oven-sh/bun · error · Error

GITHUB_TOKEN environment variable is required

Error message

GITHUB_TOKEN environment variable is required

What it means

autoCloseDuplicates() requires GITHUB_TOKEN to authenticate every GitHub call (searching stale issues, reading comments, closing duplicates). Without it the script cannot run at all and aborts before any API request.

Solutions

1. Pass the Actions token: env: GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }} on the step
2. Locally, export a PAT with repo scope as GITHUB_TOKEN before running
3. Confirm the secret exists under repository/organization secrets

Example fix

# before
- run: bun scripts/auto-close-duplicates.ts

# after
- run: bun scripts/auto-close-duplicates.ts
  env:
    GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }}
    GITHUB_REPOSITORY: ${{ github.repository }}

if (!process.env.GITHUB_TOKEN) {
  console.error('GITHUB_TOKEN not set; export it or add env: GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ github.token }} to the step');
  process.exit(1);
}

When it happens

Trigger: Running the script locally or in CI without GITHUB_TOKEN in the environment; a workflow step missing the env: mapping for the token.

Common situations: Local reproduction attempt without exporting a token; workflow refactored and env block dropped; token secret renamed.

Related errors

• Invalid GITHUB_REPOSITORY format
• Azure secret not found
• [azure] Unsupported OS
• Buildkite token not found: set BUILDKITE_AGENT_TOKEN or…
• github

AI-assisted analysis of oven-sh/bun@8c5296ac45 (2026-08-16). Data as JSON: /api/errors/1c75be03cd2efa14. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at scripts/auto-close-duplicates.ts:221

  });
  // Close the issue as duplicate
  await githubRequest(`/repos/${owner}/${repo}/issues/${issueNumber}/comments`, token, "POST", {
    body: `Duplicate of #${duplicateOfNumber}.
    
This issue has been automatically closed as a duplicate.

If this is incorrect, please re-open this issue or create a new one.

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.ai/code)`,
  });
}

async function autoCloseDuplicates(): Promise<void> {
  console.log("[DEBUG] Starting auto-close duplicates script");

  const token = process.env.GITHUB_TOKEN;
  if (!token) {
    throw new Error("GITHUB_TOKEN environment variable is required");
  }
  console.log("[DEBUG] GitHub token found");

  // Parse GITHUB_REPOSITORY (format: "owner/repo")
  const repository = process.env.GITHUB_REPOSITORY || "oven-sh/bun";
  const [owner, repo] = repository.split("/");
  if (!owner || !repo) {
    throw new Error(`Invalid GITHUB_REPOSITORY format: ${repository}`);
  }
  console.log(`[DEBUG] Repository: ${owner}/${repo}`);

  const threeDaysAgo = new Date();
  threeDaysAgo.setDate(threeDaysAgo.getDate() - 3);
  console.log(`[DEBUG] Checking for duplicate comments older than: ${threeDaysAgo.toISOString()}`);

  console.log("[DEBUG] Fetching open issues created more than 3 days ago...");
  const allIssues: GitHubIssue[] = [];
  let page = 1;

View on GitHub (pinned to 8c5296ac45)