GitLab CI Job Stuck (no runners)

There are no runners available to pick up the job, possibly due to all runners being busy or misconfigured.

Understanding GitLab CI

GitLab CI/CD is a powerful tool integrated within GitLab that allows developers to automate the testing, building, and deployment of their code. It is designed to streamline the development process by providing continuous integration and continuous deployment capabilities. By using GitLab CI, teams can ensure that their code is always in a deployable state, reducing the time to market and improving software quality.

Identifying the Symptom: Job Stuck (no runners)

One common issue that users may encounter when using GitLab CI is the "Job Stuck (no runners)" error. This symptom is observed when a CI/CD job is triggered, but it remains in a pending state indefinitely. The job does not start executing because there are no available runners to pick it up.

Exploring the Issue: No Available Runners

The "Job Stuck (no runners)" error occurs when GitLab CI is unable to assign a runner to execute the job. This can happen for several reasons:

  • All runners are currently busy executing other jobs.
  • Runners are misconfigured or offline.
  • The job requires specific tags that no runner has.

Runners are the agents that execute the CI/CD jobs. They can be shared across projects or dedicated to specific projects. For more information on runners, visit the GitLab Runner Documentation.

Steps to Fix the "Job Stuck (no runners)" Issue

Step 1: Check Runner Status

First, verify the status of your runners. Navigate to the GitLab Admin Area by clicking on the wrench icon in the top navigation bar. Then, go to Runners under the CI/CD section. Here, you can see the list of available runners and their statuses. Ensure that there are active runners available.

Step 2: Verify Runner Configuration

Ensure that your runners are properly configured. Check the runner configuration file (usually config.toml) to verify that the runner is registered correctly and has the necessary tags. For more details on configuring runners, refer to the Advanced Configuration guide.

Step 3: Check Runner Tags

Jobs can be configured to require specific tags. Ensure that your runners have the appropriate tags to match the job requirements. You can edit the runner tags in the GitLab Admin Area under the Runners section.

Step 4: Increase Runner Capacity

If all runners are busy, consider adding more runners to handle the load. You can set up additional runners by following the instructions in the GitLab Runner Registration guide.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the "Job Stuck (no runners)" issue in GitLab CI. Ensuring that your runners are properly configured and available is crucial for the smooth execution of CI/CD pipelines. For further assistance, consult the GitLab CI Runners Documentation.

Never debug

GitLab CI

manually again

Let Dr. Droid create custom investigation plans for your infrastructure.

Book Demo
Automate Debugging for
GitLab CI
See how Dr. Droid creates investigation plans for your infrastructure.

MORE ISSUES

Made with ❤️ in Bangalore & San Francisco 🏢

Doctor Droid