# `@actions/upload-artifact`
> [!WARNING]
> actions/upload-artifact@v3 is scheduled for deprecation on **November 30, 2024**. [Learn more.](https://github.blog/changelog/2024-04-16-deprecation-notice-v3-of-the-artifact-actions/)
> Similarly, v1/v2 are scheduled for deprecation on **June 30, 2024**.
> Please update your workflow to use v4 of the artifact actions.
> This deprecation will not impact any existing versions of GitHub Enterprise Server being used by customers.
Upload [Actions Artifacts](https://docs.github.com/en/actions/using-workflows/storing-workflow-data-as-artifacts) from your Workflow Runs. Internally powered by [@actions/artifact](https://github.com/actions/toolkit/tree/main/packages/artifact) package.
See also [download-artifact](https://github.com/actions/download-artifact).
- [`@actions/upload-artifact`](#actionsupload-artifact)
- [v6 - What's new](#v6---whats-new)
- [v4 - What's new](#v4---whats-new)
- [Improvements](#improvements)
- [Breaking Changes](#breaking-changes)
- [Usage](#usage)
- [Inputs](#inputs)
- [Outputs](#outputs)
- [Examples](#examples)
- [Upload an Individual File](#upload-an-individual-file)
- [Upload an Entire Directory](#upload-an-entire-directory)
- [Upload using a Wildcard Pattern](#upload-using-a-wildcard-pattern)
- [Upload using Multiple Paths and Exclusions](#upload-using-multiple-paths-and-exclusions)
- [Altering compressions level (speed v. size)](#altering-compressions-level-speed-v-size)
- [Customization if no files are found](#customization-if-no-files-are-found)
- [(Not) Uploading to the same artifact](#not-uploading-to-the-same-artifact)
- [Environment Variables and Tilde Expansion](#environment-variables-and-tilde-expansion)
- [Retention Period](#retention-period)
- [Using Outputs](#using-outputs)
- [Example output between steps](#example-output-between-steps)
- [Example output between jobs](#example-output-between-jobs)
- [Overwriting an Artifact](#overwriting-an-artifact)
- [Limitations](#limitations)
- [Number of Artifacts](#number-of-artifacts)
- [Zip archives](#zip-archives)
- [Permission Loss](#permission-loss)
- [Where does the upload go?](#where-does-the-upload-go)
## v6 - What's new
> [!IMPORTANT]
> actions/upload-artifact@v6 now runs on Node.js 24 (`runs.using: node24`) and requires a minimum Actions Runner version of 2.327.1. If you are using self-hosted runners, ensure they are updated before upgrading.
### Node.js 24
This release updates the runtime to Node.js 24. v5 had preliminary support for Node.js 24, however this action was by default still running on Node.js 20. Now this action by default will run on Node.js 24.
## v4 - What's new
> [!IMPORTANT]
> upload-artifact@v4+ is not currently supported on GitHub Enterprise Server (GHES) yet. If you are on GHES, you must use [v3](https://github.com/actions/upload-artifact/releases/tag/v3) (Node 16) or [v3-node20](https://github.com/actions/upload-artifact/releases/tag/v3-node20) (Node 20).
The release of upload-artifact@v4 and download-artifact@v4 are major changes to the backend architecture of Artifacts. They have numerous performance and behavioral improvements.
For more information, see the [`@actions/artifact`](https://github.com/actions/toolkit/tree/main/packages/artifact) documentation.
There is also a new sub-action, `actions/upload-artifact/merge`. For more info, check out that action's [README](./merge/README.md).
### Improvements
1. Uploads are significantly faster, upwards of 90% improvement in worst case scenarios.
2. Once uploaded, an Artifact ID is returned and Artifacts are immediately available in the UI and [REST API](https://docs.github.com/en/rest/actions/artifacts). Previously, you would have to wait for the run to be completed before an ID was available or any APIs could be utilized.
3. The contents of an Artifact are uploaded together into an _immutable_ archive. They cannot be altered by subsequent jobs unless the Artifacts are deleted and recreated (where they will have a new ID). Both of these factors help reduce the possibility of accidentally corrupting Artifact files.
4. The compression level of an Artifact can be manually tweaked for speed or size reduction.
### Breaking Changes
1. On self hosted runners, additional [firewall rules](https://github.com/actions/toolkit/tree/main/packages/artifact#breaking-changes) may be required.
* Cache licenses
* Bump minimatch to 10.1.1
* Try fixing licenced issues
* More licensed fixes
* Support direct file uploads
* Add CI tests for direct uploads
* Use download-artifact@main temporarily
* CI: clean up artifacts on successful runs
* Use script v8
* Fix some issues with the cleanup
* Add unit tests
* Clarify naming
Updates @actions/artifact dependency to use the published npm version
which includes @azure/storage-blob ^12.29.1 that fixes the punycode
deprecation warning on Node.js 24.
