How to configure Self-Hosted GitHub Actions Runner | How to install Self-Hosted GitHub Actions Runner | Configure EC2 instance as self-hosted runner in GitHub Actions

A self-hosted GitHub runner is a machine (physical or virtual) that you set up and manage to run GitHub Actions workflows. A self-hosted runner differs from the default GitHub-hosted runners in that it runs on infrastructure that you control. Self-hosted runners can be physical, virtual, in a container, on-premises, or in a cloud. To learn more about GitHub runner, please click here.

Advantages of self-hosted runners:

• full control over the environment and tools
• Any size machine or configuration
• Secure access and networking

Pre-requisites:

• Project configured in GitHub
• workflow yaml already checked-in GitHub. If you don't have one, click here to create one.
• Create a virtual machine with at least 2 GB RAM. we will use EC2 instance in AWS cloud.
• Install Maven on runner EC2 instance

How to create self-hosted GitHub Actions Runner?

Go to GitHub Repo--> Actions --> Runners

Click on self-hosted runners --> New Runner

Click on Linux

Perform update

sudo apt update

Install Maven in Runner EC2 as We will be doing Maven build for Java project

sudo apt install maven -y

Execute below commands in your virtual machine to configure runner.

Download installables

# Create a folder

mkdir actions-runner && cd actions-runner

# Download the latest runner package

 curl -o actions-runner-linux-x64-2.313.0.tar.gz -L https://github.com/actions/runner/releases/download/v2.313.0/actions-runner-linux-x64-2.313.0.tar.gz

# Extract the installer

tar xzf ./actions-runner-linux-x64-2.313.0.tar.gz

Configure the runner

./config.sh --url https://github.com/akannan1087/myJan2024WeekdayRepo --token Token

Enter the name of the runner group to add this runner to: [press Enter for Default]

press enter default for the runner group

Enter name of the runner 

MyRunner1

Enter any additional labels

MyRunner1

Now run the runner

./run.sh

this confirms that runner is setup and running fine. waiting for the jobs.

you can also view in GitHub under Runners tab:

Create a workflow or modify your workflow to include GitHub runner:

name: Build a WAR file using Maven

on:

  push:

    branches: [ "main" ]

jobs:

  build:

    runs-on: self-hosted

    steps:

    - uses: actions/checkout@v3

    - name: Set up JDK 11
      uses: actions/setup-java@v2
      with:
        distribution: 'adopt'
        java-version: '11'
    - name: Build with Maven
      run: mvn clean install -f MyWebApp/pom.xml

Save the file and run the workflow.

Go to your virtual machine where build is running:

Watch steps in YouTube channel: