--- title: "Running a self-hosted GitHub Actions Runner" description: "There's very little to it; you're following the GitHub instructions, but then doing a little bit of systemd work to make sure the runner keeps running." url: https://exe-staging.dev/deploy/github-actions-runner category: "Developer tools" updated: 2026-10-17 --- # Running a self-hosted GitHub Actions Runner Log in easily into your CI environment - **Software:** GitHub Actions runner (https://docs.github.com/en/actions/hosting-your-own-runners) - **Source:** https://github.com/actions/runner - **License:** MIT - **Example VM name:** `my-github-actions-runner` (yours will differ; on the VM, `hostname` prints it) - **Machine-readable:** https://exe-staging.dev/deploy/github-actions-runner/manifest.json ## What you get - A self-hosted runner, registered with your GitHub organization or repository - The `gh-actions-runner` systemd service, which restarts the runner after a reboot - `Listening for Jobs` in `sudo systemctl status gh-actions-runner.service` Running on the VM: - **GitHub Actions runner**: `gh-actions-runner.service`, managed by systemd, data in `~/actions-runner` ## Deploy with Shelley Open https://exe-staging.dev/new?prompt=GITHUB_RUNNER_URL%3D%3Cfill-this-in%3E%0AGITHUB_RUNNER_TOKEN%3D%3Cfill-this-in%3E%0A%0ASet%20up%20GitHub%20Actions%20runner%20on%20this%20VM%20by%20following%20the%20exe.dev%20recipe%20at%20https%3A%2F%2Fexe-staging.dev%2Fdeploy%2Fgithub-actions-runner.md%20from%20top%20to%20bottom.%0A%0AThe%20values%20at%20the%20top%20of%20this%20message%20are%20mine%3A%0A-%20GITHUB_RUNNER_URL%3A%20the%20%60--url%60%20in%20the%20%60.%2Fconfig.sh%60%20command%20on%20GitHub%27s%20new%20self-hosted%20runner%20page%2C%20for%20your%20organization%20or%20repository%0A-%20GITHUB_RUNNER_TOKEN%3A%20the%20%60--token%60%20in%20the%20same%20command%3B%20it%20expires%20after%20an%20hour%0AAsk%20me%20for%20any%20that%20still%20say%20%3Cfill-this-in%3E%20before%20you%20need%20them.%0A%0AThe%20recipe%27s%20example%20VM%20name%20is%20my-github-actions-runner.%20This%20VM%27s%20name%20is%20the%20output%20of%20%60hostname%60%3A%20use%20it%20wherever%20the%20recipe%20writes%20my-github-actions-runner.%20Skip%20the%20step%20that%20creates%20the%20VM%3B%20you%20are%20on%20it.%0A%0AYou%20are%20done%20when%20all%20of%20these%20are%20true.%20Check%20each%20one%20yourself%3A%0A-%20A%20self-hosted%20runner%2C%20registered%20with%20your%20GitHub%20organization%20or%20repository%0A-%20The%20%60gh-actions-runner%60%20systemd%20service%2C%20which%20restarts%20the%20runner%20after%20a%20reboot%0A-%20%60Listening%20for%20Jobs%60%20in%20%60sudo%20systemctl%20status%20gh-actions-runner.service%60%0A%0AGitHub%27s%20instructions%20are%20on%20the%20page%20I%20open%20in%20my%20browser%3B%20reproduce%0Athem%20here.%20Download%20the%20latest%20Linux%20x64%20runner%20from%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fgithub.com%2Factions%2Frunner%2Freleases%20into%20~%2Factions-runner%2C%20check%0Aits%20SHA-256%2C%20and%20run%20.%2Fconfig.sh%20--unattended%20with%20my%20URL%20and%20token%20and%0A--name%20%22%24%28hostname%29%22.%20Don%27t%20start%20run.sh%20by%20hand%3A%20the%20systemd%20service%0Aruns%20it.%20Never%20echo%20the%20token%20back.%0A%0AFinish%20with%20the%20URLs%20I%20should%20open.%0A to create a VM whose agent, Shelley, follows this recipe. From a terminal: ```sh curl -fsSL https://exe-staging.dev/deploy/github-actions-runner/prompt.txt | ssh exe.dev new --prompt=/dev/stdin ``` Or follow the steps below by hand. There's very little to it; you're following the GitHub instructions, but then doing a little bit of systemd work to make sure the runner keeps running. First, create a new VM with `ssh exe.dev new`. This will create a new VM. SSH into it with `ssh vmname.exe.xyz`. The trickiest bit is to find the GitHub URLs. Replace the placeholders in the following: * [https://github.com/organizations/ORG/settings/actions/runners/new?arch=x64&os=linux](https://github.com/organizations/ORG/settings/actions/runners/new?arch=x64&os=linux) * [https://github.com/USER/REPO/settings/actions/runners/new?arch=x64&os=linux](https://github.com/USER/REPO/settings/actions/runners/new?arch=x64&os=linux) Copy and paste the instructions from GitHub's instructions into your shell session. It's pretty quick and easy until "run.sh". To make sure the runner restarts after a reboot, we can create a systemd service: Create the service file at `/home/exedev/actions-runner/gh-actions-runner.service`: ```bash cat > /home/exedev/actions-runner/gh-actions-runner.service << 'EOF' [Unit] Description=GitHub Actions Runner After=network.target [Service] Type=simple User=exedev WorkingDirectory=/home/exedev/actions-runner ExecStart=/home/exedev/actions-runner/run.sh Restart=always RestartSec=10 [Install] WantedBy=multi-user.target EOF ``` Then copy the service file to systemd directory ```bash sudo cp /home/exedev/actions-runner/gh-actions-runner.service /etc/systemd/system/ ``` And start the service: ```bash sudo systemctl daemon-reload sudo systemctl enable --now gh-actions-runner.service ``` Verify the service is running ```console sudo systemctl status gh-actions-runner.service gh-actions-runner.service - GitHub Actions Runner Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/gh-actions-runner.service; enabled; preset: enabled) Active: active (running) since Sun 2025-11-09 04:33:28 UTC; 41s ago Main PID: 1151 (run.sh) Tasks: 15 (limit: 2384) Memory: 93.2M (peak: 101.6M) CPU: 1.447s CGroup: /system.slice/gh-actions-runner.service /bin/bash /home/exedev/actions-runner/run.sh /bin/bash /home/exedev/actions-runner/run-helper.sh /home/exedev/actions-runner/bin/Runner.Listener run Nov 09 04:33:30 ...exe.dev run.sh[1159]: Connected to GitHub Nov 09 04:33:31 ...exe.dev run.sh[1159]: Current runner version: '2.329.0' Nov 09 04:33:31 ...exe.dev run.sh[1159]: 2025-11-09 04:33:31Z: Listening for Jobs ``` You're all set! ## Related - [Forgejo](https://exe-staging.dev/deploy/forgejo.md): Self-hosted Git forge with exe.dev SSO - [Gitea](https://exe-staging.dev/deploy/gitea.md): Self-hosted Git forge with exe.dev SSO - [VS Code in your browser, with code-server](https://exe-staging.dev/deploy/code-server.md): Your editor in a tab. Your projects right where you left them. - [Dev, Test, Prod: Choose One, Two, or Three](https://exe-staging.dev/deploy/dev-test-prod.md): You can build, test, and deploy on exe.dev. - [Spinning up a Marimo Notebook](https://exe-staging.dev/deploy/marimo.md): An open source reactive notebook - [Self-host n8n](https://exe-staging.dev/deploy/n8n.md): Connect your apps. Let the boring bits run themselves.