---
title: "Why Does My Python Script Work Locally but Fail in a GitHub Actions Workflow?"  
description: "Why Does My Python Script Work Locally but Fail in a GitHub Actions Workflow?"  
author: "Ruslan Galiev"  
published: 2026-10-17  
canonical: https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/117734/why-does-my-python-script-work-locally-but-fail-in-a-github-actions-workflow  
category: "Mix Category"  
tags: ["Python", "GitHub Actions", "CI/CD", "troubleshooting"]  
reading_time: 1 minute  

---

# Why Does My Python Script Work Locally but Fail in a GitHub Actions Workflow?

I have a Python script that runs without errors on my laptop, but it fails when the same project runs in a **[GitHub Actions workflow](https://www.mindstick.com/forum/161794/what-are-github-actions-and-how-do-you-create-a-simple-workflow)**. The failure seems to happen before the main task finishes, and the message mentions a missing module or file.

What are the first differences you would check between a local environment and a CI runner? I’m wondering about Python versions, installed dependencies, working directories, and environment variables. If you’ve run into this, which details from the workflow log are most useful for narrowing it down?


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Original Source: https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/117734/why-does-my-python-script-work-locally-but-fail-in-a-github-actions-workflow

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