Installing GitLab Runner

GitLab Runner is an open-source application that runs GitLab CI/CD jobs using instructions in a special file named .gitlab-ci.yml. It helps run automated builds in a Managed Service for Kubernetes cluster.

Getting startedGetting started

1. Make sure the security groups for the Managed Service for Kubernetes cluster and its node groups are configured correctly. If a rule is missing, add it.

   Warning

   The configuration of security groups determines performance and availability of the cluster and the services and applications running in it.

2. Open the GitLab administration panel in your browser:

   • If GitLab is deployed on a Yandex Compute Cloud VM instance, use its public IP address.
   • If GitLab is deployed in Yandex Managed Service for GitLab, use the instance FQDN.

3. Get the GitLab Runner authentication token:

   • To configure GitLab Runner for the entire GitLab instance (GitLab admin permissions required):
     1. Click Admin area and select CI/CD → Runners.
     2. Click New instance runner and create a new GitLab Runner.
     3. Save the value of the Runner authentication token parameter.
   • To configure GitLab Runner for a group or project:
     1. Select a group or project you want to configure.
     2. On the left-hand side of the window that opens, click Settings and select CI/CD.
     3. Under Runners, click Expand.
     4. Click New project runner and create a new GitLab Runner.
     5. Save the value of the Runner authentication token parameter.

Installation from Yandex Cloud MarketplaceInstallation from Yandex Cloud Marketplace

1. Navigate to the folder dashboard and select Managed Service for Kubernetes.
2. Click the name of the Managed Service for Kubernetes cluster you need and select the Marketplace tab.
3. Under Application available for installation, select GitLab Runner and click Go to install.
4. Configure the application:

   • Namespace: Create a new namespace, e.g., gitlab-runner-space. If you leave the default namespace, GitLab Runner may work incorrectly.

   • Application name: Specify the application name.

   • GitLab domain name: Enter a domain for your GitLab instance.

   • Registration token: Specify the token you obtained previously.

   • Privileged mode for running docker:dind: This is an optional setting. Enable it if you want to use docker:dind images.

     Warning

     The privileged mode increases the risk of information security incidents. Check out this article before using it.

   • List of comma-separated tags: This is an optional setting. Provide a list of tags to distribute jobs between multiple GitLab Runners.

5. Click Install.
6. Wait for the application to change its status to Deployed.
7. Go back to the Runners page of your GitLab instance, refresh the page, and make sure you see a new GitLab Runner.

Installation using a Helm chartInstallation using a Helm chart

1. Install Helm v3.8.0 or higher.

2. Install kubect and configure it to work with the new cluster.

3. To install a Helm chart with GitLab Runner, run this command:

   helm pull oci://cr.yandex/yc-marketplace/yandex-cloud/gitlab-org/gitlab-runner/chart/gitlab-runner \
     --version 0.54.0-8 \
     --untar && \
   helm install \
     --namespace <namespace> \
     --create-namespace \
     --set gitlabDomain=<VM_public_IP_address_or_GitLab_instance_FQDN> \
     --set runnerRegistrationToken=<previously_obtained_token> \
     gitlab-runner ./gitlab-runner/
   

   If you set namespace to the default namespace, GitLab Runner may work incorrectly. We recommend specifying a value different from all the existing namespaces, e.g., gitlab-runner-space.

   Note

   If you are using a Helm version below 3.8.0, add the export HELM_EXPERIMENTAL_OCI=1 && \ string at the beginning of the command to enable Open Container Initiative (OCI) support in the Helm client.

Use casesUse cases

• Continuous deployment of containerized applications using GitLab.
• Scanning Container Registry for vulnerabilities during continuous deployment of applications using GitLab.
• Storing Docker images in Yandex Container Registry.

See alsoSee also

• Managed Service for GitLab documentation
• GitLab documentation
• Documentation for GitLab CI/CD
• Reference guide on .gitlab-ci.yml