Self-host github-act-runner
v0.13.0Self-hosted GitHub Actions runner built on act
sudo apt install github-act-runner- Stars
- 397
What is github-act-runner?
github-act-runner is a reverse-engineered, GitHub Actions compatible self-hosted runner that uses nektos/act (and later actions-oss/act-cli) to run workflow steps. Unlike the official runner, it works on more systems including FreeBSD and can operate without Docker. It speaks the same protocol as the official runner so it can register with GitHub (repos, organizations, or enterprises) and execute jobs. The runner supports composite actions, service containers (since v0.7.0), node.js actions, and various GitHub Actions features. It can be installed via binary downloads from GitHub releases, a Debian APT repository, or built from source (requires Go 1.24+). The runner is configured with a registration token from GitHub and runs as a background service.
Should you self-host github-act-runner?
github-act-runner scores 48/100 on selfhost.directory (how scoring works) and ranks #23 of 28 in CI/CD. It has 397 GitHub stars.
It shipped 4 stable releases in the past year. The latest, v0.13.0, came out on 23 January 2026. New versions land roughly every 2 weeks.
Setup is moderate: expect some configuration beyond a single command. It is MIT-licensed and written mostly in Go.
Its closest alternative on selfhost.directory is jenkins (82/100, 26 703 stars). It scores higher overall, so compare the two before you pick. See github-act-runner vs jenkins side by side.
Features
- Background service mode
- Composite actions support
- Cross-Platform Support
- Docker actions supportRequires Docker daemon accessible via DOCKER_HOST
- GitHub Actions protocol compatibility
- Local execution without GitHub
- Node.js actions supportRequires node v20 for best compatibility
- Service containers
github-act-runner README
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