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Configuring the self-hosted runner application as a service

In this article

You can configure the self-hosted runner application as a service to automatically start the runner application when the machine starts.

Note: GitHub-hosted runners are not currently supported on GitHub Enterprise Server. You can see more information about planned future support on the GitHub public roadmap.

Note: You must add a runner to GitHub Enterprise Server before you can configure the self-hosted runner application as a service. For more information, see "Adding self-hosted runners."

For Linux systems that use systemd, you can use the svc.sh script that is created after successfully adding the runner to install and manage using the application as a service.

On the runner machine, open a shell in the directory where you installed the self-hosted runner application. Use the commands below to install and manage the self-hosted runner service.

Note: Configuring the self-hosted runner application as a service on Windows is part of the application configuration process. If you have already configured the self-hosted runner application but did not choose to configure it as a service, you must remove the runner from GitHub and re-configure the application. When you re-configure the application, choose the option to configure the application as a service.

For more information, see "Removing self-hosted runners" and "Adding self-hosted runners."

You can manage the runner service in the Windows Services application, or you can use PowerShell to run the commands below.

Note: You must add a runner to GitHub Enterprise Server before you can configure the self-hosted runner application as a service. For more information, see "Adding self-hosted runners."

On the runner machine, open a shell in the directory where you installed the self-hosted runner application. Use the commands below to install and manage the self-hosted runner service.

Installing the service

  1. Stop the self-hosted runner application if it is currently running.

  2. Install the service with the following command:

    sudo ./svc.sh install

  3. Alternatively, the command takes an optional user argument to install the service as a different user.

    ./svc.sh install USERNAME

Installing the service

  1. Stop the self-hosted runner application if it is currently running.

  2. Install the service with the following command:

    ./svc.sh install

Starting the service

Start the service with the following command:

sudo ./svc.sh start
Start-Service "actions.runner.*"
./svc.sh start

Checking the status of the service

Check the status of the service with the following command:

sudo ./svc.sh status
Get-Service "actions.runner.*"
./svc.sh status

For more information on viewing the status of your self-hosted runner, see "Monitoring and troubleshooting self-hosted runners."

Stopping the service

Stop the service with the following command:

sudo ./svc.sh stop
Stop-Service "actions.runner.*"
./svc.sh stop

Uninstalling the service

  1. Stop the service if it is currently running.

  2. Uninstall the service with the following command:

    sudo ./svc.sh uninstall
    Remove-Service "actions.runner.*"
    ./svc.sh uninstall

Customizing the self-hosted runner service

If you don't want to use the above default systemd service configuration, you can create a customized service or use whichever service mechanism you prefer. Consider using the serviced template at actions-runner/bin/actions.runner.service.template as a reference. If you use a customized service, the self-hosted runner service must always be invoked using the runsvc.sh entry point.

Customizing the self-hosted runner service

If you don't want to use the above default launchd service configuration, you can create a customized service or use whichever service mechanism you prefer. Consider using the plist template at actions-runner/bin/actions.runner.plist.template as a reference. If you use a customized service, the self-hosted runner service must always be invoked using the runsvc.sh entry point.