A quick test of caching apt packages in GitHub actions for faster completion of actions.

Here I tested running xvfb-run glxinfo -B. In worst case it has taken over 2 minutes in the past. Using caching makes it happen in less than 7 seconds.

I also tested having two separate actions that need the same apt package to see if it's cached for both. It seems to be the case.

The log shows

Found 13 files in the cache.
- cache_key.md5
- install.log
- libdecor-0-0=0.2.2-1build2.tar
- libdecor-0-plugin-1-gtk=0.2.2-1build2.tar
- libegl-mesa0=25.0.7-0ubuntu0.24.04.1.tar
- libegl1=1.7.0-1build1.tar
- libgles2=1.7.0-1build1.tar
- libxcb-xkb1=1.15-1ubuntu2.tar
- libxkbcommon-x11-0=1.6.0-1build1.tar
- manifest_all.log
- manifest_main.log
- mesa-utils-bin=9.0.0-2.tar
- mesa-utils=9.0.0-2.tar

Reading from main requested packages manifest...
- mesa-utils=9.0.0-2
done

Restoring 9 packages from cache...
- libdecor-0-0=0.2.2-1build2.tar restoring...
  done
- libdecor-0-plugin-1-gtk=0.2.2-1build2.tar restoring...
  done
- libegl-mesa0=25.0.7-0ubuntu0.24.04.1.tar restoring...
  done
- libegl1=1.7.0-1build1.tar restoring...
  done
- libgles2=1.7.0-1build1.tar restoring...
  done
- libxcb-xkb1=1.15-1ubuntu2.tar restoring...
  done
- libxkbcommon-x11-0=1.6.0-1build1.tar restoring...
  done
- mesa-utils-bin=9.0.0-2.tar restoring...
  done
- mesa-utils=9.0.0-2.tar restoring...
  done
done