no-universal-template-file-pattern

Rule catalog ID: R061

Targeted pattern scope

filePatterns entries in workflow-template properties metadata.

What this rule reports

Reports universal catch-all patterns such as .*, ^.*$, .+, and ^.+$.

Why this rule exists

Catch-all patterns degrade template recommendation precision.

❌ Incorrect

{ "filePatterns": [".*"] }

✅ Correct

{ "filePatterns": ["package.json$", "^Cargo\\.toml$"] }

Additional examples

For larger repositories, this rule is often enabled together with one of the published presets so violations are caught in pull requests before workflow changes are merged.

ESLint flat config example

import githubActions from "eslint-plugin-github-actions-2";

export default [
  {
    files: ["**/*.{yml,yaml}"],
    plugins: {
      "github-actions": githubActions,
    },
    rules: {
      "github-actions/no-universal-template-file-pattern": "error",
    },
  },
];

When not to use it

You can disable this rule when its policy does not match your repository standards, or when equivalent enforcement is already handled by another policy tool.

Targeted pattern scope​

What this rule reports​

Why this rule exists​

❌ Incorrect​

✅ Correct​

Additional examples​

ESLint flat config example​

When not to use it​

Further reading​