Using a GitHub-hosted runner

To use a GitHub-hosted runner, create a job and useruns-on to specify the type of runner that will process the job, such asubuntu-latest,windows-latest, ormacos-latest. For the full list of runner types, seeGitHub-hosted runners reference. If you haverepo: write access to a repository, you can view a list of the runners available to use in workflows in the repository. For more information, seeViewing available runners for a repository.

When the job begins, GitHub automatically provisions a new VM for that job. All steps in the job execute on the VM, allowing the steps in that job to share information using the runner's filesystem. You can run workflows directly on the VM or in a Docker container. When the job has finished, the VM is automatically decommissioned.

The following diagram demonstrates how two jobs in a workflow are executed on two different GitHub-hosted runners.

The following example workflow has two jobs, namedRun-npm-on-Ubuntu andRun-PSScriptAnalyzer-on-Windows. When this workflow is triggered, GitHub provisions a new virtual machine for each job.

• The job namedRun-npm-on-Ubuntu is executed on a Linux VM, because the job'sruns-on: specifiesubuntu-latest.
• The job namedRun-PSScriptAnalyzer-on-Windows is executed on a Windows VM, because the job'sruns-on: specifieswindows-latest.

name: Run commands on different operating systemson:  push:    branches: [ main ]  pull_request:    branches: [ main ]jobs:  Run-npm-on-Ubuntu:    name: Run npm on Ubuntu    runs-on: ubuntu-latest    steps:      - uses: actions/checkout@v4      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4        with:          node-version: '14'      - run: npm help  Run-PSScriptAnalyzer-on-Windows:    name: Run PSScriptAnalyzer on Windows    runs-on: windows-latest    steps:      - uses: actions/checkout@v4      - name: Install PSScriptAnalyzer module        shell: pwsh        run: |          Set-PSRepository PSGallery -InstallationPolicy Trusted          Install-Module PSScriptAnalyzer -ErrorAction Stop      - name: Get list of rules        shell: pwsh        run: |          Get-ScriptAnalyzerRule

name:Runcommandsondifferentoperatingsystemson:push:branches: [main ]pull_request:branches: [main ]jobs:Run-npm-on-Ubuntu:name:RunnpmonUbunturuns-on:ubuntu-lateststeps:-uses:actions/checkout@v4-uses:actions/setup-node@v4with:node-version:'14'-run:npmhelpRun-PSScriptAnalyzer-on-Windows:name:RunPSScriptAnalyzeronWindowsruns-on:windows-lateststeps:-uses:actions/checkout@v4-name:InstallPSScriptAnalyzermoduleshell:pwshrun:|          Set-PSRepository PSGallery -InstallationPolicy Trusted          Install-Module PSScriptAnalyzer -ErrorAction Stop-name:Getlistofrulesshell:pwshrun:|          Get-ScriptAnalyzerRule

While the job runs, the logs and output can be viewed in the GitHub UI:

The GitHub Actions runner application is open source. You can contribute and file issues in therunner repository.

Viewing available runners for a repository

If you haverepo: write access to a repository, you can view a list of the runners available to the repository.

1. On GitHub, navigate to the main page of the repository.

2. Under your repository name, click Actions.

   

3. In the left sidebar, under the "Management" section, click Runners.

4. Review the list of available GitHub-hosted runners for the repository.

5. Optionally, to copy a runner's label to use it in a workflow, click to the right of the runner, then clickCopy label.