Run GitLab Runner in Docker

Get Gitlab root password

1cat /etc/gitlab/initial_root_password

Run container

1docker run -d --name gitlab-runner --restart always -v /srv/gitlab-runner/config:/etc/gitlab-runner -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock gitlab/gitlab-runner:latest

Register runner

1docker exec -it gitlab-runner gitlab-runner register

Notes about the run command:

• --restart always ensures the container restarts on host reboot or failures.
• Mounting /var/run/docker.sock allows the runner to spawn Docker containers for jobs; this gives the runner access to the host Docker daemon — consider security implications and use a dedicated host or restricted environment.
• Use a dedicated volume for /srv/gitlab-runner/config to persist runner configuration and tokens.

Notes about registering:

• The gitlab-runner register command is interactive: you'll be prompted for GitLab instance URL, registration token, runner description, tags, and executor type (e.g., docker).
• For non-interactive / automated registration, consider using environment variables or the --non-interactive flags with the appropriate parameters; consult the GitLab Runner docs for exact flags.
• After registration the configuration will be saved under the mounted config directory so it persists across container restarts.