	The example repository is available
node	Node.js is available
npm-install	Dependencies are installed
lint	The lint check succeeds
test	All 20 tests pass

The run should show Succeeded. If RWX has already run a task with the same inputs in your organization, that task may show Cached on this first run.

Select the Tests tab to see the individual test results. Look for 20 Successful above the list.

Your new workflow file is still local. The CLI sends local changes with the run, so this exercise does not require a commit or push.

5. See the cache reuse

Run the same definition again without changing any files:

rwx run .rwx/quickstart.yml --wait --title "My cached RWX run"

Open the new run URL. All five tasks should show Cached, and the run should show Succeeded. RWX reused the earlier successful results because the task definitions and inputs stayed the same.

You now have a passing cloud CI workflow and have seen it reuse an unchanged run.

If a step fails

What you see	What to do
CLI authentication is missing	Run rwx login, complete browser authorization, and check rwx whoami
The run is paused for account verification	Finish the verification in RWX onboarding and confirm trial credit is available
The CLI cannot determine a remote Git commit	Run the command inside rwx-quickstart after the clone and branch commands in step 2
The definition has lint errors	Compare .rwx/quickstart.yml with the full definition in step 3, then run rwx lint again
A task fails	Open that task in the run UI and inspect its output; use the Tests tab for test failures

Continue with your project

Continue learning with Catch and fix a local regression with RWX or Run commands in a cloud sandbox.

Use the CI workflow guide to point the workflow at your own repository and checks. For a private GitHub repository, follow Getting started with GitHub to grant repository access and configure the clone token.