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Why does my Runner suddenly cease responding or go silent in the middle of a job?

During a job, GitLab Runner may cease responding or go unresponsive for a number of reasons. You can follow these methods to investigate and resolve this problem:

Step 1: Check Runner Status​

Checking the runner status in the GitLab web interface is the first step. Make sure the program is activated and configured properly. By going to Settings > CI/CD > Runners in the GitLab web interface, you can verify the status of the runner.

Step 2: Check Resource Allocation​

The resource allocation is the next thing to verify if the runner is active and the runner status is accurate. Make sure the runner and the machine running the task have enough resources, including CPU, memory, and disk space.

Step 3: Check Pipeline Logs​

Checking the pipeline logs comes next, if the resource allocation was done correctly. You can determine where and why the pipeline is failing using the logs. By going to CI/CD > Pipelines and selecting the desired pipeline, you can examine the logs in the GitLab web interface. On the right side of the screen, the logs will be visible.

Step 4: Check Runner Logs​

The next stage is to check the runner logs for additional information if the pipeline logs don't offer any useful information. The logs can assist in locating the issue's primary source.

Run the following command on the server where the GitLab Runner is installed to examine the runner logs:

sudo cat /var/log/gitlab-runner/gitlab-runner.log

Search for any error messages or stack traces that might point to the problem's origin.

Step 5: Update Runner Version​

If the problem continues, make sure the GitLab Runner is running the most recent version. By adhering to the guidelines on the GitLab Runner documentation website, you can update the runner.

Step 6: Restart GitLab Runner Service​

Try restarting the GitLab Runner service using the following command if the aforementioned measures don't fix the problem:

sudo systemctl restart gitlab-runner

This will restart the GitLab Runner service and possibly help with any problems the service may be having.

Summary​

In conclusion, problems with the runner status, resource distribution, pipeline logs, runner logs, runner version, or service problems can cause GitLab Runner to stop responding or become unresponsive during a task. You can resolve the problem and guarantee that your pipeline functions properly by carrying out the procedures listed above.