How to Skip Automatic Netlify Build When Committing to GitHub

I have Netlify linked to my GitHub account and set to perform an automatic build (deploy) every time I push a commit for my Hugo blog.

Sometimes, the changes I make don’t need to be pushed live immediately. So, I don’t want to waste build time on Netlify if it’s not necessary.

If you’re looking to save some build time as well – especially if you’re on the Free tier – here’s what you need to do to skip a Netlify build when committing to GitHub.

Skip an Automatic Netlify Build When Committing to GitHub

This is a very simple process. All you have to do is to add [skip ci] or [skip netlify] anywhere in the Git commit message.

For example:

git commit -m "changed foo to bar [skip netlify]"

You can also check this out in their docs.

If you’re using other CI tools as well, I recommend using the [skip netlify] command because the [skip ci] one can cause a conflict.

I don’t know if or how this works for GitHub Desktop, though, because I never tried it. I don’t think it’s officially available for Ubuntu anyway.

That’s a Wrap

I hope you found the guide useful.

If some info is outdated or incorrect, or you have anything to add, say or ask, please contact me via Twitter or email.