Automate with GitHub Actions on Google Cloud

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Setting up Self-hosted Runners on GCP for GitHub Actions
   • What are Self-hosted Runners?
   • Why Use Self-hosted Runners on GCP?
3. Components Required for Self-hosted Runners on GCP
   • Creating a GCP Project
   • Setting Up Managed Instance Group for Self-hosted Runners
   • Creating a Google Cloud Storage Bucket for Remote State Storage
   • Configuring a Service Account for Provisioning Infrastructure
4. Terraform Configuration for Self-hosted Runners on GCP
   • Invoking the Project Creation Module
   • Creating the Service Account for Managed Instance Group
   • Applying Permissions to the Service Account
   • Customizing the Runner Creation Module
   • Managing Remote State with Cloud Storage Bucket
5. Setting Up GitHub Organization and Personal Access Token
   • Creating a GitHub Organization
   • Generating a Personal Access Token
6. Deploying Self-Hosted Runners on GCP
   • Creating a Repository and Enabling GitHub Actions
   • Running Terraform Configuration
   • Verifying the Deployment in GCP Console
   • Testing the Self-Hosted Runners

Setting Up Self-Hosted Runners on GCP for GitHub Actions

GitHub Actions is a powerful tool for automating software workflows. It allows You to define actions to be triggered Based on events in your repositories. However, when using GitHub Actions to deploy resources or manage existing resources on Google Cloud Platform (GCP) with Terraform, you need credentials for authentication. Storing these credentials as secrets in your repository or organization might not be the most secure option. In this guide, we will explore how to set up self-hosted runners on GCP to integrate with GitHub Actions securely.

Introduction

Before delving into the setup process, let's understand the concept of self-hosted runners and the benefits of using them on GCP with GitHub Actions.

What are Self-hosted Runners?

In GitHub Actions, runners are the execution agents that run your workflows. By default, GitHub provides hosted runners for executing actions defined in your repository. However, self-hosted runners allow you to have more control over the environment in which your actions are executed. Instead of relying on GitHub's infrastructure, you can set up your own runners on your preferred infrastructure, such as virtual machines or containers.

Why Use Self-hosted Runners on GCP?

Using self-hosted runners on GCP offers several advantages. First, it allows you to leverage the power of Google Cloud's infrastructure to execute your workflows efficiently. Second, it enables you to authenticate to GCP using the integrated authentication options provided by Google, eliminating the need to store sensitive authentication information in your GitHub repository or organization. By associating your self-hosted runners with a service account on GCP, you can securely provision infrastructure without exposing credentials.

Components Required for Self-hosted Runners on GCP

To set up self-hosted runners on GCP for GitHub Actions, you need to Create the necessary components. Let's review the components required for this setup:

1. Creating a GCP Project

Start by creating a GCP project that will host your self-hosted runners and other related resources. This project will serve as the environment for executing your workflows. You can use Terraform to automate the creation of the GCP project, enabling you to easily reproduce the environment in the future.

2. Setting Up Managed Instance Group for Self-hosted Runners

To create self-hosted runners on GCP, you can utilize a managed instance group. A managed instance group allows you to create and manage a group of identical instances, which will act as your self-hosted runners. While there is a module available on the Terraform Registry for creating self-hosted runners for GitHub Actions, it is currently in beta and broken. However, you can customize and modify the module to suit your needs.

3. Creating a Google Cloud Storage Bucket for Remote State Storage

To store the Terraform state files securely, it is recommended to use a Google Cloud Storage bucket. This bucket will serve as the centralized location for storing and accessing remote state files for each Terraform configuration managed by GitHub Actions. By keeping the state files in a secure storage location, you can ensure the integrity and consistency of your infrastructure as code.

4. Configuring a Service Account for Provisioning Infrastructure

To authenticate and Interact with Google Cloud resources, you need to associate a service account with your self-hosted runners. This service account should have the necessary permissions to create new projects, associate them with a billing account, and Read specific roles required for provisioning infrastructure using GitHub Actions. By setting up the service account and granting the appropriate permissions, you can ensure secure and controlled access to GCP resources.

Through Terraform, you can automate the creation and configuration of these components, providing an efficient and reproducible way to set up self-hosted runners on GCP.

Deploying Self-Hosted Runners on GCP

Now that we have discussed the components and their role in the setup process, let's walk through the steps to deploy self-hosted runners on GCP for GitHub Actions.

1. Creating a Repository and Enabling GitHub Actions

Before deploying self-hosted runners, you need to create a repository in your GitHub organization and enable GitHub Actions for that repository. This will allow you to define workflows and configure actions to be executed using your self-hosted runners. By enabling GitHub Actions in your repository, you unlock the full potential of automating your software development workflows.

2. Running Terraform Configuration

With the repository set up and GitHub Actions enabled, you can now run the Terraform configuration to provision the necessary resources on GCP. The Terraform configuration will create the GCP project, set up the managed instance group for self-hosted runners, create the Google Cloud Storage bucket for remote state storage, and configure the service account for infrastructure provisioning.

By executing the Terraform configuration, you ensure that all the required resources are created and configured correctly, providing a solid foundation for seamless integration between GitHub Actions and GCP.

3. Verifying the Deployment in GCP Console

After running the Terraform configuration successfully, you can verify the deployment in the GCP console. Navigate to your GCP project and check if the managed instance group, Google Cloud Storage bucket, and service account are created and configured according to your specifications.

By reviewing the deployment in the GCP console, you can ensure that the resources are provisioned correctly and ready to be utilized by your self-hosted runners.

4. Testing the Self-Hosted Runners

Once the deployment in GCP is verified, you can test the functionality of the self-hosted runners. Trigger a workflow in your GitHub repository that utilizes the self-hosted runners to perform actions defined in your workflows. Observe the execution of the workflows and monitor the logs and output to ensure that the self-hosted runners are functioning as expected.

By testing the self-hosted runners, you can validate their integration with GitHub Actions and their ability to execute workflows efficiently on GCP.

Congratulations! You have successfully set up and deployed self-hosted runners on GCP for GitHub Actions. This configuration provides a secure and scalable solution for executing actions and provisioning infrastructure on GCP using Terraform and GitHub Actions.

FAQ

Q: Can I use self-hosted runners on GCP with any Type of GitHub organization account?

A: Yes, self-hosted runners can be used with any type of GitHub organization account, regardless of the tier or subscription level.

Q: Do I need to pay any additional charges for using self-hosted runners on GCP?

A: While GitHub Actions itself is free for public repositories and offers a certain amount of free minutes for private repositories, you may incur costs for the infrastructure resources used on GCP, such as VM instances and Google Cloud Storage. It's important to review the pricing details of GCP and estimate the potential costs before deploying self-hosted runners.

Q: Can I use multiple self-hosted runners with different configurations in the same GCP project?

A: Yes, you can set up multiple self-hosted runners with different configurations within the same GCP project. Terraform allows you to define the desired state of each runner and manage them separately.

Q: Is it possible to use self-hosted runners for repositories outside my GitHub organization?

A: No, self-hosted runners can only be associated with repositories within your GitHub organization. They cannot be utilized for repositories outside your organization's scope.

Q: Can I modify the Terraform configuration to customize the setup of self-hosted runners on GCP?

A: Yes, the Terraform configuration provided in this guide serves as a starting point. You can enhance and customize the configuration to suit your specific requirements and preferences. However, it's crucial to ensure that any modifications Align with recommended best practices for security and maintainability.