# How to Checkout Multiple Repositories in a Single GitHub Actions Workflow > Checkout multiple repositories in a single GitHub Actions workflow. Use the actions/checkout action repeatedly with specific repository and path inputs to streamline your CI/CD. - Repository: [GitHub Actions/checkout](https://github.com/actions/checkout) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-07-18 --- **You can invoke the `actions/checkout` action multiple times within a single job, using the `repository` input to specify different repos and the `path` input to control their placement under `$GITHUB_WORKSPACE`.** The official `actions/checkout` action supports cloning multiple repositories by running separate steps for each target. As defined in the repository's [`action.yml`](https://github.com/actions/checkout/blob/main/action.yml), the action accepts a `repository` parameter to select any accessible repo and a `path` parameter to define its location relative to the workspace root. This architecture enables side-by-side clones, nested checkouts, and access to private repositories through explicit token authentication. ## Core Inputs for Multi-Repository Checkout The `actions/checkout` action exposes three critical inputs in [`action.yml`](https://github.com/actions/checkout/blob/main/action.yml) that make multi-repository workflows possible: - **`repository`** – The full name in `owner/repo` format. When omitted, the action defaults to the current repository triggering the workflow. - **`path`** – The relative directory under `$GITHUB_WORKSPACE` where the code is placed. Defaults to the workspace root, which would overwrite previous checkouts if not specified for subsequent clones. - **`token`** – The authentication credential. The default `${{ github.token }}` only accesses the current repository; private repositories require a Personal Access Token (PAT) with appropriate scopes. ## Side-by-Side Checkout Pattern Place repositories in sibling directories to keep codebases isolated while maintaining clean separation of concerns. This pattern creates distinct folders under `$GITHUB_WORKSPACE` for each repository. ```yaml - name: Checkout main repo uses: actions/checkout@v7 with: path: main # clones into $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/main - name: Checkout tools repo uses: actions/checkout@v7 with: repository: my-org/my-tools path: my-tools # clones into $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/my-tools ``` As documented in the [`README.md`](https://github.com/actions/checkout/blob/main/README.md) (lines 61-74), this configuration ensures the second checkout does not overwrite the first by explicitly defining unique paths. ## Nested Checkout Pattern Clone secondary repositories inside subdirectories of your primary codebase. This approach is useful when integrating shared libraries or documentation that must reside within the main repository's structure. ```yaml - name: Checkout primary repo uses: actions/checkout@v7 - name: Checkout tools repo (nested) uses: actions/checkout@v7 with: repository: my-org/my-tools path: my-tools # creates $GITHUB_WORKSPACE/my-tools inside the primary repo ``` According to the official documentation in [`README.md`](https://github.com/actions/checkout/blob/main/README.md) (lines 77-88), the `path` input interprets the destination relative to the workspace root, allowing nested placement regardless of the primary checkout's location. ## Accessing Private Repositories When the target repository has restricted visibility, you must provide a Personal Access Token with `repo` scope via the `token` input. The default `GITHUB_TOKEN` secret lacks permissions to access repositories outside the workflow's context. ```yaml - name: Checkout primary repo uses: actions/checkout@v7 with: path: main - name: Checkout private tools repo uses: actions/checkout@v7 with: repository: my-org/my-private-tools token: ${{ secrets.GH_PAT }} # PAT stored as a repository secret path: my-tools ``` This pattern, referenced in [`README.md`](https://github.com/actions/checkout/blob/main/README.md) (lines 91-104), requires storing the PAT as an encrypted secret in your repository settings and referencing it explicitly in the workflow file. ## Complete Workflow Example This comprehensive configuration demonstrates checking out the current repository alongside both public and private dependencies: ```yaml name: Multi-repo checkout demo on: [push] jobs: build: runs-on: ubuntu-latest steps: # Primary repository - uses: actions/checkout@v7 with: path: primary # Secondary public repo - uses: actions/checkout@v7 with: repository: octocat/example path: example # Secondary private repo - uses: actions/checkout@v7 with: repository: my-org/secret-lib token: ${{ secrets.GH_PAT }} path: secret-lib ``` Each step runs independently, performing its own `git clean` and fetch operations unless you override these defaults with the `clean` or `fetch-depth` inputs. ## Validation and Testing The `actions/checkout` repository includes automated tests that verify multi-repository functionality. The [`__test__/verify-side-by-side.sh`](https://github.com/actions/checkout/blob/main/__test__/verify-side-by-side.sh) script validates that multiple checkouts create correctly isolated directory structures, while [`__test__/verify-worktree.sh`](https://github.com/actions/checkout/blob/main/__test__/verify-worktree.sh) ensures the workspace layout remains consistent when performing nested checkouts. These tests confirm that the `path` parameter correctly scopes each repository without interference between clone operations. ## Summary - **Invoke `actions/checkout` multiple times** within a single job to checkout multiple repositories in a single workflow. - **Set the `path` input** for every checkout after the first to prevent overwriting previously cloned code. - **Use the `repository` input** to specify external repositories in `owner/repo` format. - **Provide a PAT via the `token` input** when accessing private repositories outside the workflow's default scope. - **Reference test scripts** like [`__test__/verify-side-by-side.sh`](https://github.com/actions/checkout/blob/main/__test__/verify-side-by-side.sh) to understand validated implementation patterns. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Can I checkout multiple repositories in one GitHub Actions job? Yes, you can invoke the `actions/checkout` action multiple times within the same job. Each invocation is independent and creates a distinct clone, provided you use the `path` input to specify unique destination directories for each repository. ### How do I access a private repository from my workflow? You must provide a Personal Access Token (PAT) with `repo` scope through the `token` input. Store the PAT as a repository or organization secret, then reference it as `${{ secrets.SECRET_NAME }}`. The default `${{ github.token }}` cannot access repositories other than the one triggering the workflow. ### What is the default path when using actions/checkout? The default path is the `$GITHUB_WORKSPACE` root. Without a `path` specification, the action clones code directly into the workspace directory, which overwrites any previous checkout. Always specify `path` when checking out multiple repositories to maintain separate directories. ### Do I need to checkout the current repository first? No, the order is flexible. However, checking out the primary repository first is conventional practice. If you omit the `path` input for the first checkout, subsequent checkouts must specify paths to avoid overwriting the initial clone.