workflow: remove unnecessary workflows

This PR fixes several issues with tag handling in the checkout action:

1. fetch-tags: true now works (fixes #1471)
   - Tags refspec is now included in getRefSpec() when fetchTags=true
   - Previously tags were only fetched during a separate fetch that was
     overwritten by the main fetch

2. Tag checkout preserves annotations (fixes #290)
   - Tags are fetched via refspec (+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*) instead of
     --tags flag
   - This fetches the actual tag objects, preserving annotations

3. Tag checkout with fetch-tags: true no longer fails (fixes #1467)
   - When checking out a tag with fetchTags=true, only the wildcard
     refspec is used (specific tag refspec is redundant)

Changes:
- src/ref-helper.ts: getRefSpec() now accepts fetchTags parameter and
  prepends tags refspec when true
- src/git-command-manager.ts: fetch() simplified to always use --no-tags,
  tags are fetched explicitly via refspec
- src/git-source-provider.ts: passes fetchTags to getRefSpec()
- Added E2E test for fetch-tags option

Related #1471, #1467, #290

.github/dependabot.yml

@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
----
-version: 2
-
-updates:
-- package-ecosystem: "npm"
-  directory: "/"
-  schedule:
-    interval: "weekly"
-  groups:
-    minor-npm-dependencies:
-      # NPM: Only group minor and patch updates (we want to carefully review major updates)
-      update-types: [minor, patch]
-- package-ecosystem: "github-actions"
-  directory: "/"
-  schedule:
-    interval: "weekly"
-  groups:
-    minor-actions-dependencies:
-      # GitHub Actions: Only group minor and patch updates (we want to carefully review major updates)
-      update-types: [minor, patch]

.github/workflows/check-dist.yml

@@ -1,51 +0,0 @@
-# `dist/index.js` is a special file in Actions.
-# When you reference an action with `uses:` in a workflow,
-# `index.js` is the code that will run.
-# For our project, we generate this file through a build process
-# from other source files.
-# We need to make sure the checked-in `index.js` actually matches what we expect it to be.
-name: Check dist
-
-on:
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - main
-    paths-ignore:
-      - '**.md'
-  pull_request:
-    paths-ignore:
-      - '**.md'
-  workflow_dispatch:
-
-jobs:
-  check-dist:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6
-
-      - name: Set Node.js 20.x
-        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
-        with:
-          node-version: 20.x
-
-      - name: Install dependencies
-        run: npm ci
-
-      - name: Rebuild the index.js file
-        run: npm run build
-
-      - name: Compare the expected and actual dist/ directories
-        run: |
-          if [ "$(git diff --ignore-space-at-eol dist/ | wc -l)" -gt "0" ]; then
-            echo "Detected uncommitted changes after build.  See status below:"
-            git diff
-            exit 1
-          fi
-
-      # If dist/ was different than expected, upload the expected version as an artifact
-      - uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-        if: ${{ failure() && steps.diff.conclusion == 'failure' }}
-        with:
-          name: dist
-          path: dist/

.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml

@@ -1,58 +0,0 @@
-# For most projects, this workflow file will not need changing; you simply need
-# to commit it to your repository.
-#
-# You may wish to alter this file to override the set of languages analyzed,
-# or to provide custom queries or build logic.
-#
-# ******** NOTE ********
-# We have attempted to detect the languages in your repository. Please check
-# the `language` matrix defined below to confirm you have the correct set of
-# supported CodeQL languages.
-#
-name: "CodeQL"
-
-on:
-  push:
-    branches: [ main ]
-  pull_request:
-    # The branches below must be a subset of the branches above
-    branches: [ main ]
-  schedule:
-    - cron: '28 9 * * 0'
-
-jobs:
-  analyze:
-    name: Analyze
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    permissions:
-      actions: read
-      contents: read
-      security-events: write
-
-    strategy:
-      fail-fast: false
-      matrix:
-        language: [ 'javascript' ]
-        # CodeQL supports [ 'cpp', 'csharp', 'go', 'java', 'javascript', 'python' ]
-        # Learn more:
-        # https://docs.github.com/en/free-pro-team@latest/github/finding-security-vulnerabilities-and-errors-in-your-code/configuring-code-scanning#changing-the-languages-that-are-analyzed
-
-    steps:
-    - name: Checkout repository
-      uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6
-
-    - name: Initialize CodeQL
-      uses: github/codeql-action/init@v3
-      with:
-        languages: ${{ matrix.language }}
-        # If you wish to specify custom queries, you can do so here or in a config file.
-        # By default, queries listed here will override any specified in a config file.
-        # Prefix the list here with "+" to use these queries and those in the config file.
-        # queries: ./path/to/local/query, your-org/your-repo/queries@main
-
-    - run: npm ci
-    - run: npm run build
-    - run: rm -rf dist # We want code scanning to analyze lib instead (individual .js files)
-
-    - name: Perform CodeQL Analysis
-      uses: github/codeql-action/analyze@v3

.github/workflows/licensed.yml

@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-name: Licensed
-
-on:
-  push: {branches: main}
-  pull_request: {branches: main}
-
-jobs:
-  test:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    name: Check licenses
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6
-      - run: npm ci
-      - run: npm run licensed-check

.github/workflows/publish-immutable-actions.yml

@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-name: 'Publish Immutable Action Version'
-
-on:
-  release:
-    types: [published]
-
-jobs:
-  publish:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    permissions:
-      contents: read
-      id-token: write
-      packages: write
-
-    steps:
-      - name: Checking out
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-      - name: Publish
-        id: publish
-        uses: actions/publish-immutable-action@0.0.3

.github/workflows/test.yml

@@ -1,331 +0,0 @@
-name: Build and Test
-
-on:
-  pull_request:
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - main
-      - releases/*
-
-
-# Note that when you see patterns like "ref: test-data/v2/basic" within this workflow,
-# these refer to "test-data" branches on this actions/checkout repo.
-# (For example, test-data/v2/basic -> https://github.com/actions/checkout/tree/test-data/v2/basic)
-
-jobs:
-  build:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
-        with:
-          node-version: 20.x
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6
-      - run: npm ci
-      - run: npm run build
-      - run: npm run format-check
-      - run: npm run lint
-      - run: npm test
-      - name: Verify no unstaged changes
-        run: __test__/verify-no-unstaged-changes.sh
-
-  test:
-    strategy:
-      matrix:
-        runs-on: [ubuntu-latest, macos-latest, windows-latest]
-    runs-on: ${{ matrix.runs-on }}
-
-    steps:
-      # Clone this repo
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6
-
-      # Basic checkout
-      - name: Checkout basic
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          ref: test-data/v2/basic
-          path: basic
-      - name: Verify basic
-        shell: bash
-        run: __test__/verify-basic.sh
-
-      # Clean
-      - name: Modify work tree
-        shell: bash
-        run: __test__/modify-work-tree.sh
-      - name: Checkout clean
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          ref: test-data/v2/basic
-          path: basic
-      - name: Verify clean
-        shell: bash
-        run: __test__/verify-clean.sh
-
-      # Side by side
-      - name: Checkout side by side 1
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          ref: test-data/v2/side-by-side-1
-          path: side-by-side-1
-      - name: Checkout side by side 2
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          ref: test-data/v2/side-by-side-2
-          path: side-by-side-2
-      - name: Verify side by side
-        shell: bash
-        run: __test__/verify-side-by-side.sh
-
-      # Filter
-      - name: Fetch filter
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          filter: 'blob:none'
-          path: fetch-filter
-
-      - name: Verify fetch filter
-        run: __test__/verify-fetch-filter.sh
-
-      # Sparse checkout
-      - name: Sparse checkout
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          sparse-checkout: |
-            __test__
-            .github
-            dist
-          path: sparse-checkout
-
-      - name: Verify sparse checkout
-        run: __test__/verify-sparse-checkout.sh
-
-      # Disabled sparse checkout in existing checkout
-      - name: Disabled sparse checkout
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          path: sparse-checkout
-
-      - name: Verify disabled sparse checkout
-        shell: bash
-        run: set -x && ls -l sparse-checkout/src/git-command-manager.ts
-
-      # Sparse checkout (non-cone mode)
-      - name: Sparse checkout (non-cone mode)
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          sparse-checkout: |
-            /__test__/
-            /.github/
-            /dist/
-          sparse-checkout-cone-mode: false
-          path: sparse-checkout-non-cone-mode
-
-      - name: Verify sparse checkout (non-cone mode)
-        run: __test__/verify-sparse-checkout-non-cone-mode.sh
-
-      # LFS
-      - name: Checkout LFS
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          repository: actions/checkout # hardcoded, otherwise doesn't work from a fork
-          ref: test-data/v2/lfs
-          path: lfs
-          lfs: true
-      - name: Verify LFS
-        shell: bash
-        run: __test__/verify-lfs.sh
-
-      # Submodules false
-      - name: Checkout submodules false
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          ref: test-data/v2/submodule-ssh-url
-          path: submodules-false
-      - name: Verify submodules false
-        run: __test__/verify-submodules-false.sh
-
-      # Submodules one level
-      - name: Checkout submodules true
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          ref: test-data/v2/submodule-ssh-url
-          path: submodules-true
-          submodules: true
-      - name: Verify submodules true
-        run: __test__/verify-submodules-true.sh
-
-      # Submodules recursive
-      - name: Checkout submodules recursive
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          ref: test-data/v2/submodule-ssh-url
-          path: submodules-recursive
-          submodules: recursive
-      - name: Verify submodules recursive
-        run: __test__/verify-submodules-recursive.sh
-
-      # Basic checkout using REST API
-      - name: Remove basic
-        if: runner.os != 'windows'
-        run: rm -rf basic
-      - name: Remove basic (Windows)
-        if: runner.os == 'windows'
-        shell: cmd
-        run: rmdir /s /q basic
-      - name: Override git version
-        if: runner.os != 'windows'
-        run: __test__/override-git-version.sh
-      - name: Override git version (Windows)
-        if: runner.os == 'windows'
-        run: __test__\\override-git-version.cmd
-      - name: Checkout basic using REST API
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          ref: test-data/v2/basic
-          path: basic
-      - name: Verify basic
-        run: __test__/verify-basic.sh --archive
-
-  test-proxy:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    container:
-      image: ghcr.io/actions/test-ubuntu-git:main.20240221.114913.703z
-      options: --dns 127.0.0.1
-    services:
-      squid-proxy:
-        image: ubuntu/squid:latest
-        ports:
-          - 3128:3128
-    env:
-      https_proxy: http://squid-proxy:3128
-    steps:
-      # Clone this repo
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6
-
-      # Basic checkout using git
-      - name: Checkout basic
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          ref: test-data/v2/basic
-          path: basic
-      - name: Verify basic
-        run: __test__/verify-basic.sh
-
-      # Basic checkout using REST API
-      - name: Remove basic
-        run: rm -rf basic
-      - name: Override git version
-        run: __test__/override-git-version.sh
-      - name: Basic checkout using REST API
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          ref: test-data/v2/basic
-          path: basic
-      - name: Verify basic
-        run: __test__/verify-basic.sh --archive
-
-  test-bypass-proxy:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    env:
-      https_proxy: http://no-such-proxy:3128
-      no_proxy: api.github.com,github.com
-    steps:
-      # Clone this repo
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6
-
-      # Basic checkout using git
-      - name: Checkout basic
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          ref: test-data/v2/basic
-          path: basic
-      - name: Verify basic
-        run: __test__/verify-basic.sh
-      - name: Remove basic
-        run: rm -rf basic
-
-      # Basic checkout using REST API
-      - name: Override git version
-        run: __test__/override-git-version.sh
-      - name: Checkout basic using REST API
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          ref: test-data/v2/basic
-          path: basic
-      - name: Verify basic
-        run: __test__/verify-basic.sh --archive
-
-  test-git-container:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    container: bitnami/git:latest
-    steps:
-      # Clone this repo
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6
-        with:
-          path: localClone
-
-      # Basic checkout using git
-      - name: Checkout basic
-        uses: ./localClone
-        with:
-          ref: test-data/v2/basic
-      - name: Verify basic
-        run: |
-          if [ ! -f "./basic-file.txt" ]; then
-              echo "Expected basic file does not exist"
-              exit 1
-          fi
-
-          # Verify .git folder
-          if [ ! -d "./.git" ]; then
-            echo "Expected ./.git folder to exist"
-            exit 1
-          fi
-
-          # Verify auth token
-          git config --global --add safe.directory "*"
-          git fetch --no-tags --depth=1 origin +refs/heads/main:refs/remotes/origin/main
-
-      # needed to make checkout post cleanup succeed
-      - name: Fix Checkout v4
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6
-        with:
-          path: localClone
-
-  test-output:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      # Clone this repo
-      - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6
-
-      # Basic checkout using git
-      - name: Checkout basic
-        id: checkout
-        uses: ./
-        with:
-          ref: test-data/v2/basic
-
-      # Verify output
-      - name: Verify output
-        run: |
-          echo "Commit: ${{ steps.checkout.outputs.commit }}"
-          echo "Ref: ${{ steps.checkout.outputs.ref }}"
-
-          if [ "${{ steps.checkout.outputs.ref }}" != "test-data/v2/basic" ]; then
-            echo "Expected ref to be test-data/v2/basic"
-            exit 1
-          fi
-
-          if [ "${{ steps.checkout.outputs.commit }}" != "82f71901cf8c021332310dcc8cdba84c4193ff5d" ]; then
-            echo "Expected commit to be 82f71901cf8c021332310dcc8cdba84c4193ff5d"
-            exit 1
-          fi
-
-      # needed to make checkout post cleanup succeed
-      - name: Fix Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6

.github/workflows/update-main-version.yml

@@ -1,35 +0,0 @@
-name: Update Main Version
-run-name: Move ${{ github.event.inputs.major_version }} to ${{ github.event.inputs.target }}
-
-on:
-  workflow_dispatch:
-    inputs:
-      target:
-        description: The tag or reference to use
-        required: true
-      major_version:
-        type: choice
-        description: The major version to update
-        options:
-          - v4
-          - v3
-          - v2
-
-jobs:
-  tag:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-    # Note this update workflow can also be used as a rollback tool.
-    # For that reason, it's best to pin `actions/checkout` to a known, stable version
-    # (typically, about two releases back).
-    - uses: actions/checkout@v4.1.6
-      with:
-        fetch-depth: 0
-    - name: Git config
-      run: |
-        git config user.name "github-actions[bot]"
-        git config user.email "41898282+github-actions[bot]@users.noreply.github.com"
-    - name: Tag new target
-      run: git tag -f ${{ github.event.inputs.major_version }} ${{ github.event.inputs.target }}
-    - name: Push new tag
-      run: git push origin ${{ github.event.inputs.major_version }} --force

.github/workflows/update-test-ubuntu-git.yml

@@ -1,59 +0,0 @@
-name: Publish test-ubuntu-git Container
-
-on:
-  # Use an on demand workflow trigger.  
-  # (Forked copies of actions/checkout won't have permission to update GHCR.io/actions, 
-  #  so avoid trigger events that run automatically.)
-  workflow_dispatch:
-    inputs:
-      publish:
-        description:  'Publish to ghcr.io? (main branch only)'
-        type: boolean
-        required: true
-        default: false
-
-env:
-  REGISTRY: ghcr.io
-  IMAGE_NAME: actions/test-ubuntu-git
-
-jobs:
-  build-and-push-image:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    # Sets the permissions granted to the `GITHUB_TOKEN` for the actions in this job.
-    permissions:
-      contents: read
-      packages: write
- 
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout repository
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      # Use `docker/login-action` to log in to GHCR.io. 
-      # Once published, the packages are scoped to the account defined here.
-      - name: Log in to the ghcr.io container registry
-        uses: docker/login-action@v3.3.0
-        with:
-          registry: ${{ env.REGISTRY }}
-          username: ${{ github.actor }}
-          password: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-
-      - name: Format Timestamp
-        id: timestamp
-        # Use `date` with a custom format to achieve the key=value format GITHUB_OUTPUT expects.
-        run: date -u "+now=%Y%m%d.%H%M%S.%3NZ" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-
-      - name: Issue Image Publish Warning
-        if:  ${{ inputs.publish && github.ref_name != 'main' }}
-        run: echo "::warning::test-ubuntu-git images can only be published from the actions/checkout 'main' branch.  Workflow will continue with push/publish disabled."
-
-      # Use `docker/build-push-action` to build (and optionally publish) the image. 
-      - name: Build Docker Image (with optional Push)
-        uses: docker/build-push-action@v6.5.0
-        with:
-          context: .
-          file: images/test-ubuntu-git.Dockerfile
-          # For now, attempts to push to ghcr.io must target the `main` branch.
-          # In the future, consider also allowing attempts from `releases/*` branches.
-          push: ${{ inputs.publish && github.ref_name == 'main' }}
-          tags: |
-            ${{ env.REGISTRY }}/${{ env.IMAGE_NAME }}:${{ github.ref_name }}.${{ steps.timestamp.outputs.now }}

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,6 +1,25 @@
 # Changelog
 
-## V4.3.0
+## v6.0.2
+* Fix tag handling: preserve annotations and explicit fetch-tags by @ericsciple in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/2356
+
+## v6.0.1
+* Add worktree support for persist-credentials includeIf by @ericsciple in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/2327
+
+## v6.0.0
+* Persist creds to a separate file by @ericsciple in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/2286
+* Update README to include Node.js 24 support details and requirements by @salmanmkc in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/2248
+
+## v5.0.1
+* Port v6 cleanup to v5 by @ericsciple in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/2301
+
+## v5.0.0
+* Update actions checkout to use node 24 by @salmanmkc in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/2226
+
+## v4.3.1
+* Port v6 cleanup to v4 by @ericsciple in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/2305
+
+## v4.3.0
 * docs: update README.md by @motss in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/1971
 * Add internal repos for checking out multiple repositories by @mouismail in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/1977
 * Documentation update - add recommended permissions to Readme by @benwells in https://github.com/actions/checkout/pull/2043

README.md

@@ -1,6 +1,22 @@
 [![Build and Test](https://github.com/actions/checkout/actions/workflows/test.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/actions/checkout/actions/workflows/test.yml)
 
-# Checkout V4
+# Checkout v6
+
+## What's new
+
+- Improved credential security: `persist-credentials` now stores credentials in a separate file under `$RUNNER_TEMP` instead of directly in `.git/config`
+- No workflow changes required — `git fetch`, `git push`, etc. continue to work automatically
+- Running authenticated git commands from a [Docker container action](https://docs.github.com/actions/sharing-automations/creating-actions/creating-a-docker-container-action) requires Actions Runner [v2.329.0](https://github.com/actions/runner/releases/tag/v2.329.0) or later
+
+# Checkout v5
+
+## What's new
+
+- Updated to the node24 runtime
+  - This requires a minimum Actions Runner version of [v2.327.1](https://github.com/actions/runner/releases/tag/v2.327.1) to run.
+
+
+# Checkout v4
 
 This action checks-out your repository under `$GITHUB_WORKSPACE`, so your workflow can access it.
 
@@ -36,7 +52,7 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/
 
 <!-- start usage -->
 ```yaml
-- uses: actions/checkout@v4
+- uses: actions/checkout@v6
   with:
     # Repository name with owner. For example, actions/checkout
     # Default: ${{ github.repository }}
@@ -149,24 +165,33 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/
 
 # Scenarios
 
-- [Fetch only the root files](#Fetch-only-the-root-files)
-- [Fetch only the root files and `.github` and `src` folder](#Fetch-only-the-root-files-and-github-and-src-folder)
-- [Fetch only a single file](#Fetch-only-a-single-file)
-- [Fetch all history for all tags and branches](#Fetch-all-history-for-all-tags-and-branches)
-- [Checkout a different branch](#Checkout-a-different-branch)
-- [Checkout HEAD^](#Checkout-HEAD)
-- [Checkout multiple repos (side by side)](#Checkout-multiple-repos-side-by-side)
-- [Checkout multiple repos (nested)](#Checkout-multiple-repos-nested)
-- [Checkout multiple repos (private)](#Checkout-multiple-repos-private)
-- [Checkout pull request HEAD commit instead of merge commit](#Checkout-pull-request-HEAD-commit-instead-of-merge-commit)
-- [Checkout pull request on closed event](#Checkout-pull-request-on-closed-event)
-- [Push a commit using the built-in token](#Push-a-commit-using-the-built-in-token)
-- [Push a commit to a PR using the built-in token](#Push-a-commit-to-a-PR-using-the-built-in-token)
+- [Checkout V5](#checkout-v5)
+  - [What's new](#whats-new)
+- [Checkout V4](#checkout-v4)
+    - [Note](#note)
+- [What's new](#whats-new-1)
+- [Usage](#usage)
+- [Scenarios](#scenarios)
+  - [Fetch only the root files](#fetch-only-the-root-files)
+  - [Fetch only the root files and `.github` and `src` folder](#fetch-only-the-root-files-and-github-and-src-folder)
+  - [Fetch only a single file](#fetch-only-a-single-file)
+  - [Fetch all history for all tags and branches](#fetch-all-history-for-all-tags-and-branches)
+  - [Checkout a different branch](#checkout-a-different-branch)
+  - [Checkout HEAD^](#checkout-head)
+  - [Checkout multiple repos (side by side)](#checkout-multiple-repos-side-by-side)
+  - [Checkout multiple repos (nested)](#checkout-multiple-repos-nested)
+  - [Checkout multiple repos (private)](#checkout-multiple-repos-private)
+  - [Checkout pull request HEAD commit instead of merge commit](#checkout-pull-request-head-commit-instead-of-merge-commit)
+  - [Checkout pull request on closed event](#checkout-pull-request-on-closed-event)
+  - [Push a commit using the built-in token](#push-a-commit-using-the-built-in-token)
+  - [Push a commit to a PR using the built-in token](#push-a-commit-to-a-pr-using-the-built-in-token)
+- [Recommended permissions](#recommended-permissions)
+- [License](#license)
 
 ## Fetch only the root files
 
 ```yaml
-- uses: actions/checkout@v4
+- uses: actions/checkout@v6
   with:
     sparse-checkout: .
 ```
@@ -174,7 +199,7 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/
 ## Fetch only the root files and `.github` and `src` folder
 
 ```yaml
-- uses: actions/checkout@v4
+- uses: actions/checkout@v6
   with:
     sparse-checkout: |
       .github
@@ -184,7 +209,7 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/
 ## Fetch only a single file
 
 ```yaml
-- uses: actions/checkout@v4
+- uses: actions/checkout@v6
   with:
     sparse-checkout: |
       README.md
@@ -194,7 +219,7 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/
 ## Fetch all history for all tags and branches
 
 ```yaml
-- uses: actions/checkout@v4
+- uses: actions/checkout@v6
   with:
     fetch-depth: 0
 ```
@@ -202,7 +227,7 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/
 ## Checkout a different branch
 
 ```yaml
-- uses: actions/checkout@v4
+- uses: actions/checkout@v6
   with:
     ref: my-branch
 ```
@@ -210,7 +235,7 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/
 ## Checkout HEAD^
 
 ```yaml
-- uses: actions/checkout@v4
+- uses: actions/checkout@v6
   with:
     fetch-depth: 2
 - run: git checkout HEAD^
@@ -220,12 +245,12 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/
 
 ```yaml
 - name: Checkout
-  uses: actions/checkout@v4
+  uses: actions/checkout@v6
   with:
     path: main
 
 - name: Checkout tools repo
-  uses: actions/checkout@v4
+  uses: actions/checkout@v6
   with:
     repository: my-org/my-tools
     path: my-tools
@@ -236,10 +261,10 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/
 
 ```yaml
 - name: Checkout
-  uses: actions/checkout@v4
+  uses: actions/checkout@v6
 
 - name: Checkout tools repo
-  uses: actions/checkout@v4
+  uses: actions/checkout@v6
   with:
     repository: my-org/my-tools
     path: my-tools
@@ -250,12 +275,12 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/
 
 ```yaml
 - name: Checkout
-  uses: actions/checkout@v4
+  uses: actions/checkout@v6
   with:
     path: main
 
 - name: Checkout private tools
-  uses: actions/checkout@v4
+  uses: actions/checkout@v6
   with:
     repository: my-org/my-private-tools
     token: ${{ secrets.GH_PAT }} # `GH_PAT` is a secret that contains your PAT
@@ -268,7 +293,7 @@ Please refer to the [release page](https://github.com/actions/checkout/releases/
 ## Checkout pull request HEAD commit instead of merge commit
 
 ```yaml
-- uses: actions/checkout@v4
+- uses: actions/checkout@v6
   with:
     ref: ${{ github.event.pull_request.head.sha }}
 ```
@@ -284,7 +309,7 @@ jobs:
   build:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
 ```
 
 ## Push a commit using the built-in token
@@ -295,7 +320,7 @@ jobs:
   build:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
       - run: |
           date > generated.txt
           # Note: the following account information will not work on GHES
@@ -317,7 +342,7 @@ jobs:
   build:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
         with:
           ref: ${{ github.head_ref }}
       - run: |

__test__/git-auth-helper.test.ts

@@ -86,16 +86,29 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
     // Act
     await authHelper.configureAuth()
 
-    // Assert config
-    const configContent = (
+    // Assert config - check that .git/config contains includeIf entries
+    const localConfigContent = (
       await fs.promises.readFile(localGitConfigPath)
     ).toString()
+    expect(
+      localConfigContent.indexOf('includeIf.gitdir:')
+    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+
+    // Assert credentials config file contains the actual credentials
+    const credentialsFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp)).filter(
+      f => f.startsWith('git-credentials-') && f.endsWith('.config')
+    )
+    expect(credentialsFiles.length).toBe(1)
+    const credentialsConfigPath = path.join(runnerTemp, credentialsFiles[0])
+    const credentialsContent = (
+      await fs.promises.readFile(credentialsConfigPath)
+    ).toString()
     const basicCredential = Buffer.from(
       `x-access-token:${settings.authToken}`,
       'utf8'
     ).toString('base64')
     expect(
-      configContent.indexOf(
+      credentialsContent.indexOf(
         `http.${expectedServerUrl}/.extraheader AUTHORIZATION: basic ${basicCredential}`
       )
     ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
@@ -120,7 +133,7 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
     'inject https://github.com as github server url'
   it(configureAuth_AcceptsGitHubServerUrlSetToGHEC, async () => {
     await testAuthHeader(
-      configureAuth_AcceptsGitHubServerUrl,
+      configureAuth_AcceptsGitHubServerUrlSetToGHEC,
       'https://github.com'
     )
   })
@@ -141,12 +154,17 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
       // Act
       await authHelper.configureAuth()
 
-      // Assert config
-      const configContent = (
-        await fs.promises.readFile(localGitConfigPath)
+      // Assert config - check credentials config file (not local .git/config)
+      const credentialsFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp)).filter(
+        f => f.startsWith('git-credentials-') && f.endsWith('.config')
+      )
+      expect(credentialsFiles.length).toBe(1)
+      const credentialsConfigPath = path.join(runnerTemp, credentialsFiles[0])
+      const credentialsContent = (
+        await fs.promises.readFile(credentialsConfigPath)
       ).toString()
       expect(
-        configContent.indexOf(
+        credentialsContent.indexOf(
           `http.https://github.com/.extraheader AUTHORIZATION`
         )
       ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
@@ -251,13 +269,16 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
       expectedSshCommand
     )
 
-    // Asserty git config
+    // Assert git config
     const gitConfigLines = (await fs.promises.readFile(localGitConfigPath))
       .toString()
       .split('\n')
       .filter(x => x)
-    expect(gitConfigLines).toHaveLength(1)
-    expect(gitConfigLines[0]).toMatch(/^http\./)
+    // Should have includeIf entries pointing to credentials file
+    expect(gitConfigLines.length).toBeGreaterThan(0)
+    expect(
+      gitConfigLines.some(line => line.indexOf('includeIf.gitdir:') >= 0)
+    ).toBeTruthy()
   })
 
   const configureAuth_setsSshCommandWhenPersistCredentialsTrue =
@@ -419,8 +440,20 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
     expect(
       configContent.indexOf('value-from-global-config')
     ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+    // Global config should have include.path pointing to credentials file
+    expect(configContent.indexOf('include.path')).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+
+    // Check credentials in the separate config file
+    const credentialsFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp)).filter(
+      f => f.startsWith('git-credentials-') && f.endsWith('.config')
+    )
+    expect(credentialsFiles.length).toBeGreaterThan(0)
+    const credentialsConfigPath = path.join(runnerTemp, credentialsFiles[0])
+    const credentialsContent = (
+      await fs.promises.readFile(credentialsConfigPath)
+    ).toString()
     expect(
-      configContent.indexOf(
+      credentialsContent.indexOf(
         `http.https://github.com/.extraheader AUTHORIZATION: basic ${basicCredential}`
       )
     ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
@@ -463,8 +496,20 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
       const configContent = (
         await fs.promises.readFile(path.join(git.env['HOME'], '.gitconfig'))
       ).toString()
+      // Global config should have include.path pointing to credentials file
+      expect(configContent.indexOf('include.path')).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+
+      // Check credentials in the separate config file
+      const credentialsFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp)).filter(
+        f => f.startsWith('git-credentials-') && f.endsWith('.config')
+      )
+      expect(credentialsFiles.length).toBeGreaterThan(0)
+      const credentialsConfigPath = path.join(runnerTemp, credentialsFiles[0])
+      const credentialsContent = (
+        await fs.promises.readFile(credentialsConfigPath)
+      ).toString()
       expect(
-        configContent.indexOf(
+        credentialsContent.indexOf(
           `http.https://github.com/.extraheader AUTHORIZATION: basic ${basicCredential}`
         )
       ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
@@ -550,15 +595,15 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
       await authHelper.configureSubmoduleAuth()
 
       // Assert
-      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(4)
+      // Should configure insteadOf (2 calls for two values)
+      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3)
       expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[0][0]).toMatch(
         /unset-all.*insteadOf/
       )
-      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[1][0]).toMatch(/http.*extraheader/)
-      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[2][0]).toMatch(
+      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[1][0]).toMatch(
         /url.*insteadOf.*git@github.com:/
       )
-      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[3][0]).toMatch(
+      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[2][0]).toMatch(
         /url.*insteadOf.*org-123456@github.com:/
       )
     }
@@ -589,12 +634,12 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
       await authHelper.configureSubmoduleAuth()
 
       // Assert
-      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3)
+      // Should configure sshCommand (1 call)
+      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
       expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[0][0]).toMatch(
         /unset-all.*insteadOf/
       )
-      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[1][0]).toMatch(/http.*extraheader/)
-      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[2][0]).toMatch(/core\.sshCommand/)
+      expect(mockSubmoduleForeach.mock.calls[1][0]).toMatch(/core\.sshCommand/)
     }
   )
 
@@ -660,19 +705,201 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
     await setup(removeAuth_removesToken)
     const authHelper = gitAuthHelper.createAuthHelper(git, settings)
     await authHelper.configureAuth()
-    let gitConfigContent = (
+
+    // Verify includeIf entries exist in local config
+    let localConfigContent = (
       await fs.promises.readFile(localGitConfigPath)
     ).toString()
-    expect(gitConfigContent.indexOf('http.')).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0) // sanity check
+    expect(
+      localConfigContent.indexOf('includeIf.gitdir:')
+    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+
+    // Verify both host and container includeIf entries are present
+    const hostGitDir = path.join(workspace, '.git').replace(/\\/g, '/')
+    expect(
+      localConfigContent.indexOf(`includeIf.gitdir:${hostGitDir}.path`)
+    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+    expect(
+      localConfigContent.indexOf('includeIf.gitdir:/github/workspace/.git.path')
+    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+
+    // Verify credentials file exists
+    let credentialsFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp)).filter(
+      f => f.startsWith('git-credentials-') && f.endsWith('.config')
+    )
+    expect(credentialsFiles.length).toBe(1)
+    const credentialsFilePath = path.join(runnerTemp, credentialsFiles[0])
+
+    // Verify credentials file contains the auth token
+    let credentialsContent = (
+      await fs.promises.readFile(credentialsFilePath)
+    ).toString()
+    const basicCredential = Buffer.from(
+      `x-access-token:${settings.authToken}`,
+      'utf8'
+    ).toString('base64')
+    expect(
+      credentialsContent.indexOf(
+        `http.https://github.com/.extraheader AUTHORIZATION: basic ${basicCredential}`
+      )
+    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+
+    // Verify the includeIf entries point to the credentials file
+    const containerCredentialsPath = path.posix.join(
+      '/github/runner_temp',
+      path.basename(credentialsFilePath)
+    )
+    expect(
+      localConfigContent.indexOf(credentialsFilePath)
+    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+    expect(
+      localConfigContent.indexOf(containerCredentialsPath)
+    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
 
     // Act
     await authHelper.removeAuth()
 
-    // Assert git config
-    gitConfigContent = (
+    // Assert all includeIf entries removed from local git config
+    localConfigContent = (
       await fs.promises.readFile(localGitConfigPath)
     ).toString()
-    expect(gitConfigContent.indexOf('http.')).toBeLessThan(0)
+    expect(localConfigContent.indexOf('includeIf.gitdir:')).toBeLessThan(0)
+    expect(
+      localConfigContent.indexOf(`includeIf.gitdir:${hostGitDir}.path`)
+    ).toBeLessThan(0)
+    expect(
+      localConfigContent.indexOf('includeIf.gitdir:/github/workspace/.git.path')
+    ).toBeLessThan(0)
+    expect(localConfigContent.indexOf(credentialsFilePath)).toBeLessThan(0)
+    expect(localConfigContent.indexOf(containerCredentialsPath)).toBeLessThan(0)
+
+    // Assert credentials config file deleted
+    credentialsFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp)).filter(
+      f => f.startsWith('git-credentials-') && f.endsWith('.config')
+    )
+    expect(credentialsFiles.length).toBe(0)
+
+    // Verify credentials file no longer exists on disk
+    try {
+      await fs.promises.stat(credentialsFilePath)
+      throw new Error('Credentials file should have been deleted')
+    } catch (err) {
+      if ((err as any)?.code !== 'ENOENT') {
+        throw err
+      }
+    }
+  })
+
+  const removeAuth_removesTokenFromSubmodules =
+    'removeAuth removes token from submodules'
+  it(removeAuth_removesTokenFromSubmodules, async () => {
+    // Arrange
+    await setup(removeAuth_removesTokenFromSubmodules)
+
+    // Create fake submodule config paths
+    const submodule1Dir = path.join(workspace, '.git', 'modules', 'submodule-1')
+    const submodule2Dir = path.join(workspace, '.git', 'modules', 'submodule-2')
+    const submodule1ConfigPath = path.join(submodule1Dir, 'config')
+    const submodule2ConfigPath = path.join(submodule2Dir, 'config')
+
+    await fs.promises.mkdir(submodule1Dir, {recursive: true})
+    await fs.promises.mkdir(submodule2Dir, {recursive: true})
+    await fs.promises.writeFile(submodule1ConfigPath, '')
+    await fs.promises.writeFile(submodule2ConfigPath, '')
+
+    // Mock getSubmoduleConfigPaths to return our fake submodules (for both configure and remove)
+    const mockGetSubmoduleConfigPaths =
+      git.getSubmoduleConfigPaths as jest.Mock<any, any>
+    mockGetSubmoduleConfigPaths.mockResolvedValue([
+      submodule1ConfigPath,
+      submodule2ConfigPath
+    ])
+
+    const authHelper = gitAuthHelper.createAuthHelper(git, settings)
+    await authHelper.configureAuth()
+    await authHelper.configureSubmoduleAuth()
+
+    // Verify credentials file exists
+    let credentialsFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp)).filter(
+      f => f.startsWith('git-credentials-') && f.endsWith('.config')
+    )
+    expect(credentialsFiles.length).toBe(1)
+    const credentialsFilePath = path.join(runnerTemp, credentialsFiles[0])
+
+    // Verify submodule 1 config has includeIf entries
+    let submodule1Content = (
+      await fs.promises.readFile(submodule1ConfigPath)
+    ).toString()
+    const submodule1GitDir = submodule1Dir.replace(/\\/g, '/')
+    expect(
+      submodule1Content.indexOf(`includeIf.gitdir:${submodule1GitDir}.path`)
+    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+    expect(
+      submodule1Content.indexOf(credentialsFilePath)
+    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+
+    // Verify submodule 2 config has includeIf entries
+    let submodule2Content = (
+      await fs.promises.readFile(submodule2ConfigPath)
+    ).toString()
+    const submodule2GitDir = submodule2Dir.replace(/\\/g, '/')
+    expect(
+      submodule2Content.indexOf(`includeIf.gitdir:${submodule2GitDir}.path`)
+    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+    expect(
+      submodule2Content.indexOf(credentialsFilePath)
+    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+
+    // Verify both host and container paths are in each submodule config
+    const containerCredentialsPath = path.posix.join(
+      '/github/runner_temp',
+      path.basename(credentialsFilePath)
+    )
+    expect(
+      submodule1Content.indexOf(containerCredentialsPath)
+    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+    expect(
+      submodule2Content.indexOf(containerCredentialsPath)
+    ).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(0)
+
+    // Act - ensure mock persists for removeAuth
+    mockGetSubmoduleConfigPaths.mockResolvedValue([
+      submodule1ConfigPath,
+      submodule2ConfigPath
+    ])
+    await authHelper.removeAuth()
+
+    // Assert submodule 1 includeIf entries removed
+    submodule1Content = (
+      await fs.promises.readFile(submodule1ConfigPath)
+    ).toString()
+    expect(submodule1Content.indexOf('includeIf.gitdir:')).toBeLessThan(0)
+    expect(submodule1Content.indexOf(credentialsFilePath)).toBeLessThan(0)
+    expect(submodule1Content.indexOf(containerCredentialsPath)).toBeLessThan(0)
+
+    // Assert submodule 2 includeIf entries removed
+    submodule2Content = (
+      await fs.promises.readFile(submodule2ConfigPath)
+    ).toString()
+    expect(submodule2Content.indexOf('includeIf.gitdir:')).toBeLessThan(0)
+    expect(submodule2Content.indexOf(credentialsFilePath)).toBeLessThan(0)
+    expect(submodule2Content.indexOf(containerCredentialsPath)).toBeLessThan(0)
+
+    // Assert credentials config file deleted
+    credentialsFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp)).filter(
+      f => f.startsWith('git-credentials-') && f.endsWith('.config')
+    )
+    expect(credentialsFiles.length).toBe(0)
+
+    // Verify credentials file no longer exists on disk
+    try {
+      await fs.promises.stat(credentialsFilePath)
+      throw new Error('Credentials file should have been deleted')
+    } catch (err) {
+      if ((err as any)?.code !== 'ENOENT') {
+        throw err
+      }
+    }
   })
 
   const removeGlobalConfig_removesOverride =
@@ -701,6 +928,52 @@ describe('git-auth-helper tests', () => {
       }
     }
   })
+
+  const testCredentialsConfigPath_matchesCredentialsConfigPaths =
+    'testCredentialsConfigPath matches credentials config paths'
+  it(testCredentialsConfigPath_matchesCredentialsConfigPaths, async () => {
+    // Arrange
+    await setup(testCredentialsConfigPath_matchesCredentialsConfigPaths)
+    const authHelper = gitAuthHelper.createAuthHelper(git, settings)
+
+    // Get a real credentials config path
+    const credentialsConfigPath = await (
+      authHelper as any
+    ).getCredentialsConfigPath()
+
+    // Act & Assert
+    expect(
+      (authHelper as any).testCredentialsConfigPath(credentialsConfigPath)
+    ).toBe(true)
+    expect(
+      (authHelper as any).testCredentialsConfigPath(
+        '/some/path/git-credentials-12345678-abcd-1234-5678-123456789012.config'
+      )
+    ).toBe(true)
+    expect(
+      (authHelper as any).testCredentialsConfigPath(
+        '/some/path/git-credentials-abcdef12-3456-7890-abcd-ef1234567890.config'
+      )
+    ).toBe(true)
+
+    // Test invalid paths
+    expect(
+      (authHelper as any).testCredentialsConfigPath(
+        '/some/path/other-config.config'
+      )
+    ).toBe(false)
+    expect(
+      (authHelper as any).testCredentialsConfigPath(
+        '/some/path/git-credentials-invalid.config'
+      )
+    ).toBe(false)
+    expect(
+      (authHelper as any).testCredentialsConfigPath(
+        '/some/path/git-credentials-.config'
+      )
+    ).toBe(false)
+    expect((authHelper as any).testCredentialsConfigPath('')).toBe(false)
+  })
 })
 
 async function setup(testName: string): Promise<void> {
@@ -715,6 +988,7 @@ async function setup(testName: string): Promise<void> {
   await fs.promises.mkdir(tempHomedir, {recursive: true})
   process.env['RUNNER_TEMP'] = runnerTemp
   process.env['HOME'] = tempHomedir
+  process.env['GITHUB_WORKSPACE'] = workspace
 
   // Create git config
   globalGitConfigPath = path.join(tempHomedir, '.gitconfig')
@@ -733,10 +1007,20 @@ async function setup(testName: string): Promise<void> {
     checkout: jest.fn(),
     checkoutDetach: jest.fn(),
     config: jest.fn(
-      async (key: string, value: string, globalConfig?: boolean) => {
-        const configPath = globalConfig
-          ? path.join(git.env['HOME'] || tempHomedir, '.gitconfig')
-          : localGitConfigPath
+      async (
+        key: string,
+        value: string,
+        globalConfig?: boolean,
+        add?: boolean,
+        configFile?: string
+      ) => {
+        const configPath =
+          configFile ||
+          (globalConfig
+            ? path.join(git.env['HOME'] || tempHomedir, '.gitconfig')
+            : localGitConfigPath)
+        // Ensure directory exists
+        await fs.promises.mkdir(path.dirname(configPath), {recursive: true})
         await fs.promises.appendFile(configPath, `\n${key} ${value}`)
       }
     ),
@@ -756,6 +1040,7 @@ async function setup(testName: string): Promise<void> {
     env: {},
     fetch: jest.fn(),
     getDefaultBranch: jest.fn(),
+    getSubmoduleConfigPaths: jest.fn(async () => []),
     getWorkingDirectory: jest.fn(() => workspace),
     init: jest.fn(),
     isDetached: jest.fn(),
@@ -794,8 +1079,72 @@ async function setup(testName: string): Promise<void> {
         return true
       }
     ),
+    tryConfigUnsetValue: jest.fn(
+      async (
+        key: string,
+        value: string,
+        globalConfig?: boolean,
+        configPath?: string
+      ): Promise<boolean> => {
+        const targetConfigPath =
+          configPath ||
+          (globalConfig
+            ? path.join(git.env['HOME'] || tempHomedir, '.gitconfig')
+            : localGitConfigPath)
+        let content = await fs.promises.readFile(targetConfigPath)
+        let lines = content
+          .toString()
+          .split('\n')
+          .filter(x => x)
+          .filter(x => !(x.startsWith(key) && x.includes(value)))
+        await fs.promises.writeFile(targetConfigPath, lines.join('\n'))
+        return true
+      }
+    ),
     tryDisableAutomaticGarbageCollection: jest.fn(),
     tryGetFetchUrl: jest.fn(),
+    tryGetConfigValues: jest.fn(
+      async (
+        key: string,
+        globalConfig?: boolean,
+        configPath?: string
+      ): Promise<string[]> => {
+        const targetConfigPath =
+          configPath ||
+          (globalConfig
+            ? path.join(git.env['HOME'] || tempHomedir, '.gitconfig')
+            : localGitConfigPath)
+        const content = await fs.promises.readFile(targetConfigPath)
+        const lines = content
+          .toString()
+          .split('\n')
+          .filter(x => x && x.startsWith(key))
+          .map(x => x.substring(key.length).trim())
+        return lines
+      }
+    ),
+    tryGetConfigKeys: jest.fn(
+      async (
+        pattern: string,
+        globalConfig?: boolean,
+        configPath?: string
+      ): Promise<string[]> => {
+        const targetConfigPath =
+          configPath ||
+          (globalConfig
+            ? path.join(git.env['HOME'] || tempHomedir, '.gitconfig')
+            : localGitConfigPath)
+        const content = await fs.promises.readFile(targetConfigPath)
+        const lines = content
+          .toString()
+          .split('\n')
+          .filter(x => x)
+        const keys = lines
+          .filter(x => new RegExp(pattern).test(x.split(' ')[0]))
+          .map(x => x.split(' ')[0])
+        return [...new Set(keys)] // Remove duplicates
+      }
+    ),
     tryReset: jest.fn(),
     version: jest.fn()
   }
@@ -830,6 +1179,7 @@ async function setup(testName: string): Promise<void> {
 
 async function getActualSshKeyPath(): Promise<string> {
   let actualTempFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp))
+    .filter(x => !x.startsWith('git-credentials-')) // Exclude credentials config file
     .sort()
     .map(x => path.join(runnerTemp, x))
   if (actualTempFiles.length === 0) {
@@ -843,6 +1193,7 @@ async function getActualSshKeyPath(): Promise<string> {
 
 async function getActualSshKnownHostsPath(): Promise<string> {
   let actualTempFiles = (await fs.promises.readdir(runnerTemp))
+    .filter(x => !x.startsWith('git-credentials-')) // Exclude credentials config file
     .sort()
     .map(x => path.join(runnerTemp, x))
   if (actualTempFiles.length === 0) {

__test__/git-command-manager.test.ts

@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
     jest.restoreAllMocks()
   })
 
-  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when fetchDepth is 0 and fetchTags is true', async () => {
+  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when fetchDepth is 0', async () => {
     jest.spyOn(exec, 'exec').mockImplementation(mockExec)
     const workingDirectory = 'test'
     const lfs = false
@@ -122,45 +122,7 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
     const refSpec = ['refspec1', 'refspec2']
     const options = {
       filter: 'filterValue',
-      fetchDepth: 0,
-      fetchTags: true
-    }
-
-    await git.fetch(refSpec, options)
-
-    expect(mockExec).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-      expect.any(String),
-      [
-        '-c',
-        'protocol.version=2',
-        'fetch',
-        '--prune',
-        '--no-recurse-submodules',
-        '--filter=filterValue',
-        'origin',
-        'refspec1',
-        'refspec2'
-      ],
-      expect.any(Object)
-    )
-  })
-
-  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when fetchDepth is 0 and fetchTags is false', async () => {
-    jest.spyOn(exec, 'exec').mockImplementation(mockExec)
-
-    const workingDirectory = 'test'
-    const lfs = false
-    const doSparseCheckout = false
-    git = await commandManager.createCommandManager(
-      workingDirectory,
-      lfs,
-      doSparseCheckout
-    )
-    const refSpec = ['refspec1', 'refspec2']
-    const options = {
-      filter: 'filterValue',
-      fetchDepth: 0,
-      fetchTags: false
+      fetchDepth: 0
     }
 
     await git.fetch(refSpec, options)
@@ -183,7 +145,45 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
     )
   })
 
-  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when fetchDepth is 1 and fetchTags is false', async () => {
+  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when fetchDepth is 0 and refSpec includes tags', async () => {
+    jest.spyOn(exec, 'exec').mockImplementation(mockExec)
+
+    const workingDirectory = 'test'
+    const lfs = false
+    const doSparseCheckout = false
+    git = await commandManager.createCommandManager(
+      workingDirectory,
+      lfs,
+      doSparseCheckout
+    )
+    const refSpec = ['refspec1', 'refspec2', '+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*']
+    const options = {
+      filter: 'filterValue',
+      fetchDepth: 0
+    }
+
+    await git.fetch(refSpec, options)
+
+    expect(mockExec).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.any(String),
+      [
+        '-c',
+        'protocol.version=2',
+        'fetch',
+        '--no-tags',
+        '--prune',
+        '--no-recurse-submodules',
+        '--filter=filterValue',
+        'origin',
+        'refspec1',
+        'refspec2',
+        '+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*'
+      ],
+      expect.any(Object)
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when fetchDepth is 1', async () => {
     jest.spyOn(exec, 'exec').mockImplementation(mockExec)
 
     const workingDirectory = 'test'
@@ -197,8 +197,7 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
     const refSpec = ['refspec1', 'refspec2']
     const options = {
       filter: 'filterValue',
-      fetchDepth: 1,
-      fetchTags: false
+      fetchDepth: 1
     }
 
     await git.fetch(refSpec, options)
@@ -222,7 +221,7 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
     )
   })
 
-  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when fetchDepth is 1 and fetchTags is true', async () => {
+  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when fetchDepth is 1 and refSpec includes tags', async () => {
     jest.spyOn(exec, 'exec').mockImplementation(mockExec)
 
     const workingDirectory = 'test'
@@ -233,11 +232,10 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
       lfs,
       doSparseCheckout
     )
-    const refSpec = ['refspec1', 'refspec2']
+    const refSpec = ['refspec1', 'refspec2', '+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*']
     const options = {
       filter: 'filterValue',
-      fetchDepth: 1,
-      fetchTags: true
+      fetchDepth: 1
     }
 
     await git.fetch(refSpec, options)
@@ -248,13 +246,15 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
         '-c',
         'protocol.version=2',
         'fetch',
+        '--no-tags',
         '--prune',
         '--no-recurse-submodules',
         '--filter=filterValue',
         '--depth=1',
         'origin',
         'refspec1',
-        'refspec2'
+        'refspec2',
+        '+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*'
       ],
       expect.any(Object)
     )
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
     )
   })
 
-  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when fetchTags is true and showProgress is true', async () => {
+  it('should call execGit with the correct arguments when showProgress is true and refSpec includes tags', async () => {
     jest.spyOn(exec, 'exec').mockImplementation(mockExec)
 
     const workingDirectory = 'test'
@@ -349,10 +349,9 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
       lfs,
       doSparseCheckout
     )
-    const refSpec = ['refspec1', 'refspec2']
+    const refSpec = ['refspec1', 'refspec2', '+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*']
     const options = {
       filter: 'filterValue',
-      fetchTags: true,
       showProgress: true
     }
 
@@ -364,15 +363,134 @@ describe('Test fetchDepth and fetchTags options', () => {
         '-c',
         'protocol.version=2',
         'fetch',
+        '--no-tags',
         '--prune',
         '--no-recurse-submodules',
         '--progress',
         '--filter=filterValue',
         'origin',
         'refspec1',
-        'refspec2'
+        'refspec2',
+        '+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*'
       ],
       expect.any(Object)
     )
   })
 })
+
+describe('git user-agent with orchestration ID', () => {
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    jest.spyOn(fshelper, 'fileExistsSync').mockImplementation(jest.fn())
+    jest.spyOn(fshelper, 'directoryExistsSync').mockImplementation(jest.fn())
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    jest.restoreAllMocks()
+    // Clean up environment variable to prevent test pollution
+    delete process.env['ACTIONS_ORCHESTRATION_ID']
+  })
+
+  it('should include orchestration ID in user-agent when ACTIONS_ORCHESTRATION_ID is set', async () => {
+    const orchId = 'test-orch-id-12345'
+    process.env['ACTIONS_ORCHESTRATION_ID'] = orchId
+
+    let capturedEnv: any = null
+    mockExec.mockImplementation((path, args, options) => {
+      if (args.includes('version')) {
+        options.listeners.stdout(Buffer.from('2.18'))
+      }
+      // Capture env on any command
+      capturedEnv = options.env
+      return 0
+    })
+    jest.spyOn(exec, 'exec').mockImplementation(mockExec)
+
+    const workingDirectory = 'test'
+    const lfs = false
+    const doSparseCheckout = false
+    git = await commandManager.createCommandManager(
+      workingDirectory,
+      lfs,
+      doSparseCheckout
+    )
+
+    // Call a git command to trigger env capture after user-agent is set
+    await git.init()
+
+    // Verify the user agent includes the orchestration ID
+    expect(git).toBeDefined()
+    expect(capturedEnv).toBeDefined()
+    expect(capturedEnv['GIT_HTTP_USER_AGENT']).toBe(
+      `git/2.18 (github-actions-checkout) actions_orchestration_id/${orchId}`
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('should sanitize invalid characters in orchestration ID', async () => {
+    const orchId = 'test (with) special/chars'
+    process.env['ACTIONS_ORCHESTRATION_ID'] = orchId
+
+    let capturedEnv: any = null
+    mockExec.mockImplementation((path, args, options) => {
+      if (args.includes('version')) {
+        options.listeners.stdout(Buffer.from('2.18'))
+      }
+      // Capture env on any command
+      capturedEnv = options.env
+      return 0
+    })
+    jest.spyOn(exec, 'exec').mockImplementation(mockExec)
+
+    const workingDirectory = 'test'
+    const lfs = false
+    const doSparseCheckout = false
+    git = await commandManager.createCommandManager(
+      workingDirectory,
+      lfs,
+      doSparseCheckout
+    )
+
+    // Call a git command to trigger env capture after user-agent is set
+    await git.init()
+
+    // Verify the user agent has sanitized orchestration ID (spaces, parentheses, slash replaced)
+    expect(git).toBeDefined()
+    expect(capturedEnv).toBeDefined()
+    expect(capturedEnv['GIT_HTTP_USER_AGENT']).toBe(
+      'git/2.18 (github-actions-checkout) actions_orchestration_id/test__with__special_chars'
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('should not modify user-agent when ACTIONS_ORCHESTRATION_ID is not set', async () => {
+    delete process.env['ACTIONS_ORCHESTRATION_ID']
+
+    let capturedEnv: any = null
+    mockExec.mockImplementation((path, args, options) => {
+      if (args.includes('version')) {
+        options.listeners.stdout(Buffer.from('2.18'))
+      }
+      // Capture env on any command
+      capturedEnv = options.env
+      return 0
+    })
+    jest.spyOn(exec, 'exec').mockImplementation(mockExec)
+
+    const workingDirectory = 'test'
+    const lfs = false
+    const doSparseCheckout = false
+    git = await commandManager.createCommandManager(
+      workingDirectory,
+      lfs,
+      doSparseCheckout
+    )
+
+    // Call a git command to trigger env capture after user-agent is set
+    await git.init()
+
+    // Verify the user agent does NOT contain orchestration ID
+    expect(git).toBeDefined()
+    expect(capturedEnv).toBeDefined()
+    expect(capturedEnv['GIT_HTTP_USER_AGENT']).toBe(
+      'git/2.18 (github-actions-checkout)'
+    )
+  })
+})

__test__/git-directory-helper.test.ts

@@ -471,6 +471,7 @@ async function setup(testName: string): Promise<void> {
     configExists: jest.fn(),
     fetch: jest.fn(),
     getDefaultBranch: jest.fn(),
+    getSubmoduleConfigPaths: jest.fn(async () => []),
     getWorkingDirectory: jest.fn(() => repositoryPath),
     init: jest.fn(),
     isDetached: jest.fn(),
@@ -493,12 +494,15 @@ async function setup(testName: string): Promise<void> {
       return true
     }),
     tryConfigUnset: jest.fn(),
+    tryConfigUnsetValue: jest.fn(),
     tryDisableAutomaticGarbageCollection: jest.fn(),
     tryGetFetchUrl: jest.fn(async () => {
       // Sanity check - this function shouldn't be called when the .git directory doesn't exist
       await fs.promises.stat(path.join(repositoryPath, '.git'))
       return repositoryUrl
     }),
+    tryGetConfigValues: jest.fn(),
+    tryGetConfigKeys: jest.fn(),
     tryReset: jest.fn(async () => {
       return true
     }),

__test__/ref-helper.test.ts

@@ -152,7 +152,22 @@ describe('ref-helper tests', () => {
   it('getRefSpec sha + refs/tags/', async () => {
     const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec('refs/tags/my-tag', commit)
     expect(refSpec.length).toBe(1)
-    expect(refSpec[0]).toBe(`+${commit}:refs/tags/my-tag`)
+    expect(refSpec[0]).toBe(`+refs/tags/my-tag:refs/tags/my-tag`)
+  })
+
+  it('getRefSpec sha + refs/tags/ with fetchTags', async () => {
+    // When fetchTags is true, only include tags wildcard (specific tag is redundant)
+    const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec('refs/tags/my-tag', commit, true)
+    expect(refSpec.length).toBe(1)
+    expect(refSpec[0]).toBe('+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*')
+  })
+
+  it('getRefSpec sha + refs/heads/ with fetchTags', async () => {
+    // When fetchTags is true, include both the branch refspec and tags wildcard
+    const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec('refs/heads/my/branch', commit, true)
+    expect(refSpec.length).toBe(2)
+    expect(refSpec[0]).toBe('+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*')
+    expect(refSpec[1]).toBe(`+${commit}:refs/remotes/origin/my/branch`)
   })
 
   it('getRefSpec sha only', async () => {
@@ -168,6 +183,14 @@ describe('ref-helper tests', () => {
     expect(refSpec[1]).toBe('+refs/tags/my-ref*:refs/tags/my-ref*')
   })
 
+  it('getRefSpec unqualified ref only with fetchTags', async () => {
+    // When fetchTags is true, skip specific tag pattern since wildcard covers all
+    const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec('my-ref', '', true)
+    expect(refSpec.length).toBe(2)
+    expect(refSpec[0]).toBe('+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*')
+    expect(refSpec[1]).toBe('+refs/heads/my-ref*:refs/remotes/origin/my-ref*')
+  })
+
   it('getRefSpec refs/heads/ only', async () => {
     const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec('refs/heads/my/branch', '')
     expect(refSpec.length).toBe(1)
@@ -187,4 +210,21 @@ describe('ref-helper tests', () => {
     expect(refSpec.length).toBe(1)
     expect(refSpec[0]).toBe('+refs/tags/my-tag:refs/tags/my-tag')
   })
+
+  it('getRefSpec refs/tags/ only with fetchTags', async () => {
+    // When fetchTags is true, only include tags wildcard (specific tag is redundant)
+    const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec('refs/tags/my-tag', '', true)
+    expect(refSpec.length).toBe(1)
+    expect(refSpec[0]).toBe('+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*')
+  })
+
+  it('getRefSpec refs/heads/ only with fetchTags', async () => {
+    // When fetchTags is true, include both the branch refspec and tags wildcard
+    const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec('refs/heads/my/branch', '', true)
+    expect(refSpec.length).toBe(2)
+    expect(refSpec[0]).toBe('+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*')
+    expect(refSpec[1]).toBe(
+      '+refs/heads/my/branch:refs/remotes/origin/my/branch'
+    )
+  })
 })

__test__/verify-fetch-tags.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# Verify tags were fetched
+TAG_COUNT=$(git -C ./fetch-tags-test tag | wc -l)
+if [ "$TAG_COUNT" -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo "Expected tags to be fetched, but found none"
+    exit 1
+fi
+echo "Found $TAG_COUNT tags"

__test__/verify-submodules-recursive.sh

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ fi
 
 echo "Testing persisted credential"
 pushd ./submodules-recursive/submodule-level-1/submodule-level-2
-git config --local --name-only --get-regexp http.+extraheader && git fetch
+git config --local --includes --name-only --get-regexp http.+extraheader && git fetch
 if [ "$?" != "0" ]; then
     echo "Failed to validate persisted credential"
     popd

__test__/verify-submodules-true.sh

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ fi
 
 echo "Testing persisted credential"
 pushd ./submodules-true/submodule-level-1
-git config --local --name-only --get-regexp http.+extraheader && git fetch
+git config --local --includes --name-only --get-regexp http.+extraheader && git fetch
 if [ "$?" != "0" ]; then
     echo "Failed to validate persisted credential"
     popd

__test__/verify-worktree.sh

@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -e
+
+# Verify worktree credentials
+# This test verifies that git credentials work in worktrees created after checkout
+# Usage: verify-worktree.sh <checkout-path> <worktree-name>
+
+CHECKOUT_PATH="$1"
+WORKTREE_NAME="$2"
+
+if [ -z "$CHECKOUT_PATH" ] || [ -z "$WORKTREE_NAME" ]; then
+  echo "Usage: verify-worktree.sh <checkout-path> <worktree-name>"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+cd "$CHECKOUT_PATH"
+
+# Add safe directory for container environments
+git config --global --add safe.directory "*" 2>/dev/null || true
+
+# Show the includeIf configuration
+echo "Git config includeIf entries:"
+git config --list --show-origin | grep -i include || true
+
+# Create the worktree
+echo "Creating worktree..."
+git worktree add "../$WORKTREE_NAME" HEAD --detach
+
+# Change to worktree directory
+cd "../$WORKTREE_NAME"
+
+# Verify we're in a worktree
+echo "Verifying worktree gitdir:"
+cat .git
+
+# Verify credentials are available in worktree by checking extraheader is configured
+echo "Checking credentials in worktree..."
+if git config --list --show-origin | grep -q "extraheader"; then
+  echo "Credentials are configured in worktree"
+else
+  echo "ERROR: Credentials are NOT configured in worktree"
+  echo "Full git config:"
+  git config --list --show-origin
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# Verify fetch works in the worktree
+echo "Fetching in worktree..."
+git fetch origin
+
+echo "Worktree credentials test passed!"

action.yml

@@ -104,6 +104,6 @@ outputs:
   commit:
     description: 'The commit SHA that was checked out'
 runs:
-  using: node20
+  using: node24
   main: dist/index.js
   post: dist/index.js

dist/index.js

@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
         this.sshKeyPath = '';
         this.sshKnownHostsPath = '';
         this.temporaryHomePath = '';
+        this.credentialsConfigPath = ''; // Path to separate credentials config file in RUNNER_TEMP
         this.git = gitCommandManager;
         this.settings = gitSourceSettings || {};
         // Token auth header
@@ -229,15 +230,17 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
     configureGlobalAuth() {
         return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
             // 'configureTempGlobalConfig' noops if already set, just returns the path
-            const newGitConfigPath = yield this.configureTempGlobalConfig();
+            yield this.configureTempGlobalConfig();
             try {
                 // Configure the token
-                yield this.configureToken(newGitConfigPath, true);
+                yield this.configureToken(true);
                 // Configure HTTPS instead of SSH
                 yield this.git.tryConfigUnset(this.insteadOfKey, true);
                 if (!this.settings.sshKey) {
                     for (const insteadOfValue of this.insteadOfValues) {
-                        yield this.git.config(this.insteadOfKey, insteadOfValue, true, true);
+                        yield this.git.config(this.insteadOfKey, insteadOfValue, true, // globalConfig?
+                        true // add?
+                        );
                     }
                 }
             }
@@ -252,19 +255,34 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
     configureSubmoduleAuth() {
         return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
             // Remove possible previous HTTPS instead of SSH
-            yield this.removeGitConfig(this.insteadOfKey, true);
+            yield this.removeSubmoduleGitConfig(this.insteadOfKey);
             if (this.settings.persistCredentials) {
-                // Configure a placeholder value. This approach avoids the credential being captured
-                // by process creation audit events, which are commonly logged. For more information,
-                // refer to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/manage/component-updates/command-line-process-auditing
-                const output = yield this.git.submoduleForeach(
-                // wrap the pipeline in quotes to make sure it's handled properly by submoduleForeach, rather than just the first part of the pipeline
-                `sh -c "git config --local '${this.tokenConfigKey}' '${this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue}' && git config --local --show-origin --name-only --get-regexp remote.origin.url"`, this.settings.nestedSubmodules);
-                // Replace the placeholder
-                const configPaths = output.match(/(?<=(^|\n)file:)[^\t]+(?=\tremote\.origin\.url)/g) || [];
+                // Get the credentials config file path in RUNNER_TEMP
+                const credentialsConfigPath = this.getCredentialsConfigPath();
+                // Container credentials config path
+                const containerCredentialsPath = path.posix.join('/github/runner_temp', path.basename(credentialsConfigPath));
+                // Get submodule config file paths.
+                const configPaths = yield this.git.getSubmoduleConfigPaths(this.settings.nestedSubmodules);
+                // For each submodule, configure includeIf entries pointing to the shared credentials file.
+                // Configure both host and container paths to support Docker container actions.
                 for (const configPath of configPaths) {
-                    core.debug(`Replacing token placeholder in '${configPath}'`);
-                    yield this.replaceTokenPlaceholder(configPath);
+                    // Submodule Git directory
+                    let submoduleGitDir = path.dirname(configPath); // The config file is at .git/modules/submodule-name/config
+                    submoduleGitDir = submoduleGitDir.replace(/\\/g, '/'); // Use forward slashes, even on Windows
+                    // Configure host includeIf
+                    yield this.git.config(`includeIf.gitdir:${submoduleGitDir}.path`, credentialsConfigPath, false, // globalConfig?
+                    false, // add?
+                    configPath);
+                    // Container submodule git directory
+                    const githubWorkspace = process.env['GITHUB_WORKSPACE'];
+                    assert.ok(githubWorkspace, 'GITHUB_WORKSPACE is not defined');
+                    let relativeSubmoduleGitDir = path.relative(githubWorkspace, submoduleGitDir);
+                    relativeSubmoduleGitDir = relativeSubmoduleGitDir.replace(/\\/g, '/'); // Use forward slashes, even on Windows
+                    const containerSubmoduleGitDir = path.posix.join('/github/workspace', relativeSubmoduleGitDir);
+                    // Configure container includeIf
+                    yield this.git.config(`includeIf.gitdir:${containerSubmoduleGitDir}.path`, containerCredentialsPath, false, // globalConfig?
+                    false, // add?
+                    configPath);
                 }
                 if (this.settings.sshKey) {
                     // Configure core.sshCommand
@@ -295,6 +313,10 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
             }
         });
     }
+    /**
+     * Configures SSH authentication by writing the SSH key and known hosts,
+     * and setting up the GIT_SSH_COMMAND environment variable.
+     */
     configureSsh() {
         return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
             if (!this.settings.sshKey) {
@@ -351,43 +373,94 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
             }
         });
     }
-    configureToken(configPath, globalConfig) {
+    /**
+     * Configures token-based authentication by creating a credentials config file
+     * and setting up includeIf entries to reference it.
+     * @param globalConfig Whether to configure global config instead of local
+     */
+    configureToken(globalConfig) {
         return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
-            // Validate args
-            assert.ok((configPath && globalConfig) || (!configPath && !globalConfig), 'Unexpected configureToken parameter combinations');
-            // Default config path
-            if (!configPath && !globalConfig) {
-                configPath = path.join(this.git.getWorkingDirectory(), '.git', 'config');
-            }
-            // Configure a placeholder value. This approach avoids the credential being captured
-            // by process creation audit events, which are commonly logged. For more information,
-            // refer to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/manage/component-updates/command-line-process-auditing
-            yield this.git.config(this.tokenConfigKey, this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue, globalConfig);
-            // Replace the placeholder
-            yield this.replaceTokenPlaceholder(configPath || '');
-        });
-    }
-    replaceTokenPlaceholder(configPath) {
-        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
-            assert.ok(configPath, 'configPath is not defined');
-            let content = (yield fs.promises.readFile(configPath)).toString();
+            // Get the credentials config file path in RUNNER_TEMP
+            const credentialsConfigPath = this.getCredentialsConfigPath();
+            // Write placeholder to the separate credentials config file using git config.
+            // This approach avoids the credential being captured by process creation audit events,
+            // which are commonly logged. For more information, refer to
+            // https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/manage/component-updates/command-line-process-auditing
+            yield this.git.config(this.tokenConfigKey, this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue, false, // globalConfig?
+            false, // add?
+            credentialsConfigPath);
+            // Replace the placeholder in the credentials config file
+            let content = (yield fs.promises.readFile(credentialsConfigPath)).toString();
             const placeholderIndex = content.indexOf(this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue);
             if (placeholderIndex < 0 ||
                 placeholderIndex != content.lastIndexOf(this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue)) {
-                throw new Error(`Unable to replace auth placeholder in ${configPath}`);
+                throw new Error(`Unable to replace auth placeholder in ${credentialsConfigPath}`);
             }
             assert.ok(this.tokenConfigValue, 'tokenConfigValue is not defined');
             content = content.replace(this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue, this.tokenConfigValue);
-            yield fs.promises.writeFile(configPath, content);
+            yield fs.promises.writeFile(credentialsConfigPath, content);
+            // Add include or includeIf to reference the credentials config
+            if (globalConfig) {
+                // Global config file is temporary
+                yield this.git.config('include.path', credentialsConfigPath, true // globalConfig?
+                );
+            }
+            else {
+                // Host git directory
+                let gitDir = path.join(this.git.getWorkingDirectory(), '.git');
+                gitDir = gitDir.replace(/\\/g, '/'); // Use forward slashes, even on Windows
+                // Configure host includeIf
+                const hostIncludeKey = `includeIf.gitdir:${gitDir}.path`;
+                yield this.git.config(hostIncludeKey, credentialsConfigPath);
+                // Configure host includeIf for worktrees
+                const hostWorktreeIncludeKey = `includeIf.gitdir:${gitDir}/worktrees/*.path`;
+                yield this.git.config(hostWorktreeIncludeKey, credentialsConfigPath);
+                // Container git directory
+                const workingDirectory = this.git.getWorkingDirectory();
+                const githubWorkspace = process.env['GITHUB_WORKSPACE'];
+                assert.ok(githubWorkspace, 'GITHUB_WORKSPACE is not defined');
+                let relativePath = path.relative(githubWorkspace, workingDirectory);
+                relativePath = relativePath.replace(/\\/g, '/'); // Use forward slashes, even on Windows
+                const containerGitDir = path.posix.join('/github/workspace', relativePath, '.git');
+                // Container credentials config path
+                const containerCredentialsPath = path.posix.join('/github/runner_temp', path.basename(credentialsConfigPath));
+                // Configure container includeIf
+                const containerIncludeKey = `includeIf.gitdir:${containerGitDir}.path`;
+                yield this.git.config(containerIncludeKey, containerCredentialsPath);
+                // Configure container includeIf for worktrees
+                const containerWorktreeIncludeKey = `includeIf.gitdir:${containerGitDir}/worktrees/*.path`;
+                yield this.git.config(containerWorktreeIncludeKey, containerCredentialsPath);
+            }
         });
     }
+    /**
+     * Gets or creates the path to the credentials config file in RUNNER_TEMP.
+     * @returns The absolute path to the credentials config file
+     */
+    getCredentialsConfigPath() {
+        if (this.credentialsConfigPath) {
+            return this.credentialsConfigPath;
+        }
+        const runnerTemp = process.env['RUNNER_TEMP'] || '';
+        assert.ok(runnerTemp, 'RUNNER_TEMP is not defined');
+        // Create a unique filename for this checkout instance
+        const configFileName = `git-credentials-${(0, uuid_1.v4)()}.config`;
+        this.credentialsConfigPath = path.join(runnerTemp, configFileName);
+        core.debug(`Credentials config path: ${this.credentialsConfigPath}`);
+        return this.credentialsConfigPath;
+    }
+    /**
+     * Removes SSH authentication configuration by cleaning up SSH keys,
+     * known hosts files, and SSH command configurations.
+     */
     removeSsh() {
         return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
-            var _a;
+            var _a, _b;
             // SSH key
             const keyPath = this.sshKeyPath || stateHelper.SshKeyPath;
             if (keyPath) {
                 try {
+                    core.info(`Removing SSH key '${keyPath}'`);
                     yield io.rmRF(keyPath);
                 }
                 catch (err) {
@@ -399,37 +472,136 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
             const knownHostsPath = this.sshKnownHostsPath || stateHelper.SshKnownHostsPath;
             if (knownHostsPath) {
                 try {
+                    core.info(`Removing SSH known hosts '${knownHostsPath}'`);
                     yield io.rmRF(knownHostsPath);
                 }
-                catch (_b) {
-                    // Intentionally empty
+                catch (err) {
+                    core.debug(`${(_b = err === null || err === void 0 ? void 0 : err.message) !== null && _b !== void 0 ? _b : err}`);
+                    core.warning(`Failed to remove SSH known hosts '${knownHostsPath}'`);
                 }
             }
             // SSH command
+            core.info('Removing SSH command configuration');
             yield this.removeGitConfig(SSH_COMMAND_KEY);
+            yield this.removeSubmoduleGitConfig(SSH_COMMAND_KEY);
         });
     }
+    /**
+     * Removes token-based authentication by cleaning up HTTP headers,
+     * includeIf entries, and credentials config files.
+     */
     removeToken() {
         return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
-            // HTTP extra header
+            var _a;
+            // Remove HTTP extra header
+            core.info('Removing HTTP extra header');
             yield this.removeGitConfig(this.tokenConfigKey);
-        });
-    }
-    removeGitConfig(configKey_1) {
-        return __awaiter(this, arguments, void 0, function* (configKey, submoduleOnly = false) {
-            if (!submoduleOnly) {
-                if ((yield this.git.configExists(configKey)) &&
-                    !(yield this.git.tryConfigUnset(configKey))) {
-                    // Load the config contents
-                    core.warning(`Failed to remove '${configKey}' from the git config`);
+            yield this.removeSubmoduleGitConfig(this.tokenConfigKey);
+            // Collect credentials config paths that need to be removed
+            const credentialsPaths = new Set();
+            // Remove includeIf entries that point to git-credentials-*.config files
+            core.info('Removing includeIf entries pointing to credentials config files');
+            const mainCredentialsPaths = yield this.removeIncludeIfCredentials();
+            mainCredentialsPaths.forEach(path => credentialsPaths.add(path));
+            // Remove submodule includeIf entries that point to git-credentials-*.config files
+            const submoduleConfigPaths = yield this.git.getSubmoduleConfigPaths(true);
+            for (const configPath of submoduleConfigPaths) {
+                const submoduleCredentialsPaths = yield this.removeIncludeIfCredentials(configPath);
+                submoduleCredentialsPaths.forEach(path => credentialsPaths.add(path));
+            }
+            // Remove credentials config files
+            for (const credentialsPath of credentialsPaths) {
+                // Only remove credentials config files if they are under RUNNER_TEMP
+                const runnerTemp = process.env['RUNNER_TEMP'];
+                assert.ok(runnerTemp, 'RUNNER_TEMP is not defined');
+                if (credentialsPath.startsWith(runnerTemp)) {
+                    try {
+                        core.info(`Removing credentials config '${credentialsPath}'`);
+                        yield io.rmRF(credentialsPath);
+                    }
+                    catch (err) {
+                        core.debug(`${(_a = err === null || err === void 0 ? void 0 : err.message) !== null && _a !== void 0 ? _a : err}`);
+                        core.warning(`Failed to remove credentials config '${credentialsPath}'`);
+                    }
+                }
+                else {
+                    core.debug(`Skipping removal of credentials config '${credentialsPath}' - not under RUNNER_TEMP`);
                 }
             }
+        });
+    }
+    /**
+     * Removes a git config key from the local repository config.
+     * @param configKey The git config key to remove
+     */
+    removeGitConfig(configKey) {
+        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
+            if ((yield this.git.configExists(configKey)) &&
+                !(yield this.git.tryConfigUnset(configKey))) {
+                // Load the config contents
+                core.warning(`Failed to remove '${configKey}' from the git config`);
+            }
+        });
+    }
+    /**
+     * Removes a git config key from all submodule configs.
+     * @param configKey The git config key to remove
+     */
+    removeSubmoduleGitConfig(configKey) {
+        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
             const pattern = regexpHelper.escape(configKey);
             yield this.git.submoduleForeach(
-            // wrap the pipeline in quotes to make sure it's handled properly by submoduleForeach, rather than just the first part of the pipeline
+            // Wrap the pipeline in quotes to make sure it's handled properly by submoduleForeach, rather than just the first part of the pipeline.
             `sh -c "git config --local --name-only --get-regexp '${pattern}' && git config --local --unset-all '${configKey}' || :"`, true);
         });
     }
+    /**
+     * Removes includeIf entries that point to git-credentials-*.config files.
+     * @param configPath Optional path to a specific git config file to operate on
+     * @returns Array of unique credentials config file paths that were found and removed
+     */
+    removeIncludeIfCredentials(configPath) {
+        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
+            const credentialsPaths = new Set();
+            try {
+                // Get all includeIf.gitdir keys
+                const keys = yield this.git.tryGetConfigKeys('^includeIf\\.gitdir:', false, // globalConfig?
+                configPath);
+                for (const key of keys) {
+                    // Get all values for this key
+                    const values = yield this.git.tryGetConfigValues(key, false, // globalConfig?
+                    configPath);
+                    if (values.length > 0) {
+                        // Remove only values that match git-credentials-<uuid>.config pattern
+                        for (const value of values) {
+                            if (this.testCredentialsConfigPath(value)) {
+                                credentialsPaths.add(value);
+                                yield this.git.tryConfigUnsetValue(key, value, false, configPath);
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            catch (err) {
+                // Ignore errors - this is cleanup code
+                if (configPath) {
+                    core.debug(`Error during includeIf cleanup for ${configPath}: ${err}`);
+                }
+                else {
+                    core.debug(`Error during includeIf cleanup: ${err}`);
+                }
+            }
+            return Array.from(credentialsPaths);
+        });
+    }
+    /**
+     * Tests if a path matches the git-credentials-*.config pattern.
+     * @param path The path to test
+     * @returns True if the path matches the credentials config pattern
+     */
+    testCredentialsConfigPath(path) {
+        return /git-credentials-[0-9a-f-]+\.config$/i.test(path);
+    }
 }
 
 
@@ -481,7 +653,6 @@ const fs = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(7147));
 const fshelper = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(7219));
 const io = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(7436));
 const path = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(1017));
-const refHelper = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(8601));
 const regexpHelper = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(3120));
 const retryHelper = __importStar(__nccwpck_require__(2155));
 const git_version_1 = __nccwpck_require__(3142);
@@ -627,9 +798,15 @@ class GitCommandManager {
             yield this.execGit(args);
         });
     }
-    config(configKey, configValue, globalConfig, add) {
+    config(configKey, configValue, globalConfig, add, configFile) {
         return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
-            const args = ['config', globalConfig ? '--global' : '--local'];
+            const args = ['config'];
+            if (configFile) {
+                args.push('--file', configFile);
+            }
+            else {
+                args.push(globalConfig ? '--global' : '--local');
+            }
             if (add) {
                 args.push('--add');
             }
@@ -653,9 +830,9 @@ class GitCommandManager {
     fetch(refSpec, options) {
         return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
             const args = ['-c', 'protocol.version=2', 'fetch'];
-            if (!refSpec.some(x => x === refHelper.tagsRefSpec) && !options.fetchTags) {
-                args.push('--no-tags');
-            }
+            // Always use --no-tags for explicit control over tag fetching
+            // Tags are fetched explicitly via refspec when needed
+            args.push('--no-tags');
             args.push('--prune', '--no-recurse-submodules');
             if (options.showProgress) {
                 args.push('--progress');
@@ -706,6 +883,16 @@ class GitCommandManager {
             throw new Error('Unexpected output when retrieving default branch');
         });
     }
+    getSubmoduleConfigPaths(recursive) {
+        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
+            // Get submodule config file paths.
+            // Use `--show-origin` to get the config file path for each submodule.
+            const output = yield this.submoduleForeach(`git config --local --show-origin --name-only --get-regexp remote.origin.url`, recursive);
+            // Extract config file paths from the output (lines starting with "file:").
+            const configPaths = output.match(/(?<=(^|\n)file:)[^\t]+(?=\tremote\.origin\.url)/g) || [];
+            return configPaths;
+        });
+    }
     getWorkingDirectory() {
         return this.workingDirectory;
     }
@@ -836,6 +1023,20 @@ class GitCommandManager {
             return output.exitCode === 0;
         });
     }
+    tryConfigUnsetValue(configKey, configValue, globalConfig, configFile) {
+        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
+            const args = ['config'];
+            if (configFile) {
+                args.push('--file', configFile);
+            }
+            else {
+                args.push(globalConfig ? '--global' : '--local');
+            }
+            args.push('--unset', configKey, configValue);
+            const output = yield this.execGit(args, true);
+            return output.exitCode === 0;
+        });
+    }
     tryDisableAutomaticGarbageCollection() {
         return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
             const output = yield this.execGit(['config', '--local', 'gc.auto', '0'], true);
@@ -855,6 +1056,46 @@ class GitCommandManager {
             return stdout;
         });
     }
+    tryGetConfigValues(configKey, globalConfig, configFile) {
+        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
+            const args = ['config'];
+            if (configFile) {
+                args.push('--file', configFile);
+            }
+            else {
+                args.push(globalConfig ? '--global' : '--local');
+            }
+            args.push('--get-all', configKey);
+            const output = yield this.execGit(args, true);
+            if (output.exitCode !== 0) {
+                return [];
+            }
+            return output.stdout
+                .trim()
+                .split('\n')
+                .filter(value => value.trim());
+        });
+    }
+    tryGetConfigKeys(pattern, globalConfig, configFile) {
+        return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
+            const args = ['config'];
+            if (configFile) {
+                args.push('--file', configFile);
+            }
+            else {
+                args.push(globalConfig ? '--global' : '--local');
+            }
+            args.push('--name-only', '--get-regexp', pattern);
+            const output = yield this.execGit(args, true);
+            if (output.exitCode !== 0) {
+                return [];
+            }
+            return output.stdout
+                .trim()
+                .split('\n')
+                .filter(key => key.trim());
+        });
+    }
     tryReset() {
         return __awaiter(this, void 0, void 0, function* () {
             const output = yield this.execGit(['reset', '--hard', 'HEAD'], true);
@@ -964,7 +1205,17 @@ class GitCommandManager {
                 }
             }
             // Set the user agent
-            const gitHttpUserAgent = `git/${this.gitVersion} (github-actions-checkout)`;
+            let gitHttpUserAgent = `git/${this.gitVersion} (github-actions-checkout)`;
+            // Append orchestration ID if set
+            const orchId = process.env['ACTIONS_ORCHESTRATION_ID'];
+            if (orchId) {
+                // Sanitize the orchestration ID to ensure it contains only valid characters
+                // Valid characters: 0-9, a-z, _, -, .
+                const sanitizedId = orchId.replace(/[^a-z0-9_.-]/gi, '_');
+                if (sanitizedId) {
+                    gitHttpUserAgent = `${gitHttpUserAgent} actions_orchestration_id/${sanitizedId}`;
+                }
+            }
             core.debug(`Set git useragent to: ${gitHttpUserAgent}`);
             this.gitEnv['GIT_HTTP_USER_AGENT'] = gitHttpUserAgent;
         });
@@ -1287,13 +1538,26 @@ function getSource(settings) {
                 if (!(yield refHelper.testRef(git, settings.ref, settings.commit))) {
                     refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec(settings.ref, settings.commit);
                     yield git.fetch(refSpec, fetchOptions);
+                    // Verify the ref now matches. For branches, the targeted fetch above brings
+                    // in the specific commit. For tags (fetched by ref), this will fail if
+                    // the tag was moved after the workflow was triggered.
+                    if (!(yield refHelper.testRef(git, settings.ref, settings.commit))) {
+                        throw new Error(`The ref '${settings.ref}' does not point to the expected commit '${settings.commit}'. ` +
+                            `The ref may have been updated after the workflow was triggered.`);
+                    }
                 }
             }
             else {
                 fetchOptions.fetchDepth = settings.fetchDepth;
-                fetchOptions.fetchTags = settings.fetchTags;
-                const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec(settings.ref, settings.commit);
+                const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec(settings.ref, settings.commit, settings.fetchTags);
                 yield git.fetch(refSpec, fetchOptions);
+                // For tags, verify the ref still points to the expected commit.
+                // Tags are fetched by ref (not commit), so if a tag was moved after the
+                // workflow was triggered, we would silently check out the wrong commit.
+                if (!(yield refHelper.testRef(git, settings.ref, settings.commit))) {
+                    throw new Error(`The ref '${settings.ref}' does not point to the expected commit '${settings.commit}'. ` +
+                        `The ref may have been updated after the workflow was triggered.`);
+                }
             }
             core.endGroup();
             // Checkout info
@@ -2032,53 +2296,67 @@ function getRefSpecForAllHistory(ref, commit) {
     }
     return result;
 }
-function getRefSpec(ref, commit) {
+function getRefSpec(ref, commit, fetchTags) {
     if (!ref && !commit) {
         throw new Error('Args ref and commit cannot both be empty');
     }
     const upperRef = (ref || '').toUpperCase();
+    const result = [];
+    // When fetchTags is true, always include the tags refspec
+    if (fetchTags) {
+        result.push(exports.tagsRefSpec);
+    }
     // SHA
     if (commit) {
         // refs/heads
         if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/HEADS/')) {
             const branch = ref.substring('refs/heads/'.length);
-            return [`+${commit}:refs/remotes/origin/${branch}`];
+            result.push(`+${commit}:refs/remotes/origin/${branch}`);
         }
         // refs/pull/
         else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/PULL/')) {
             const branch = ref.substring('refs/pull/'.length);
-            return [`+${commit}:refs/remotes/pull/${branch}`];
+            result.push(`+${commit}:refs/remotes/pull/${branch}`);
         }
         // refs/tags/
         else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/TAGS/')) {
-            return [`+${commit}:${ref}`];
+            if (!fetchTags) {
+                result.push(`+${ref}:${ref}`);
+            }
         }
         // Otherwise no destination ref
         else {
-            return [commit];
+            result.push(commit);
         }
     }
     // Unqualified ref, check for a matching branch or tag
     else if (!upperRef.startsWith('REFS/')) {
-        return [
-            `+refs/heads/${ref}*:refs/remotes/origin/${ref}*`,
-            `+refs/tags/${ref}*:refs/tags/${ref}*`
-        ];
+        result.push(`+refs/heads/${ref}*:refs/remotes/origin/${ref}*`);
+        if (!fetchTags) {
+            result.push(`+refs/tags/${ref}*:refs/tags/${ref}*`);
+        }
     }
     // refs/heads/
     else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/HEADS/')) {
         const branch = ref.substring('refs/heads/'.length);
-        return [`+${ref}:refs/remotes/origin/${branch}`];
+        result.push(`+${ref}:refs/remotes/origin/${branch}`);
     }
     // refs/pull/
     else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/PULL/')) {
         const branch = ref.substring('refs/pull/'.length);
-        return [`+${ref}:refs/remotes/pull/${branch}`];
+        result.push(`+${ref}:refs/remotes/pull/${branch}`);
     }
     // refs/tags/
-    else {
-        return [`+${ref}:${ref}`];
+    else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/TAGS/')) {
+        if (!fetchTags) {
+            result.push(`+${ref}:${ref}`);
+        }
     }
+    // Other refs
+    else {
+        result.push(`+${ref}:${ref}`);
+    }
+    return result;
 }
 /**
  * Tests whether the initial fetch created the ref at the expected commit
@@ -2114,7 +2392,9 @@ function testRef(git, ref, commit) {
         // refs/tags/
         else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/TAGS/')) {
             const tagName = ref.substring('refs/tags/'.length);
-            return ((yield git.tagExists(tagName)) && commit === (yield git.revParse(ref)));
+            // Use ^{commit} to dereference annotated tags to their underlying commit
+            return ((yield git.tagExists(tagName)) &&
+                commit === (yield git.revParse(`${ref}^{commit}`)));
         }
         // Unexpected
         else {

package-lock.json

@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "checkout",
-  "version": "4.3.0",
+  "version": "5.0.0",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "checkout",
-      "version": "4.3.0",
+      "version": "5.0.0",
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {
         "@actions/core": "^1.10.1",
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
       },
       "devDependencies": {
         "@types/jest": "^29.5.12",
-        "@types/node": "^20.12.12",
+        "@types/node": "^24.1.0",
         "@types/uuid": "^9.0.8",
         "@typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin": "^7.9.0",
         "@typescript-eslint/parser": "^7.9.0",
@@ -1515,12 +1515,12 @@
       "dev": true
     },
     "node_modules/@types/node": {
-      "version": "20.12.12",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/node/-/node-20.12.12.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-eWLDGF/FOSPtAvEqeRAQ4C8LSA7M1I7i0ky1I8U7kD1J5ITyW3AsRhQrKVoWf5pFKZ2kILsEGJhsI9r93PYnOw==",
+      "version": "24.1.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/node/-/node-24.1.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-ut5FthK5moxFKH2T1CUOC6ctR67rQRvvHdFLCD2Ql6KXmMuCrjsSsRI9UsLCm9M18BMwClv4pn327UvB7eeO1w==",
       "dev": true,
       "dependencies": {
-        "undici-types": "~5.26.4"
+        "undici-types": "~7.8.0"
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@types/stack-utils": {
@@ -6865,9 +6865,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/undici-types": {
-      "version": "5.26.5",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/undici-types/-/undici-types-5.26.5.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-JlCMO+ehdEIKqlFxk6IfVoAUVmgz7cU7zD/h9XZ0qzeosSHmUJVOzSQvvYSYWXkFXC+IfLKSIffhv0sVZup6pA==",
+      "version": "7.8.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/undici-types/-/undici-types-7.8.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-9UJ2xGDvQ43tYyVMpuHlsgApydB8ZKfVYTsLDhXkFL/6gfkp+U8xTGdh8pMJv1SpZna0zxG1DwsKZsreLbXBxw==",
       "dev": true
     },
     "node_modules/universal-user-agent": {

package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "checkout",
-  "version": "4.3.0",
+  "version": "5.0.0",
   "description": "checkout action",
   "main": "lib/main.js",
   "scripts": {
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@types/jest": "^29.5.12",
-    "@types/node": "^20.12.12",
+    "@types/node": "^24.1.0",
     "@types/uuid": "^9.0.8",
     "@typescript-eslint/eslint-plugin": "^7.9.0",
     "@typescript-eslint/parser": "^7.9.0",

src/git-auth-helper.ts

@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
   private sshKeyPath = ''
   private sshKnownHostsPath = ''
   private temporaryHomePath = ''
+  private credentialsConfigPath = '' // Path to separate credentials config file in RUNNER_TEMP
 
   constructor(
     gitCommandManager: IGitCommandManager,
@@ -126,16 +127,21 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
 
   async configureGlobalAuth(): Promise<void> {
     // 'configureTempGlobalConfig' noops if already set, just returns the path
-    const newGitConfigPath = await this.configureTempGlobalConfig()
+    await this.configureTempGlobalConfig()
     try {
       // Configure the token
-      await this.configureToken(newGitConfigPath, true)
+      await this.configureToken(true)
 
       // Configure HTTPS instead of SSH
       await this.git.tryConfigUnset(this.insteadOfKey, true)
       if (!this.settings.sshKey) {
         for (const insteadOfValue of this.insteadOfValues) {
-          await this.git.config(this.insteadOfKey, insteadOfValue, true, true)
+          await this.git.config(
+            this.insteadOfKey,
+            insteadOfValue,
+            true, // globalConfig?
+            true // add?
+          )
         }
       }
     } catch (err) {
@@ -150,24 +156,60 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
 
   async configureSubmoduleAuth(): Promise<void> {
     // Remove possible previous HTTPS instead of SSH
-    await this.removeGitConfig(this.insteadOfKey, true)
+    await this.removeSubmoduleGitConfig(this.insteadOfKey)
 
     if (this.settings.persistCredentials) {
-      // Configure a placeholder value. This approach avoids the credential being captured
-      // by process creation audit events, which are commonly logged. For more information,
-      // refer to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/manage/component-updates/command-line-process-auditing
-      const output = await this.git.submoduleForeach(
-        // wrap the pipeline in quotes to make sure it's handled properly by submoduleForeach, rather than just the first part of the pipeline
-        `sh -c "git config --local '${this.tokenConfigKey}' '${this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue}' && git config --local --show-origin --name-only --get-regexp remote.origin.url"`,
+      // Get the credentials config file path in RUNNER_TEMP
+      const credentialsConfigPath = this.getCredentialsConfigPath()
+
+      // Container credentials config path
+      const containerCredentialsPath = path.posix.join(
+        '/github/runner_temp',
+        path.basename(credentialsConfigPath)
+      )
+
+      // Get submodule config file paths.
+      const configPaths = await this.git.getSubmoduleConfigPaths(
         this.settings.nestedSubmodules
       )
 
-      // Replace the placeholder
-      const configPaths: string[] =
-        output.match(/(?<=(^|\n)file:)[^\t]+(?=\tremote\.origin\.url)/g) || []
+      // For each submodule, configure includeIf entries pointing to the shared credentials file.
+      // Configure both host and container paths to support Docker container actions.
       for (const configPath of configPaths) {
-        core.debug(`Replacing token placeholder in '${configPath}'`)
-        await this.replaceTokenPlaceholder(configPath)
+        // Submodule Git directory
+        let submoduleGitDir = path.dirname(configPath) // The config file is at .git/modules/submodule-name/config
+        submoduleGitDir = submoduleGitDir.replace(/\\/g, '/') // Use forward slashes, even on Windows
+
+        // Configure host includeIf
+        await this.git.config(
+          `includeIf.gitdir:${submoduleGitDir}.path`,
+          credentialsConfigPath,
+          false, // globalConfig?
+          false, // add?
+          configPath
+        )
+
+        // Container submodule git directory
+        const githubWorkspace = process.env['GITHUB_WORKSPACE']
+        assert.ok(githubWorkspace, 'GITHUB_WORKSPACE is not defined')
+        let relativeSubmoduleGitDir = path.relative(
+          githubWorkspace,
+          submoduleGitDir
+        )
+        relativeSubmoduleGitDir = relativeSubmoduleGitDir.replace(/\\/g, '/') // Use forward slashes, even on Windows
+        const containerSubmoduleGitDir = path.posix.join(
+          '/github/workspace',
+          relativeSubmoduleGitDir
+        )
+
+        // Configure container includeIf
+        await this.git.config(
+          `includeIf.gitdir:${containerSubmoduleGitDir}.path`,
+          containerCredentialsPath,
+          false, // globalConfig?
+          false, // add?
+          configPath
+        )
       }
 
       if (this.settings.sshKey) {
@@ -201,6 +243,10 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Configures SSH authentication by writing the SSH key and known hosts,
+   * and setting up the GIT_SSH_COMMAND environment variable.
+   */
   private async configureSsh(): Promise<void> {
     if (!this.settings.sshKey) {
       return
@@ -272,57 +318,127 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
     }
   }
 
-  private async configureToken(
-    configPath?: string,
-    globalConfig?: boolean
-  ): Promise<void> {
-    // Validate args
-    assert.ok(
-      (configPath && globalConfig) || (!configPath && !globalConfig),
-      'Unexpected configureToken parameter combinations'
-    )
+  /**
+   * Configures token-based authentication by creating a credentials config file
+   * and setting up includeIf entries to reference it.
+   * @param globalConfig Whether to configure global config instead of local
+   */
+  private async configureToken(globalConfig?: boolean): Promise<void> {
+    // Get the credentials config file path in RUNNER_TEMP
+    const credentialsConfigPath = this.getCredentialsConfigPath()
 
-    // Default config path
-    if (!configPath && !globalConfig) {
-      configPath = path.join(this.git.getWorkingDirectory(), '.git', 'config')
-    }
-
-    // Configure a placeholder value. This approach avoids the credential being captured
-    // by process creation audit events, which are commonly logged. For more information,
-    // refer to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/manage/component-updates/command-line-process-auditing
+    // Write placeholder to the separate credentials config file using git config.
+    // This approach avoids the credential being captured by process creation audit events,
+    // which are commonly logged. For more information, refer to
+    // https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/manage/component-updates/command-line-process-auditing
     await this.git.config(
       this.tokenConfigKey,
       this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue,
-      globalConfig
+      false, // globalConfig?
+      false, // add?
+      credentialsConfigPath
     )
 
-    // Replace the placeholder
-    await this.replaceTokenPlaceholder(configPath || '')
-  }
-
-  private async replaceTokenPlaceholder(configPath: string): Promise<void> {
-    assert.ok(configPath, 'configPath is not defined')
-    let content = (await fs.promises.readFile(configPath)).toString()
+    // Replace the placeholder in the credentials config file
+    let content = (await fs.promises.readFile(credentialsConfigPath)).toString()
     const placeholderIndex = content.indexOf(this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue)
     if (
       placeholderIndex < 0 ||
       placeholderIndex != content.lastIndexOf(this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue)
     ) {
-      throw new Error(`Unable to replace auth placeholder in ${configPath}`)
+      throw new Error(
+        `Unable to replace auth placeholder in ${credentialsConfigPath}`
+      )
     }
     assert.ok(this.tokenConfigValue, 'tokenConfigValue is not defined')
     content = content.replace(
       this.tokenPlaceholderConfigValue,
       this.tokenConfigValue
     )
-    await fs.promises.writeFile(configPath, content)
+    await fs.promises.writeFile(credentialsConfigPath, content)
+
+    // Add include or includeIf to reference the credentials config
+    if (globalConfig) {
+      // Global config file is temporary
+      await this.git.config(
+        'include.path',
+        credentialsConfigPath,
+        true // globalConfig?
+      )
+    } else {
+      // Host git directory
+      let gitDir = path.join(this.git.getWorkingDirectory(), '.git')
+      gitDir = gitDir.replace(/\\/g, '/') // Use forward slashes, even on Windows
+
+      // Configure host includeIf
+      const hostIncludeKey = `includeIf.gitdir:${gitDir}.path`
+      await this.git.config(hostIncludeKey, credentialsConfigPath)
+
+      // Configure host includeIf for worktrees
+      const hostWorktreeIncludeKey = `includeIf.gitdir:${gitDir}/worktrees/*.path`
+      await this.git.config(hostWorktreeIncludeKey, credentialsConfigPath)
+
+      // Container git directory
+      const workingDirectory = this.git.getWorkingDirectory()
+      const githubWorkspace = process.env['GITHUB_WORKSPACE']
+      assert.ok(githubWorkspace, 'GITHUB_WORKSPACE is not defined')
+      let relativePath = path.relative(githubWorkspace, workingDirectory)
+      relativePath = relativePath.replace(/\\/g, '/') // Use forward slashes, even on Windows
+      const containerGitDir = path.posix.join(
+        '/github/workspace',
+        relativePath,
+        '.git'
+      )
+
+      // Container credentials config path
+      const containerCredentialsPath = path.posix.join(
+        '/github/runner_temp',
+        path.basename(credentialsConfigPath)
+      )
+
+      // Configure container includeIf
+      const containerIncludeKey = `includeIf.gitdir:${containerGitDir}.path`
+      await this.git.config(containerIncludeKey, containerCredentialsPath)
+
+      // Configure container includeIf for worktrees
+      const containerWorktreeIncludeKey = `includeIf.gitdir:${containerGitDir}/worktrees/*.path`
+      await this.git.config(
+        containerWorktreeIncludeKey,
+        containerCredentialsPath
+      )
+    }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Gets or creates the path to the credentials config file in RUNNER_TEMP.
+   * @returns The absolute path to the credentials config file
+   */
+  private getCredentialsConfigPath(): string {
+    if (this.credentialsConfigPath) {
+      return this.credentialsConfigPath
+    }
+
+    const runnerTemp = process.env['RUNNER_TEMP'] || ''
+    assert.ok(runnerTemp, 'RUNNER_TEMP is not defined')
+
+    // Create a unique filename for this checkout instance
+    const configFileName = `git-credentials-${uuid()}.config`
+    this.credentialsConfigPath = path.join(runnerTemp, configFileName)
+
+    core.debug(`Credentials config path: ${this.credentialsConfigPath}`)
+    return this.credentialsConfigPath
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Removes SSH authentication configuration by cleaning up SSH keys,
+   * known hosts files, and SSH command configurations.
+   */
   private async removeSsh(): Promise<void> {
     // SSH key
     const keyPath = this.sshKeyPath || stateHelper.SshKeyPath
     if (keyPath) {
       try {
+        core.info(`Removing SSH key '${keyPath}'`)
         await io.rmRF(keyPath)
       } catch (err) {
         core.debug(`${(err as any)?.message ?? err}`)
@@ -335,40 +451,149 @@ class GitAuthHelper {
       this.sshKnownHostsPath || stateHelper.SshKnownHostsPath
     if (knownHostsPath) {
       try {
+        core.info(`Removing SSH known hosts '${knownHostsPath}'`)
         await io.rmRF(knownHostsPath)
-      } catch {
-        // Intentionally empty
+      } catch (err) {
+        core.debug(`${(err as any)?.message ?? err}`)
+        core.warning(`Failed to remove SSH known hosts '${knownHostsPath}'`)
       }
     }
 
     // SSH command
+    core.info('Removing SSH command configuration')
     await this.removeGitConfig(SSH_COMMAND_KEY)
+    await this.removeSubmoduleGitConfig(SSH_COMMAND_KEY)
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Removes token-based authentication by cleaning up HTTP headers,
+   * includeIf entries, and credentials config files.
+   */
   private async removeToken(): Promise<void> {
-    // HTTP extra header
+    // Remove HTTP extra header
+    core.info('Removing HTTP extra header')
     await this.removeGitConfig(this.tokenConfigKey)
-  }
+    await this.removeSubmoduleGitConfig(this.tokenConfigKey)
 
-  private async removeGitConfig(
-    configKey: string,
-    submoduleOnly: boolean = false
-  ): Promise<void> {
-    if (!submoduleOnly) {
-      if (
-        (await this.git.configExists(configKey)) &&
-        !(await this.git.tryConfigUnset(configKey))
-      ) {
-        // Load the config contents
-        core.warning(`Failed to remove '${configKey}' from the git config`)
-      }
+    // Collect credentials config paths that need to be removed
+    const credentialsPaths = new Set<string>()
+
+    // Remove includeIf entries that point to git-credentials-*.config files
+    core.info('Removing includeIf entries pointing to credentials config files')
+    const mainCredentialsPaths = await this.removeIncludeIfCredentials()
+    mainCredentialsPaths.forEach(path => credentialsPaths.add(path))
+
+    // Remove submodule includeIf entries that point to git-credentials-*.config files
+    const submoduleConfigPaths = await this.git.getSubmoduleConfigPaths(true)
+    for (const configPath of submoduleConfigPaths) {
+      const submoduleCredentialsPaths =
+        await this.removeIncludeIfCredentials(configPath)
+      submoduleCredentialsPaths.forEach(path => credentialsPaths.add(path))
     }
 
+    // Remove credentials config files
+    for (const credentialsPath of credentialsPaths) {
+      // Only remove credentials config files if they are under RUNNER_TEMP
+      const runnerTemp = process.env['RUNNER_TEMP']
+      assert.ok(runnerTemp, 'RUNNER_TEMP is not defined')
+      if (credentialsPath.startsWith(runnerTemp)) {
+        try {
+          core.info(`Removing credentials config '${credentialsPath}'`)
+          await io.rmRF(credentialsPath)
+        } catch (err) {
+          core.debug(`${(err as any)?.message ?? err}`)
+          core.warning(
+            `Failed to remove credentials config '${credentialsPath}'`
+          )
+        }
+      } else {
+        core.debug(
+          `Skipping removal of credentials config '${credentialsPath}' - not under RUNNER_TEMP`
+        )
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Removes a git config key from the local repository config.
+   * @param configKey The git config key to remove
+   */
+  private async removeGitConfig(configKey: string): Promise<void> {
+    if (
+      (await this.git.configExists(configKey)) &&
+      !(await this.git.tryConfigUnset(configKey))
+    ) {
+      // Load the config contents
+      core.warning(`Failed to remove '${configKey}' from the git config`)
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Removes a git config key from all submodule configs.
+   * @param configKey The git config key to remove
+   */
+  private async removeSubmoduleGitConfig(configKey: string): Promise<void> {
     const pattern = regexpHelper.escape(configKey)
     await this.git.submoduleForeach(
-      // wrap the pipeline in quotes to make sure it's handled properly by submoduleForeach, rather than just the first part of the pipeline
+      // Wrap the pipeline in quotes to make sure it's handled properly by submoduleForeach, rather than just the first part of the pipeline.
       `sh -c "git config --local --name-only --get-regexp '${pattern}' && git config --local --unset-all '${configKey}' || :"`,
       true
     )
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Removes includeIf entries that point to git-credentials-*.config files.
+   * @param configPath Optional path to a specific git config file to operate on
+   * @returns Array of unique credentials config file paths that were found and removed
+   */
+  private async removeIncludeIfCredentials(
+    configPath?: string
+  ): Promise<string[]> {
+    const credentialsPaths = new Set<string>()
+
+    try {
+      // Get all includeIf.gitdir keys
+      const keys = await this.git.tryGetConfigKeys(
+        '^includeIf\\.gitdir:',
+        false, // globalConfig?
+        configPath
+      )
+
+      for (const key of keys) {
+        // Get all values for this key
+        const values = await this.git.tryGetConfigValues(
+          key,
+          false, // globalConfig?
+          configPath
+        )
+        if (values.length > 0) {
+          // Remove only values that match git-credentials-<uuid>.config pattern
+          for (const value of values) {
+            if (this.testCredentialsConfigPath(value)) {
+              credentialsPaths.add(value)
+              await this.git.tryConfigUnsetValue(key, value, false, configPath)
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    } catch (err) {
+      // Ignore errors - this is cleanup code
+      if (configPath) {
+        core.debug(`Error during includeIf cleanup for ${configPath}: ${err}`)
+      } else {
+        core.debug(`Error during includeIf cleanup: ${err}`)
+      }
+    }
+
+    return Array.from(credentialsPaths)
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Tests if a path matches the git-credentials-*.config pattern.
+   * @param path The path to test
+   * @returns True if the path matches the credentials config pattern
+   */
+  private testCredentialsConfigPath(path: string): boolean {
+    return /git-credentials-[0-9a-f-]+\.config$/i.test(path)
+  }
 }

src/git-command-manager.ts

@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ export interface IGitCommandManager {
     configKey: string,
     configValue: string,
     globalConfig?: boolean,
-    add?: boolean
+    add?: boolean,
+    configFile?: string
   ): Promise<void>
   configExists(configKey: string, globalConfig?: boolean): Promise<boolean>
   fetch(
@@ -36,11 +37,11 @@ export interface IGitCommandManager {
     options: {
       filter?: string
       fetchDepth?: number
-      fetchTags?: boolean
       showProgress?: boolean
     }
   ): Promise<void>
   getDefaultBranch(repositoryUrl: string): Promise<string>
+  getSubmoduleConfigPaths(recursive: boolean): Promise<string[]>
   getWorkingDirectory(): string
   init(): Promise<void>
   isDetached(): Promise<boolean>
@@ -59,8 +60,24 @@ export interface IGitCommandManager {
   tagExists(pattern: string): Promise<boolean>
   tryClean(): Promise<boolean>
   tryConfigUnset(configKey: string, globalConfig?: boolean): Promise<boolean>
+  tryConfigUnsetValue(
+    configKey: string,
+    configValue: string,
+    globalConfig?: boolean,
+    configFile?: string
+  ): Promise<boolean>
   tryDisableAutomaticGarbageCollection(): Promise<boolean>
   tryGetFetchUrl(): Promise<string>
+  tryGetConfigValues(
+    configKey: string,
+    globalConfig?: boolean,
+    configFile?: string
+  ): Promise<string[]>
+  tryGetConfigKeys(
+    pattern: string,
+    globalConfig?: boolean,
+    configFile?: string
+  ): Promise<string[]>
   tryReset(): Promise<boolean>
   version(): Promise<GitVersion>
 }
@@ -223,9 +240,15 @@ class GitCommandManager {
     configKey: string,
     configValue: string,
     globalConfig?: boolean,
-    add?: boolean
+    add?: boolean,
+    configFile?: string
   ): Promise<void> {
-    const args: string[] = ['config', globalConfig ? '--global' : '--local']
+    const args: string[] = ['config']
+    if (configFile) {
+      args.push('--file', configFile)
+    } else {
+      args.push(globalConfig ? '--global' : '--local')
+    }
     if (add) {
       args.push('--add')
     }
@@ -256,14 +279,13 @@ class GitCommandManager {
     options: {
       filter?: string
       fetchDepth?: number
-      fetchTags?: boolean
       showProgress?: boolean
     }
   ): Promise<void> {
     const args = ['-c', 'protocol.version=2', 'fetch']
-    if (!refSpec.some(x => x === refHelper.tagsRefSpec) && !options.fetchTags) {
-      args.push('--no-tags')
-    }
+    // Always use --no-tags for explicit control over tag fetching
+    // Tags are fetched explicitly via refspec when needed
+    args.push('--no-tags')
 
     args.push('--prune', '--no-recurse-submodules')
     if (options.showProgress) {
@@ -323,6 +345,21 @@ class GitCommandManager {
     throw new Error('Unexpected output when retrieving default branch')
   }
 
+  async getSubmoduleConfigPaths(recursive: boolean): Promise<string[]> {
+    // Get submodule config file paths.
+    // Use `--show-origin` to get the config file path for each submodule.
+    const output = await this.submoduleForeach(
+      `git config --local --show-origin --name-only --get-regexp remote.origin.url`,
+      recursive
+    )
+
+    // Extract config file paths from the output (lines starting with "file:").
+    const configPaths =
+      output.match(/(?<=(^|\n)file:)[^\t]+(?=\tremote\.origin\.url)/g) || []
+
+    return configPaths
+  }
+
   getWorkingDirectory(): string {
     return this.workingDirectory
   }
@@ -455,6 +492,24 @@ class GitCommandManager {
     return output.exitCode === 0
   }
 
+  async tryConfigUnsetValue(
+    configKey: string,
+    configValue: string,
+    globalConfig?: boolean,
+    configFile?: string
+  ): Promise<boolean> {
+    const args = ['config']
+    if (configFile) {
+      args.push('--file', configFile)
+    } else {
+      args.push(globalConfig ? '--global' : '--local')
+    }
+    args.push('--unset', configKey, configValue)
+
+    const output = await this.execGit(args, true)
+    return output.exitCode === 0
+  }
+
   async tryDisableAutomaticGarbageCollection(): Promise<boolean> {
     const output = await this.execGit(
       ['config', '--local', 'gc.auto', '0'],
@@ -481,6 +536,56 @@ class GitCommandManager {
     return stdout
   }
 
+  async tryGetConfigValues(
+    configKey: string,
+    globalConfig?: boolean,
+    configFile?: string
+  ): Promise<string[]> {
+    const args = ['config']
+    if (configFile) {
+      args.push('--file', configFile)
+    } else {
+      args.push(globalConfig ? '--global' : '--local')
+    }
+    args.push('--get-all', configKey)
+
+    const output = await this.execGit(args, true)
+
+    if (output.exitCode !== 0) {
+      return []
+    }
+
+    return output.stdout
+      .trim()
+      .split('\n')
+      .filter(value => value.trim())
+  }
+
+  async tryGetConfigKeys(
+    pattern: string,
+    globalConfig?: boolean,
+    configFile?: string
+  ): Promise<string[]> {
+    const args = ['config']
+    if (configFile) {
+      args.push('--file', configFile)
+    } else {
+      args.push(globalConfig ? '--global' : '--local')
+    }
+    args.push('--name-only', '--get-regexp', pattern)
+
+    const output = await this.execGit(args, true)
+
+    if (output.exitCode !== 0) {
+      return []
+    }
+
+    return output.stdout
+      .trim()
+      .split('\n')
+      .filter(key => key.trim())
+  }
+
   async tryReset(): Promise<boolean> {
     const output = await this.execGit(['reset', '--hard', 'HEAD'], true)
     return output.exitCode === 0
@@ -623,7 +728,19 @@ class GitCommandManager {
       }
     }
     // Set the user agent
-    const gitHttpUserAgent = `git/${this.gitVersion} (github-actions-checkout)`
+    let gitHttpUserAgent = `git/${this.gitVersion} (github-actions-checkout)`
+
+    // Append orchestration ID if set
+    const orchId = process.env['ACTIONS_ORCHESTRATION_ID']
+    if (orchId) {
+      // Sanitize the orchestration ID to ensure it contains only valid characters
+      // Valid characters: 0-9, a-z, _, -, .
+      const sanitizedId = orchId.replace(/[^a-z0-9_.-]/gi, '_')
+      if (sanitizedId) {
+        gitHttpUserAgent = `${gitHttpUserAgent} actions_orchestration_id/${sanitizedId}`
+      }
+    }
+
     core.debug(`Set git useragent to: ${gitHttpUserAgent}`)
     this.gitEnv['GIT_HTTP_USER_AGENT'] = gitHttpUserAgent
   }

src/git-source-provider.ts

@@ -159,7 +159,6 @@ export async function getSource(settings: IGitSourceSettings): Promise<void> {
     const fetchOptions: {
       filter?: string
       fetchDepth?: number
-      fetchTags?: boolean
       showProgress?: boolean
     } = {}
 
@@ -182,12 +181,35 @@ export async function getSource(settings: IGitSourceSettings): Promise<void> {
       if (!(await refHelper.testRef(git, settings.ref, settings.commit))) {
         refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec(settings.ref, settings.commit)
         await git.fetch(refSpec, fetchOptions)
+
+        // Verify the ref now matches. For branches, the targeted fetch above brings
+        // in the specific commit. For tags (fetched by ref), this will fail if
+        // the tag was moved after the workflow was triggered.
+        if (!(await refHelper.testRef(git, settings.ref, settings.commit))) {
+          throw new Error(
+            `The ref '${settings.ref}' does not point to the expected commit '${settings.commit}'. ` +
+              `The ref may have been updated after the workflow was triggered.`
+          )
+        }
       }
     } else {
       fetchOptions.fetchDepth = settings.fetchDepth
-      fetchOptions.fetchTags = settings.fetchTags
-      const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec(settings.ref, settings.commit)
+      const refSpec = refHelper.getRefSpec(
+        settings.ref,
+        settings.commit,
+        settings.fetchTags
+      )
       await git.fetch(refSpec, fetchOptions)
+
+      // For tags, verify the ref still points to the expected commit.
+      // Tags are fetched by ref (not commit), so if a tag was moved after the
+      // workflow was triggered, we would silently check out the wrong commit.
+      if (!(await refHelper.testRef(git, settings.ref, settings.commit))) {
+        throw new Error(
+          `The ref '${settings.ref}' does not point to the expected commit '${settings.commit}'. ` +
+            `The ref may have been updated after the workflow was triggered.`
+        )
+      }
     }
     core.endGroup()
 

src/misc/generate-docs.ts

@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ function updateUsage(
 }
 
 updateUsage(
-  'actions/checkout@v4',
+  'actions/checkout@v6',
   path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'action.yml'),
   path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', 'README.md')
 )

src/ref-helper.ts

@@ -76,55 +76,75 @@ export function getRefSpecForAllHistory(ref: string, commit: string): string[] {
   return result
 }
 
-export function getRefSpec(ref: string, commit: string): string[] {
+export function getRefSpec(
+  ref: string,
+  commit: string,
+  fetchTags?: boolean
+): string[] {
   if (!ref && !commit) {
     throw new Error('Args ref and commit cannot both be empty')
   }
 
   const upperRef = (ref || '').toUpperCase()
+  const result: string[] = []
+
+  // When fetchTags is true, always include the tags refspec
+  if (fetchTags) {
+    result.push(tagsRefSpec)
+  }
 
   // SHA
   if (commit) {
     // refs/heads
     if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/HEADS/')) {
       const branch = ref.substring('refs/heads/'.length)
-      return [`+${commit}:refs/remotes/origin/${branch}`]
+      result.push(`+${commit}:refs/remotes/origin/${branch}`)
     }
     // refs/pull/
     else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/PULL/')) {
       const branch = ref.substring('refs/pull/'.length)
-      return [`+${commit}:refs/remotes/pull/${branch}`]
+      result.push(`+${commit}:refs/remotes/pull/${branch}`)
     }
     // refs/tags/
     else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/TAGS/')) {
-      return [`+${commit}:${ref}`]
+      if (!fetchTags) {
+        result.push(`+${ref}:${ref}`)
+      }
     }
     // Otherwise no destination ref
     else {
-      return [commit]
+      result.push(commit)
     }
   }
   // Unqualified ref, check for a matching branch or tag
   else if (!upperRef.startsWith('REFS/')) {
-    return [
-      `+refs/heads/${ref}*:refs/remotes/origin/${ref}*`,
-      `+refs/tags/${ref}*:refs/tags/${ref}*`
-    ]
+    result.push(`+refs/heads/${ref}*:refs/remotes/origin/${ref}*`)
+    if (!fetchTags) {
+      result.push(`+refs/tags/${ref}*:refs/tags/${ref}*`)
+    }
   }
   // refs/heads/
   else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/HEADS/')) {
     const branch = ref.substring('refs/heads/'.length)
-    return [`+${ref}:refs/remotes/origin/${branch}`]
+    result.push(`+${ref}:refs/remotes/origin/${branch}`)
   }
   // refs/pull/
   else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/PULL/')) {
     const branch = ref.substring('refs/pull/'.length)
-    return [`+${ref}:refs/remotes/pull/${branch}`]
+    result.push(`+${ref}:refs/remotes/pull/${branch}`)
   }
   // refs/tags/
-  else {
-    return [`+${ref}:${ref}`]
+  else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/TAGS/')) {
+    if (!fetchTags) {
+      result.push(`+${ref}:${ref}`)
+    }
   }
+  // Other refs
+  else {
+    result.push(`+${ref}:${ref}`)
+  }
+
+  return result
 }
 
 /**
@@ -170,8 +190,10 @@ export async function testRef(
   // refs/tags/
   else if (upperRef.startsWith('REFS/TAGS/')) {
     const tagName = ref.substring('refs/tags/'.length)
+    // Use ^{commit} to dereference annotated tags to their underlying commit
     return (
-      (await git.tagExists(tagName)) && commit === (await git.revParse(ref))
+      (await git.tagExists(tagName)) &&
+      commit === (await git.revParse(`${ref}^{commit}`))
     )
   }
   // Unexpected