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title: DevOps for Game Devs: New Unity CLI + GitHub Actions
description: A walkthrough demonstrates the new free Unity CLI, showing how to create and open projects, install editor versions, run unit tests, and view results locally....
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og:description: A walkthrough demonstrates the new free Unity CLI, showing how to create and open projects, install editor versions, run unit tests, and view results locally....
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> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://daily.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# DevOps for Game Devs: New Unity CLI + GitHub Actions

**[git-amend](https://daily.dev/sources/git-amend)** · 14 min read · 3 upvotes · 0 comments

## Summary

A walkthrough demonstrates the new free Unity CLI, showing how to create and open projects, install editor versions, run unit tests, and view results locally. The tutorial then wires the CLI into a GitHub Actions workflow that checks out code, installs the Unity CLI and editor, activates a Unity license via repository secrets, runs edit-mode tests, uploads results as artifacts, and returns the license. Cost and licensing notes cover Unity Pro seat limits and GitHub Actions free-tier minutes, with a mention that building Unity projects via the CLI is a logical next step.

## Full article

daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FbE0G8kcxk>

## Questions this post answers

### How do I run Unity edit mode tests from the command line using the new Unity CLI?

Use the command 'unity test' with flags for project path, editor version, and test mode, for example specifying the project path as the current directory, the editor version like 6.5.9, edit mode tests only, and an output file such as test-results.xml. An allow-install flag installs the required editor version automatically, and a timeout flag kills the process if it runs too long. Results default to XML but can also be output as JSON or human-readable text.

_Developers automating Unity test pipelines can find setup walkthroughs like this one on daily.dev._

### How do I authenticate and license Unity in a GitHub Actions workflow?

Store the Unity account email, password, and license serial number as GitHub repository secrets, then reference them in the workflow using double curly bracket syntax like secrets.email and secrets.password. A workflow step activates the license by locating the installed editor path via the Unity CLI's JSON output and passing in the serial, username, and password, then a final step returns the license so the seat is freed for the next run.

_Teams wiring up Unity CI pipelines can track workflow patterns like license activation on daily.dev._

### Is the new Unity CLI free to use for automating Unity builds and tests?

Yes, the Unity CLI itself is free for most users, a personal or student Unity license is free, and GitHub Actions is free up to a usage limit, with private repositories getting roughly 2,000 minutes per month and public repositories getting effectively unlimited minutes. This makes full local and cloud test automation possible without paid services like Unity Gaming Services.

_Indie developers weighing free versus paid CI options for Unity projects can compare setups on daily.dev._

## Similar posts on daily.dev

- [Meet the Unity CLI: manage Unity from your terminal](https://daily.dev/posts/meet-the-unity-cli-manage-unity-from-your-terminal-oyxu9r6jr) · Unity · 40 upvotes · 3 comments

---

Tags: [#devops](https://daily.dev/tags/devops), [#testing](https://daily.dev/tags/testing), [#cicd](https://daily.dev/tags/cicd), [#unity](https://daily.dev/tags/unity), [#github-actions](https://daily.dev/tags/github-actions)

[View this post on daily.dev](https://daily.dev/posts/devops-for-game-devs-new-unity-cli-github-actions-wol89izlw)

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