terraform-github-slow-resources

Why it matters

These resources already have an implicit repository scope via the GitHub provider. Looking up data.github_repository triggers an extra GitHub API call per resource, which inflates terraform plan and apply duration. In repositories with many branch protections, environments, or secrets, this compounds significantly and can trigger API rate limits.

What it flags

Terraform resources github_branch_protection, github_repository_environment, or github_actions_secret that reference data.github_repository.* attributes.

Suggested action

Replace data.github_repository references with the corresponding resource attribute directly.

# Before (slow)
resource "github_branch_protection" "main" {
  repository_id = data.github_repository.main.node_id
  pattern       = "main"
}

# After (fast)
resource "github_branch_protection" "main" {
  repository_id = github_repository.main.node_id
  pattern       = "main"
}

The GitHub provider exposes the same attributes on github_repository resources that data.github_repository provides, making this a drop-in replacement.

Verification

Compare terraform plan or apply duration before and after removing the extra data lookup. Repositories with many matching resources should also see lower GitHub API request volume.

Caveats

• The data lookup is not always wasteful. If the data source provides attributes the resource does not expose natively, or if the data source serves cross-provider references, the lookup is legitimate. This rule only flags target resources that already have an implicit repository relationship.
• Works for any GitHub provider version (v5+).