Types of shells supported by GitLab Runner

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GitLab Runner implements shell script generators that allow executing builds on different systems.

The shell scripts contain commands to execute all steps of the build:

git clone
Restore the build cache
Build commands
Update the build cache
Generate and upload the build artifacts

The shells don’t have any configuration options. The build steps are received from the commands defined in the script directive in .gitlab-ci.yml.

The supported shells are:

Shell	Status	Description
`bash`	Fully Supported	Bash (Bourne Again Shell). All commands executed in Bash context (default for all Unix systems)
`sh`	Fully Supported	Sh (Bourne shell). All commands executed in Sh context (fallback for `bash` for all Unix systems)
`powershell`	Fully Supported	PowerShell script. All commands are executed in PowerShell Desktop context.
`pwsh`	Fully Supported	PowerShell script. All commands are executed in PowerShell Core context. In GitLab Runner 14.0 and later, this is the default when registering a new runner on Windows.

If you want to select a particular shell to use other than the default, you must specify the shell in your config.toml file.

Sh/Bash shells

This is the default shell used on all Unix based systems. The bash script used in .gitlab-ci.yml is executed by piping the shell script to one of the following commands:

# This command is used if the build should be executed in context
# of another user (the shell executor)
cat generated-bash-script | su --shell /bin/bash --login user

# This command is used if the build should be executed using
# the current user, but in a login environment
cat generated-bash-script | /bin/bash --login

# This command is used if the build should be executed in
# a Docker environment
cat generated-bash-script | /bin/bash

Shell profile loading

For certain executors, the runner passes the --login flag as shown above, which also loads the shell profile. Anything that you have in your .bashrc, .bash_logout, or any other dotfile, is executed in your job.

If a job fails on the Prepare environment stage, it is likely that something in the shell profile is causing the failure. A common failure is when there is a .bash_logout that tries to clear the console.

To troubleshoot this error, check /home/gitlab-runner/.bash_logout. For example, if the .bash_logout file has a script section like the following, comment it out and restart the pipeline:

if [ "$SHLVL" = 1 ]; then
    [ -x /usr/bin/clear_console ] && /usr/bin/clear_console -q
fi

Executors that load shell profiles:

shell
parallels (The shell profile of the target virtual machine is loaded)
virtualbox (The shell profile of the target virtual machine is loaded)
ssh (The shell profile of the target machine is loaded)

PowerShell

PowerShell Desktop Edition is the default shell when a new runner is registered on Windows using GitLab Runner 12.0-13.12. In 14.0 and later, the default is PowerShell Core Edition.

PowerShell doesn’t support executing the build in context of another user.

The generated PowerShell script is executed by saving its content to a file and passing the filename to the following command:

For PowerShell Desktop Edition:

powershell -NoProfile -NonInteractive -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command generated-windows-powershell.ps1

For PowerShell Core Edition:

pwsh -NoProfile -NonInteractive -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command generated-windows-powershell.ps1

This is what an example PowerShell script looks like:

$ErrorActionPreference = "Continue" # This will be set to 'Stop' when targetting PowerShell Core

echo "Running on $([Environment]::MachineName)..."

& {
  $CI="true"
  $env:CI=$CI
  $CI_COMMIT_SHA="db45ad9af9d7af5e61b829442fd893d96e31250c"
  $env:CI_COMMIT_SHA=$CI_COMMIT_SHA
  $CI_COMMIT_BEFORE_SHA="d63117656af6ff57d99e50cc270f854691f335ad"
  $env:CI_COMMIT_BEFORE_SHA=$CI_COMMIT_BEFORE_SHA
  $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME="main"
  $env:CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME=$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME
  $CI_JOB_ID="1"
  $env:CI_JOB_ID=$CI_JOB_ID
  $CI_REPOSITORY_URL="Z:\Gitlab\tests\test"
  $env:CI_REPOSITORY_URL=$CI_REPOSITORY_URL
  $CI_PROJECT_ID="1"
  $env:CI_PROJECT_ID=$CI_PROJECT_ID
  $CI_PROJECT_DIR="Z:\Gitlab\tests\test\builds\0\project-1"
  $env:CI_PROJECT_DIR=$CI_PROJECT_DIR
  $CI_SERVER="yes"
  $env:CI_SERVER=$CI_SERVER
  $CI_SERVER_NAME="GitLab CI"
  $env:CI_SERVER_NAME=$CI_SERVER_NAME
  $CI_SERVER_VERSION=""
  $env:CI_SERVER_VERSION=$CI_SERVER_VERSION
  $CI_SERVER_REVISION=""
  $env:CI_SERVER_REVISION=$CI_SERVER_REVISION
  $GITLAB_CI="true"
  $env:GITLAB_CI=$GITLAB_CI
  $GIT_SSL_CAINFO=""
  New-Item -ItemType directory -Force -Path "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1.tmp" | out-null
  $GIT_SSL_CAINFO | Out-File "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1.tmp\GIT_SSL_CAINFO"
  $GIT_SSL_CAINFO="C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1.tmp\GIT_SSL_CAINFO"
  $env:GIT_SSL_CAINFO=$GIT_SSL_CAINFO
  $CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE=""
  New-Item -ItemType directory -Force -Path "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1.tmp" | out-null
  $CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE | Out-File "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1.tmp\CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE"
  $CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE="C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1.tmp\CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE"
  $env:CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE=$CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE
  echo "Cloning repository..."
  if( (Get-Command -Name Remove-Item2 -Module NTFSSecurity -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) -and (Test-Path "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1" -PathType Container) ) {
    Remove-Item2 -Force -Recurse "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1"
  } elseif(Test-Path "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1") {
    Remove-Item -Force -Recurse "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1"
  }

  & "git" "clone" "https://gitlab.com/group/project.git" "Z:\Gitlab\tests\test\builds\0\project-1"
  if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }

  cd "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1"
  if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }

  echo "Checking out db45ad9a as main..."
  & "git" "checkout" "db45ad9af9d7af5e61b829442fd893d96e31250c"
  if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }

  if(Test-Path "..\..\..\cache\project-1\pages\main\cache.tgz" -PathType Leaf) {
    echo "Restoring cache..."
    & "gitlab-runner-windows-amd64.exe" "extract" "--file" "..\..\..\cache\project-1\pages\main\cache.tgz"
    if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }

  } else {
    if(Test-Path "..\..\..\cache\project-1\pages\main\cache.tgz" -PathType Leaf) {
      echo "Restoring cache..."
      & "gitlab-runner-windows-amd64.exe" "extract" "--file" "..\..\..\cache\project-1\pages\main\cache.tgz"
      if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }

    }
  }
}
if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }

& {
  $CI="true"
  $env:CI=$CI
  $CI_COMMIT_SHA="db45ad9af9d7af5e61b829442fd893d96e31250c"
  $env:CI_COMMIT_SHA=$CI_COMMIT_SHA
  $CI_COMMIT_BEFORE_SHA="d63117656af6ff57d99e50cc270f854691f335ad"
  $env:CI_COMMIT_BEFORE_SHA=$CI_COMMIT_BEFORE_SHA
  $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME="main"
  $env:CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME=$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME
  $CI_JOB_ID="1"
  $env:CI_JOB_ID=$CI_JOB_ID
  $CI_REPOSITORY_URL="Z:\Gitlab\tests\test"
  $env:CI_REPOSITORY_URL=$CI_REPOSITORY_URL
  $CI_PROJECT_ID="1"
  $env:CI_PROJECT_ID=$CI_PROJECT_ID
  $CI_PROJECT_DIR="Z:\Gitlab\tests\test\builds\0\project-1"
  $env:CI_PROJECT_DIR=$CI_PROJECT_DIR
  $CI_SERVER="yes"
  $env:CI_SERVER=$CI_SERVER
  $CI_SERVER_NAME="GitLab CI"
  $env:CI_SERVER_NAME=$CI_SERVER_NAME
  $CI_SERVER_VERSION=""
  $env:CI_SERVER_VERSION=$CI_SERVER_VERSION
  $CI_SERVER_REVISION=""
  $env:CI_SERVER_REVISION=$CI_SERVER_REVISION
  $GITLAB_CI="true"
  $env:GITLAB_CI=$GITLAB_CI
  $GIT_SSL_CAINFO=""
  New-Item -ItemType directory -Force -Path "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1.tmp" | out-null
  $GIT_SSL_CAINFO | Out-File "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1.tmp\GIT_SSL_CAINFO"
  $GIT_SSL_CAINFO="C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1.tmp\GIT_SSL_CAINFO"
  $env:GIT_SSL_CAINFO=$GIT_SSL_CAINFO
  $CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE=""
  New-Item -ItemType directory -Force -Path "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1.tmp" | out-null
  $CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE | Out-File "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1.tmp\CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE"
  $CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE="C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1.tmp\CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE"
  $env:CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE=$CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE
  cd "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1"
  if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }

  echo "`$ echo true"
  echo true
}
if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }

& {
  $CI="true"
  $env:CI=$CI
  $CI_COMMIT_SHA="db45ad9af9d7af5e61b829442fd893d96e31250c"
  $env:CI_COMMIT_SHA=$CI_COMMIT_SHA
  $CI_COMMIT_BEFORE_SHA="d63117656af6ff57d99e50cc270f854691f335ad"
  $env:CI_COMMIT_BEFORE_SHA=$CI_COMMIT_BEFORE_SHA
  $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME="main"
  $env:CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME=$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME
  $CI_JOB_ID="1"
  $env:CI_JOB_ID=$CI_JOB_ID
  $CI_REPOSITORY_URL="Z:\Gitlab\tests\test"
  $env:CI_REPOSITORY_URL=$CI_REPOSITORY_URL
  $CI_PROJECT_ID="1"
  $env:CI_PROJECT_ID=$CI_PROJECT_ID
  $CI_PROJECT_DIR="Z:\Gitlab\tests\test\builds\0\project-1"
  $env:CI_PROJECT_DIR=$CI_PROJECT_DIR
  $CI_SERVER="yes"
  $env:CI_SERVER=$CI_SERVER
  $CI_SERVER_NAME="GitLab CI"
  $env:CI_SERVER_NAME=$CI_SERVER_NAME
  $CI_SERVER_VERSION=""
  $env:CI_SERVER_VERSION=$CI_SERVER_VERSION
  $CI_SERVER_REVISION=""
  $env:CI_SERVER_REVISION=$CI_SERVER_REVISION
  $GITLAB_CI="true"
  $env:GITLAB_CI=$GITLAB_CI
  $GIT_SSL_CAINFO=""
  New-Item -ItemType directory -Force -Path "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1.tmp" | out-null
  $GIT_SSL_CAINFO | Out-File "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1.tmp\GIT_SSL_CAINFO"
  $GIT_SSL_CAINFO="C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1.tmp\GIT_SSL_CAINFO"
  $env:GIT_SSL_CAINFO=$GIT_SSL_CAINFO
  $CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE=""
  New-Item -ItemType directory -Force -Path "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1.tmp" | out-null
  $CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE | Out-File "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1.tmp\CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE"
  $CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE="C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1.tmp\CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE"
  $env:CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE=$CI_SERVER_TLS_CA_FILE
  cd "C:\GitLab-Runner\builds\0\project-1"
  if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }

  echo "Archiving cache..."
  & "gitlab-runner-windows-amd64.exe" "archive" "--file" "..\..\..\cache\project-1\pages\main\cache.tgz" "--path" "vendor"
  if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }

}
if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }

Running Windows Batch

You can execute Batch scripts from PowerShell using Start-Process "cmd.exe" "/c C:\Path\file.bat" for old Batch scripts not ported to PowerShell.

Access CMD shell when PowerShell is the default

The project: Call CMD From Default PowerShell in GitLab CI demonstrates how to gain access to the CMD shell when PowerShell is the default shell on a runner.

Video walkthrough of working PowerShell examples

The Slicing and Dicing with PowerShell on GitLab CI video is a walkthrough of the PowerShell Pipelines on GitLab CI Guided Exploration project. It was tested on:

Windows PowerShell and PowerShell Core 7 on hosted runners on Windows for GitLab.com.
PowerShell Core 7 in Linux Containers with the Docker-Machine runner.

The example can be copied to your own group or instance for testing. More details on what other GitLab CI patterns are demonstrated are available at the project page.

Windows Batch (removed)

This feature was deprecated in GitLab 15.7 and removed in 17.0.

Types of shells supported by GitLab Runner

Sh/Bash shells

Shell profile loading

PowerShell

Running Windows Batch

Access CMD shell when PowerShell is the default

Video walkthrough of working PowerShell examples

Windows Batch (removed)

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