docker/build-push-action is a GitHub Action that builds and pushes Docker images using Buildx with full support for Moby BuildKit features.
The action solves the problem of integrating Docker image building into GitHub workflows by wrapping Buildx and BuildKit capabilities. It enables multi-platform builds, secrets management, remote caching, and flexible builder deployment options. By default, it uses Git context to build directly from repository references without requiring a separate checkout step, though it also supports path-based context for cases where files need preprocessing before the build.
Teams should adopt this action when they need to build and push Docker images as part of GitHub Actions workflows, particularly if they require multi-platform support or advanced BuildKit features like remote caching and secrets. The action works well for projects that want to avoid the overhead of checking out the full repository when building from Git is sufficient. The README recommends pairing it with complementary actions: setup-buildx for creating and booting a builder with multi-platform capabilities, setup-qemu for emulation support across additional platforms, and login for Docker registry authentication. The action's Git context approach has a tradeoff: file mutations in preceding workflow steps are ignored since the build operates on the Git reference rather than the working directory, but this can be circumvented by switching to path context with an explicit checkout step.
The project maintains active engagement with its issue tracker and accepts pull requests for bug fixes and feature additions. Development follows a structured approach with clear documentation of inputs, outputs, and environment variables. The codebase is written in TypeScript and published on the GitHub Actions Marketplace for direct integration into workflows.
