Well, shell runner executes task on the machine where it’s installed - that’s why it’s very limiting.
What I normally use is docker executor, even for executing tasks on different machines. For example, I install and configure ssh, copy anything I need to target machine, ssh into target machine and… Answer from paula.kokic on forum.gitlab.com
GitLab
docs.gitlab.com › gitlab docs › install › install gitlab runner
Install GitLab Runner | GitLab Docs
Install GitLab Runner from a GitLab repository using your package manager.
GitLab Docs
Learn how to use and administer GitLab, the most scalable Git-based fully integrated platform for software development.
Upgrade GitLab
Upgrade a GitLab instance to a later version. ... Steps to take before you upgrade. ... Upgrade steps for all installation methods.
Configure GitLab Runner
The init system: GitLab Runner installs its init service files based on your operating system.
Docker
The versions for the Docker Engine ... to match. The GitLab Runner images are backwards and forwards compatible. To ensure you have the latest features and security updates, you should always use the latest stable Docker Engine version. ... You have installed Docker...
GitLab
docs.gitlab.com › gitlab docs › administer › administer gitlab runner › getting started
Get started with GitLab Runner | GitLab Docs
Installation involves downloading and setting up GitLab Runner on your target infrastructure. The installation process varies depending on the target operating system. GitLab provides binaries and installation instructions for Linux, Windows, macOS, and z/OS.
Where should you install gitlab-runner?
For example, you have a few servers with different environments like test, and prod. And you want to apply GitLab CI/CD, should you install gitlab-runner on each server or install it on a separate machine. Which one is better or are there any so-called best practices. More on forum.gitlab.com
Do I have to install gitlab-runner on all instances?
You should use SSH-keys which are stored in Gitlab CI secret variables / environment variables, then connect to your servers and deploy. I suggest using ansible for this purpose. Do not install the CI runner on any of your servers, keep it on a separate box. More on reddit.com
Confused about Gitlab runners
I don't want to run my code, I just want to compile it The executor executes your build script, compiling is the stuff you would put in your build script. So no, it's not really for running your actual application. Docker is useful for this because it's isolated, you could also run it directly on your machine but setting up build environments manually sucks. It's better to invest a bit of time to find / create docker images you can use for your builds. For popular tools, many have official docker images anyway. It's not a stupid restriction, I have set up both runners using the shell (or whatever it's called exactly) and docker and both were painless & fast to set up and use. More on reddit.com
#5: How to Install GitLab Runner on Amazon Linux 2 | Register GitLab Run...
i always have the issue of starting the runner with systemctl gitlab-runner start , it just freezes or it didn't work, every time I start it in background with gitlab-runner run &, any idea ? More on reddit.com
GitLab
forum.gitlab.com › gitlab ci/cd
Where should you install gitlab-runner? - GitLab CI/CD - GitLab Forum
January 31, 2024 - For example, you have a few servers with different environments like test, and prod. And you want to apply GitLab CI/CD, should you install gitlab-runner on each server or install it on a separate machine. Which one is b…
DEV Community
dev.to › cheulong › install-gitlab-runner-self-host-4f40
Install Gitlab runner (self-host) - DEV Community
August 9, 2025 - ### register runner gitlab-runner register --name my-runner --url "http://gitlab.example.com" --token my-authentication-token ### list all runner gitlab-runner list ### verify runner gitlab-runner verify ### remove old runner gitlab-runner verify --delete ### unregister runner gitlab-runner unregister --name test-runner or gitlab-runner unregister --url "http://gitlab.example.com/" --token t0k3n gitlab-runner unregister --all-runners ### Other gitlab-runner reset-token --name test-runner gitlab-runner install gitlab-runner uninstall gitlab-runner start gitlab-runner stop gitlab-runner restart gitlab-runner status # Run with systemctl systemctl start gitlab-runner.service
GitLab
docs.gitlab.com › gitlab docs › administer › administer gitlab runner
GitLab Runner | GitLab Docs
GitLab-hosted runners are managed by GitLab and available on GitLab.com. You don’t need to install or maintain these runners - GitLab provides them as a service.
YouTube
youtube.com › watch
🚀 GitLab Runner Tutorial for Beginners | How to Install & Configure GitLab Runner #gitlabrunner - YouTube
In this complete GitLab Runner Tutorial, I’ll walk you step-by-step through installing, configuring, and using GitLab Runner for your CI/CD pipelines. Whethe...
Published: April 25, 2025
YouTube
youtube.com › devops hint
How to install GitLab Runner on Windows OS | Register GitLab Runner Windows | GitLab CI/CD Tutorial - YouTube
How to Install Gitlab Runner on Windows | Register GitLab Runner Windows | GitLab CI/CD | GitLab Runner Tutorial#gitlabrunner #gitlabcicd #gitlabtutorial #gi...
Published: July 17, 2023
Views: 3K
GitLab
docs.gitlab.com › gitlab docs › install › configure gitlab runner
Configure GitLab Runner | GitLab Docs
The init system: GitLab Runner installs its init service files based on your operating system.
GitLab
docs.gitlab.com › gitlab docs › administer › administer gitlab runner › getting started › tutorial: create, register, and run your own project runner
Tutorial: Create, register, and run your own project runner | GitLab Docs
July 5, 2023 - Consider installing it with 'git lfs install'. Skipping Git submodules setup Executing "step_script" stage of the job script 00:00 /Users/username/.bash_profile: line 9: setopt: command not found $ echo "Building the project" Building the project Job succeeded · You have now successfully created, ...
Hostman
hostman.com › tutorials › installing-and-using-gitlab-runner
Installing and Using GitLab Runner
GitLab Runner is a web application (agent) designed to launch and automatically run CI/CD processes in GitLab. GitLab Runner runs tasks from the .gitlab-ci.yml file, which is located in the root directory of your project. Runner can be installed either on the same server with GitLab or separately.
GitLab
docs.gitlab.com › gitlab docs › install
Install GitLab | GitLab Docs
Install GitLab Runner · Run CI/CD jobs in a pipeline. Configure GitLab Runner · Configuration and monitoring options. Install GitLab AI Gateway ·
YouTube
youtube.com › watch
Self-Host GitLab Runner: Quick Setup Guide - YouTube
🌟 Turbocharge Your GitLab Workflows! Unlock the full potential of GitLab Runners and take your CI/CD pipelines to the next level. This video has got you cov...
Published: January 13, 2025
Git
git.nrw › en › courses › ci_beginner_course › lesson_5_4
Installing GitLab Runner on Windows | git.nrw
# Create a folder somewhere on your system, for example: C:\GitLab-Runner New-Item -Path 'C:\GitLab-Runner' -ItemType Directory # Change to the folder cd 'C:\GitLab-Runner' # Download binary Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://gitlab-runner-downloads.s3.amazonaws.com/latest/binaries/gitlab-runner-windows-amd64.exe" -OutFile "gitlab-runner.exe" # Register the runner (steps below), then run .\gitlab-runner.exe install .\gitlab-runner.exe start