Set Up GitHub Actions Runner

Setting Up GitHub Actions Runner for hng_boilerplate_expressjs

Prerequisites

• An Ubuntu server (e.g., Ubuntu 22.04)
• Sudo access to the server
• A GitHub repository (https://github.com/hngprojects/hng_boilerplate_expressjs)

Step 1: SSH into Your Server

First, SSH into your Ubuntu server:

ssh your_username@your_server_ip

Step 2: Create a Directory for the Runner

Navigate to the /opt directory and create a directory for the GitHub Actions runner:

sudo mkdir /opt/aiforhomework
cd /opt/aiforhomework

Step 3: Download the GitHub Actions Runner

Download the latest version of the GitHub Actions runner:

curl -o actions-runner-linux-x64-2.303.0.tar.gz -L https://github.com/actions/runner/releases/download/v2.303.0/actions-runner-linux-x64-2.303.0.tar.gz

Step 4: Extract the Runner

Extract the downloaded archive:

sudo tar xzf actions-runner-linux-x64-2.303.0.tar.gz

Step 5: Configure the Runner

Generate a token from your GitHub repository's settings:

1. Go to your repository https://github.com/hngprojects/hng_boilerplate_expressjs.
2. Navigate to Settings > Actions > Runners.
3. Click New self-hosted runner.
4. Follow the instructions to generate a token.

Use the token to configure the runner:

./config.sh --url https://github.com/hngprojects/hng_boilerplate_expressjs --token YOUR_GENERATED_TOKEN

Step 6: Install Dependencies

Install the necessary dependencies for the runner:

sudo apt-get install -y libicu66

Step 7: Install the Runner as a Service

Use the svc.sh script to install and start the service:

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

Step 8: Verify the Runner

Check the status of the runner to ensure it is running:

./svc.sh status

You should see output indicating that the service is active and running.

Step 9: Check Runner Status on GitHub

Navigate to your repository on GitHub and go to Settings > Actions > Runners. You should see your runner listed as Online.

Summary

By following these steps, you have successfully set up a GitHub Actions runner for your repository hng_boilerplate_expressjs on your Ubuntu server in the /opt/aiforhomework directory. This runner is now ready to execute workflows for your repository.

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Additional Steps

Prevent Direct Pushes to Main and Dev Branches

To prevent direct pushes to the main and dev branches, set up branch protection rules:

1. Go to Your Repository Settings:

   • Navigate to Settings > Branches.

2. Create a Branch Protection Rule:

   • Click on Add rule.
   • Under Branch name pattern, enter main (and repeat for dev).
   • Enable Require pull request reviews before merging.
   • Optionally, enable Include administrators to apply the rule to administrators as well.
   • Save the changes.

This ensures that all changes to these branches must go through a pull request review process.