refactor: Remove timeout_minutes parameter from action (#482)

This change removes the custom timeout_minutes parameter from the action in favor of using GitHub Actions' native timeout-minutes feature.

Changes:
- Removed timeout_minutes input from action.yml and base-action/action.yml
- Removed all timeout handling logic from base-action/src/run-claude.ts
- Updated base-action/src/index.ts to remove timeoutMinutes parameter
- Removed timeout-related tests from base-action/test/run-claude.test.ts
- Removed timeout_minutes from all example workflow files (19 files)

Rationale:
- Simplifies the codebase by removing custom timeout logic
- Users can use GitHub Actions' native timeout-minutes at the job/step level
- Reduces complexity and maintenance burden
- Follows GitHub Actions best practices

BREAKING CHANGE: The timeout_minutes parameter is no longer supported. Users should use GitHub Actions' native timeout-minutes instead.

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

Co-authored-by: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>

.github/workflows/issue-triage.yml

@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@ jobs:
           prompt_file: /tmp/claude-prompts/triage-prompt.txt
           allowed_tools: "Bash(gh label list),mcp__github__get_issue,mcp__github__get_issue_comments,mcp__github__update_issue,mcp__github__search_issues,mcp__github__list_issues"
           mcp_config: /tmp/mcp-config/mcp-servers.json
-          timeout_minutes: "5"
           anthropic_api_key: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}
         env:
           GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}

.github/workflows/test-base-action.yml

@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ jobs:
           prompt: ${{ github.event.inputs.test_prompt || 'List the files in the current directory starting with "package"' }}
           anthropic_api_key: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}
           allowed_tools: "LS,Read"
-          timeout_minutes: "3"
 
       - name: Verify inline prompt output
         run: |
@@ -83,7 +82,6 @@ jobs:
           prompt_file: "test-prompt.txt"
           anthropic_api_key: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}
           allowed_tools: "LS,Read"
-          timeout_minutes: "3"
 
       - name: Verify prompt file output
         run: |

.github/workflows/test-custom-executables.yml

@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ jobs:
           path_to_claude_code_executable: /home/runner/.local/bin/claude
           path_to_bun_executable: /home/runner/.bun/bin/bun
           allowed_tools: "LS,Read"
-          timeout_minutes: "3"
 
       - name: Verify custom executables worked
         run: |

.github/workflows/test-settings.yml

@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ jobs:
                 "allow": ["Bash(echo:*)"]
               }
             }
-          timeout_minutes: "2"
 
       - name: Verify echo worked
         run: |
@@ -76,7 +75,6 @@ jobs:
                 "deny": ["Bash(echo:*)"]
               }
             }
-          timeout_minutes: "2"
 
       - name: Verify echo was denied
         run: |
@@ -114,7 +112,6 @@ jobs:
             Use Bash to echo "Hello from settings file test"
           anthropic_api_key: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}
           settings: "test-settings.json"
-          timeout_minutes: "2"
 
       - name: Verify echo worked
         run: |
@@ -169,7 +166,6 @@ jobs:
             Use Bash to echo "This should not work from file"
           anthropic_api_key: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}
           settings: "test-settings.json"
-          timeout_minutes: "2"
 
       - name: Verify echo was denied
         run: |

action.yml

@@ -57,10 +57,6 @@ inputs:
     required: false
     default: "false"
 
-  timeout_minutes:
-    description: "Timeout in minutes for execution"
-    required: false
-    default: "30"
   claude_args:
     description: "Additional arguments to pass directly to Claude CLI"
     required: false
@@ -197,7 +193,6 @@ runs:
         CLAUDE_CODE_ACTION: "1"
         INPUT_PROMPT_FILE: ${{ runner.temp }}/claude-prompts/claude-prompt.txt
         INPUT_SETTINGS: ${{ inputs.settings }}
-        INPUT_TIMEOUT_MINUTES: ${{ inputs.timeout_minutes }}
         INPUT_CLAUDE_ARGS: ${{ steps.prepare.outputs.claude_args }}
         INPUT_EXPERIMENTAL_SLASH_COMMANDS_DIR: ${{ github.action_path }}/slash-commands
         INPUT_ACTION_INPUTS_PRESENT: ${{ steps.prepare.outputs.action_inputs_present }}

base-action/action.yml

@@ -20,10 +20,6 @@ inputs:
     default: ""
 
   # Action settings
-  timeout_minutes:
-    description: "Timeout in minutes for Claude Code execution"
-    required: false
-    default: "10"
   claude_args:
     description: "Additional arguments to pass directly to Claude CLI (e.g., '--max-turns 3 --mcp-config /path/to/config.json')"
     required: false
@@ -130,7 +126,6 @@ runs:
         INPUT_PROMPT: ${{ inputs.prompt }}
         INPUT_PROMPT_FILE: ${{ inputs.prompt_file }}
         INPUT_SETTINGS: ${{ inputs.settings }}
-        INPUT_TIMEOUT_MINUTES: ${{ inputs.timeout_minutes }}
         INPUT_CLAUDE_ARGS: ${{ inputs.claude_args }}
         INPUT_EXPERIMENTAL_SLASH_COMMANDS_DIR: ${{ inputs.experimental_slash_commands_dir }}
         INPUT_PATH_TO_CLAUDE_CODE_EXECUTABLE: ${{ inputs.path_to_claude_code_executable }}

base-action/examples/issue-triage.yml

@@ -104,5 +104,4 @@ jobs:
           prompt_file: /tmp/claude-prompts/triage-prompt.txt
           allowed_tools: "Bash(gh label list),mcp__github__get_issue,mcp__github__get_issue_comments,mcp__github__update_issue,mcp__github__search_issues,mcp__github__list_issues"
           mcp_config: /tmp/mcp-config/mcp-servers.json
-          timeout_minutes: "5"
           anthropic_api_key: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}

base-action/src/index.ts

@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ async function run() {
     });
 
     await runClaude(promptConfig.path, {
-      timeoutMinutes: process.env.INPUT_TIMEOUT_MINUTES,
       claudeArgs: process.env.INPUT_CLAUDE_ARGS,
       allowedTools: process.env.INPUT_ALLOWED_TOOLS,
       disallowedTools: process.env.INPUT_DISALLOWED_TOOLS,

base-action/src/run-claude.ts

@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ const EXECUTION_FILE = `${process.env.RUNNER_TEMP}/claude-execution-output.json`
 const BASE_ARGS = ["--verbose", "--output-format", "stream-json"];
 
 export type ClaudeOptions = {
-  timeoutMinutes?: string;
   claudeArgs?: string;
   model?: string;
   pathToClaudeCodeExecutable?: string;
@@ -56,16 +55,6 @@ export function prepareRunConfig(
   // BASE_ARGS are always appended last (cannot be overridden)
   claudeArgs.push(...BASE_ARGS);
 
-  // Validate timeout if provided (affects process wrapper, not Claude)
-  if (options.timeoutMinutes) {
-    const timeoutMinutesNum = parseInt(options.timeoutMinutes, 10);
-    if (isNaN(timeoutMinutesNum) || timeoutMinutesNum <= 0) {
-      throw new Error(
-        `timeoutMinutes must be a positive number, got: ${options.timeoutMinutes}`,
-      );
-    }
-  }
-
   const customEnv: Record<string, string> = {};
 
   if (process.env.INPUT_ACTION_INPUTS_PRESENT) {
@@ -194,57 +183,15 @@ export async function runClaude(promptPath: string, options: ClaudeOptions) {
     claudeProcess.kill("SIGTERM");
   });
 
-  // Wait for Claude to finish with timeout
+  // Wait for Claude to finish
-  let timeoutMs = 10 * 60 * 1000; // Default 10 minutes
-  if (options.timeoutMinutes) {
-    timeoutMs = parseInt(options.timeoutMinutes, 10) * 60 * 1000;
-  } else if (process.env.INPUT_TIMEOUT_MINUTES) {
-    const envTimeout = parseInt(process.env.INPUT_TIMEOUT_MINUTES, 10);
-    if (isNaN(envTimeout) || envTimeout <= 0) {
-      throw new Error(
-        `INPUT_TIMEOUT_MINUTES must be a positive number, got: ${process.env.INPUT_TIMEOUT_MINUTES}`,
-      );
-    }
-    timeoutMs = envTimeout * 60 * 1000;
-  }
   const exitCode = await new Promise<number>((resolve) => {
-    let resolved = false;
-
-    // Set a timeout for the process
-    const timeoutId = setTimeout(() => {
-      if (!resolved) {
-        console.error(
-          `Claude process timed out after ${timeoutMs / 1000} seconds`,
-        );
-        claudeProcess.kill("SIGTERM");
-        // Give it 5 seconds to terminate gracefully, then force kill
-        setTimeout(() => {
-          try {
-            claudeProcess.kill("SIGKILL");
-          } catch (e) {
-            // Process may already be dead
-          }
-        }, 5000);
-        resolved = true;
-        resolve(124); // Standard timeout exit code
-      }
-    }, timeoutMs);
-
     claudeProcess.on("close", (code) => {
-      if (!resolved) {
+      resolve(code || 0);
-        clearTimeout(timeoutId);
-        resolved = true;
-        resolve(code || 0);
-      }
     });
 
     claudeProcess.on("error", (error) => {
-      if (!resolved) {
+      console.error("Claude process error:", error);
-        console.error("Claude process error:", error);
+      resolve(1);
-        clearTimeout(timeoutId);
-        resolved = true;
-        resolve(1);
-      }
     });
   });
 

base-action/test/run-claude.test.ts

@@ -30,36 +30,6 @@ describe("prepareRunConfig", () => {
     expect(prepared.promptPath).toBe("/custom/prompt/path.txt");
   });
 
-  describe("timeoutMinutes validation", () => {
-    test("should accept valid timeoutMinutes value", () => {
-      const options: ClaudeOptions = { timeoutMinutes: "15" };
-      expect(() =>
-        prepareRunConfig("/tmp/test-prompt.txt", options),
-      ).not.toThrow();
-    });
-
-    test("should throw error for non-numeric timeoutMinutes", () => {
-      const options: ClaudeOptions = { timeoutMinutes: "abc" };
-      expect(() => prepareRunConfig("/tmp/test-prompt.txt", options)).toThrow(
-        "timeoutMinutes must be a positive number, got: abc",
-      );
-    });
-
-    test("should throw error for negative timeoutMinutes", () => {
-      const options: ClaudeOptions = { timeoutMinutes: "-5" };
-      expect(() => prepareRunConfig("/tmp/test-prompt.txt", options)).toThrow(
-        "timeoutMinutes must be a positive number, got: -5",
-      );
-    });
-
-    test("should throw error for zero timeoutMinutes", () => {
-      const options: ClaudeOptions = { timeoutMinutes: "0" };
-      expect(() => prepareRunConfig("/tmp/test-prompt.txt", options)).toThrow(
-        "timeoutMinutes must be a positive number, got: 0",
-      );
-    });
-  });
-
   describe("claudeArgs handling", () => {
     test("should parse and include custom claude arguments", () => {
       const options: ClaudeOptions = {

examples/auto-fix-ci-signed/auto-fix-ci-signed.yml

@@ -93,6 +93,5 @@ jobs:
             Error logs:
             ${{ toJSON(fromJSON(steps.failure_details.outputs.result).errorLogs) }}
           anthropic_api_key: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}
-          timeout_minutes: "30"
           use_commit_signing: true
           claude_args: "--allowedTools 'Edit,MultiEdit,Write,Read,Glob,Grep,LS,Bash(bun:*),Bash(npm:*),Bash(npx:*),Bash(gh:*),mcp__github_file_ops__commit_files,mcp__github_file_ops__delete_files'"

examples/auto-fix-ci/auto-fix-ci.yml

@@ -94,5 +94,4 @@ jobs:
             Error logs:
             ${{ toJSON(fromJSON(steps.failure_details.outputs.result).errorLogs) }}
           anthropic_api_key: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}
-          timeout_minutes: "30"
           claude_args: "--allowedTools 'Edit,MultiEdit,Write,Read,Glob,Grep,LS,Bash(git:*),Bash(bun:*),Bash(npm:*),Bash(npx:*),Bash(gh:*)'"

examples/claude-auto-review.yml

@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ jobs:
         uses: anthropics/claude-code-action@v1-dev
         with:
           anthropic_api_key: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}
-          timeout_minutes: "60"
           prompt: |
             Please review this pull request and provide comprehensive feedback.
 

examples/claude-experimental-review-mode.yml

@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ jobs:
         with:
           anthropic_api_key: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}
           # github_token not needed - uses default GITHUB_TOKEN for GitHub operations
-          timeout_minutes: "30"
           prompt: |
             Review this pull request comprehensively.
 

examples/claude-pr-path-specific.yml

@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ jobs:
         uses: anthropics/claude-code-action@v1-dev
         with:
           anthropic_api_key: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}
-          timeout_minutes: "60"
           prompt: |
             Please review this pull request focusing on the changed files.
             Provide feedback on:

examples/claude-review-from-author.yml

@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ jobs:
         uses: anthropics/claude-code-action@v1-dev
         with:
           anthropic_api_key: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}
-          timeout_minutes: "60"
           prompt: |
             Please provide a thorough review of this pull request.
 

examples/issue-deduplication.yml

@@ -61,4 +61,3 @@ jobs:
           anthropic_api_key: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}
           claude_args: |
             --allowedTools "mcp__github__get_issue,mcp__github__search_issues,mcp__github__list_issues,mcp__github__create_issue_comment,mcp__github__update_issue,mcp__github__get_issue_comments"
-          timeout_minutes: "5"

examples/issue-triage.yml

@@ -73,4 +73,3 @@ jobs:
           anthropic_api_key: ${{ secrets.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY }}
           claude_args: |
             --allowedTools "Bash(gh label list),mcp__github__get_issue,mcp__github__get_issue_comments,mcp__github__update_issue,mcp__github__search_issues,mcp__github__list_issues"
-          timeout_minutes: "5"