Using default labels to route jobs
A self-hosted runner automatically receives certain labels when it is added to GitHub Actions. These are used to indicate its operating system and hardware platform:
self-hosted
: Default label applied to self-hosted runners.linux
,windows
, ormacOS
: Applied depending on operating system.x64
,ARM
, orARM64
: Applied depending on hardware architecture.
You can use your workflow's YAML to send jobs to a combination of these labels. In this example, a self-hosted runner that matches all three labels will be eligible to run the job:
runs-on: [self-hosted, linux, ARM64]
self-hosted
- Run this job on a self-hosted runner.linux
- Only use a Linux-based runner.ARM64
- Only use a runner based on ARM64 hardware.
To create individual self-hosted runners without the default labels, pass the --no-default-labels
flag when you create the runner. Actions Runner Controller does not support multiple labels.
Using custom labels to route jobs
You can create custom labels and assign them to your self-hosted runners at any time. Custom labels let you send jobs to particular types of self-hosted runners, based on how they're labeled.
For example, if you have a job that requires a specific type of graphics hardware, you can create a custom label called gpu
and assign it to the runners that have the hardware installed. A self-hosted runner that matches all the assigned labels will then be eligible to run the job.
This example shows a job that combines default and custom labels:
runs-on: [self-hosted, linux, x64, gpu]
self-hosted
- Run this job on a self-hosted runner.linux
- Only use a Linux-based runner.x64
- Only use a runner based on x64 hardware.gpu
- This custom label has been manually assigned to self-hosted runners with the GPU hardware installed.
These labels operate cumulatively, so a self-hosted runner must have all four labels to be eligible to process the job.
Using groups to route jobs
In this example, Ubuntu runners have been added to a group called ubuntu-runners
. The runs-on
key sends the job to any available runner in the ubuntu-runners
group:
name: learn-github-actions
on: [push]
jobs:
check-bats-version:
runs-on:
group: ubuntu-runners
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v4
- uses: actions/setup-node@v4
with:
node-version: '14'
- run: npm install -g bats
- run: bats -v
Using labels and groups to route jobs
When you combine groups and labels, the runner must meet both requirements to be eligible to run the job.
In this example, a runner group called ubuntu-runners
is populated with Ubuntu runners, which have also been assigned the label ubuntu-20.04-16core
. The runs-on
key combines group
and labels
so that the job is routed to any available runner within the group that also has a matching label:
name: learn-github-actions
on: [push]
jobs:
check-bats-version:
runs-on:
group: ubuntu-runners
labels: ubuntu-20.04-16core
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v4
- uses: actions/setup-node@v4
with:
node-version: '14'
- run: npm install -g bats
- run: bats -v