Setting Up a Linux Machine with Docker for GitHub Actions

This guide will help you set up a Linux machine with Docker, add it as a self-hosted runner in GitHub Actions, and configure it to spin up and delete containers for each job.

Step 1: Install Docker on Linux

1. Update your package index:

   sudo apt-get update

2. Install Docker dependencies:

   sudo apt-get install apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl software-properties-common

3. Add Docker’s official GPG key:

   curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo apt-key add -

4. Add Docker’s repository:

   sudo add-apt-repository "deb [arch=amd64] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable"

5. Install Docker:

   sudo apt-get update
   sudo apt-get install docker-ce

6. Verify Docker installation:

   sudo systemctl status docker

Step 2: Add the Linux Machine as a Self-Hosted Runner in GitHub Actions

1. Create a new runner:
   • Go to your GitHub repository.
   • Navigate to Settings > Actions > Runners.
   • Click Add runner and follow the instructions to download and configure the runner application.
2. Download the runner application:

   mkdir actions-runner && cd actions-runner
   curl -o actions-runner-linux-x64-2.283.3.tar.gz -L https://github.com/actions/runner/releases/download/v2.283.3/actions-runner-linux-x64-2.283.3.tar.gz
   tar xzf ./actions-runner-linux-x64-2.283.3.tar.gz

3. Configure the runner:

   ./config.sh --url https://github.com/your-repo --token YOUR_TOKEN

4. Install the runner as a service:            

   sudo ./svc.sh install
   sudo ./svc.sh start

          
   

Step 3: Configure GitHub Actions to Use Docker Containers

#.github/workflows/docker-runner.yml
name: Docker Runner

on: [push]

jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: self-hosted
    container:
      image: ubuntu:latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout code
        uses: actions/checkout@v2
      - name: Run a script
        run: echo "Hello, Docker!"

## cleanup job on separate file
       
jobs:
  build:
    runs-on: self-hosted
    container:
      image: ubuntu:latest
    steps:
      - name: Checkout code
        uses: actions/checkout@v2
      - name: Run a script
        run: echo "Hello, Docker!"
      - name: Cleanup
        run: docker system prune -f

This setup ensures that Docker containers are spun up for each job and cleaned up after the job completes.