Run GitHub Actions on Hippius

Run private GitHub Actions jobs on Hippius and compare runner costs.

Introduction

30 Second Summary

A green check mark tells you that an automated job passed. It does not show whether you paid more than necessary to run it.

In this project, you will move a real GitHub Actions workflow onto Hippius runners. You will run jobs on two runner sizes before reading the actual spend by repository, workflow, and runner size.

What You'll Build

Picture showing a green workflow run on a confidential Hippius runner with its real cost visible in the Spend card beside the GitHub-hosted comparison.

By the end of this project, you'll have:

A private test workflow that runs on hippius-small before finishing with a green result in the Actions tab.
A set of billed jobs across hippius-small plus hippius-medium with both runner sizes visible in the job logs.
A Spend card with a cost breakdown by repository, workflow, and runner size, plus a comparison against GitHub-hosted list prices.
Secret Mission: An optional challenge to push your runner skills further.

Are there any prerequisites?

You need a GitHub account with a private test repository. You also need a Hippius account with enough credit to cover the jobs.

Make sure you have permission to install a GitHub App for that repository.

Before We Start

A GitHub Actions workflow needs a safe place where you can test runner changes. Your private GitHub repository keeps this experiment separate from work you already rely on.

Hippius needs permission to reach that repository later. You also need a supported payment method when you add balance to your account.

In this step, get ready to:

Confirm access to your GitHub account in your browser.
Create a private test repository that you can administer.
Prepare a supported payment method for your later Hippius balance.

Open GitHub in your browser

Your GitHub account provides the private repository that hosts the test workflow. Keep this project open while you confirm that account access.

Open a second browser tab by pressing Cmd+T (macOS) or Ctrl+T (Windows).
Go to the GitHub website.

✔️ I can access my GitHub account

Sign in to your GitHub account.
Keep the GitHub tab open.

Your GitHub account is ready for the test repository.

ⓧ I need a GitHub account

Create your account from the GitHub sign-up page.
Complete the account verification prompts shown by GitHub.
Sign in to your new account.
Keep the GitHub tab open.

Your new account is ready for the test repository.

Create a private test repository

The test workflow needs a repository that you control. Private visibility also allows the later cost comparison to include these runner jobs.

Select the menu in the upper-right corner of the GitHub page.
Click New repository.
Select your personal account from the Owner dropdown.
Enter your private test repository name in the Repository name box.
Choose Private as the repository visibility.
Click Create repository.

Good progress. Your private repository is now the controlled test space for the runner workflow.

Unable to create the repository?

Confirm that you are signed in to the GitHub account you intend to use.
Select your personal account as the repository owner if an organization restricts repository creation.

Ask for help with creating your private test repository.

Confirm payment and admin readiness

Adding balance later involves payment details. This checkpoint makes no charge.

Your payment details stay outside this project. You only need to confirm that an authorized payment method is available.

Confirm that you can access a supported payment method for an online balance purchase.
Keep every payment detail private.

Before you check, do you expect your repository to show private visibility? Do you also expect access to its settings?

Return to the browser tab containing your new repository.
Confirm that the repository is shown as Private.
Click Settings in the repository navigation.

You should see the repository settings page. This confirms that you can administer the repository when Hippius requests access later.

Missing repository settings?

Confirm that your personal account owns the repository.
Create a new repository under your personal account if the current repository belongs to an organization you do not administer.

Ask for help with checking your repository permissions.

Your prerequisites are ready. Next, you will fund a new Hippius account.

Create and Fund Your Hippius Account

Your later workflow needs a runner that can boot on demand. Hippius runners draw their compute charges from a prepaid account balance.

Your first sign-in creates your Hippius account automatically. You will add a small one-time balance. The console will then show that your account is ready to fund runner jobs.

In this step, get ready to:

Sign in to create your Hippius account.
Add a small one-time prepaid balance.
Confirm that your positive balance appears in the console.

Create your Hippius account

Hippius creates your account during your first provider sign-in. There is no separate sign-up form to complete.

Visit the Hippius Console in the browser from earlier.

You will see several provider sign-in choices on the page.

Select Continue with GitHub.
Confirm the GitHub sign-in request if it appears.

Your new account opens a screen titled Choose your mode.

Select the I just want the basics. card to keep your dashboard focused on your balance.

You are signed in. Your first provider login has created your Hippius account. The console overview now gives you a place to track its balance.

What Did GitHub Sign-In Connect?

This authorization lets GitHub identify you to Hippius. Runner access stays separate until you install the Hippius Runners GitHub App in the next step.

Stuck on the Sign-In Screen?

Retry the provider sign-in from the original Hippius Console tab.
Allow the provider sign-in page if your browser blocks it.

Ask for help with the sign-in flow: Why does my Hippius Console sign-in return me to the login page?

Add a small prepaid balance

Your account balance pays for hourly compute usage. Topping up stores prepaid money in the account until a Hippius service uses it.

Select Billing under the account section in the left sidebar.
Click + Top up.

The top-up dialog shows the payment methods available for your account.

Choose a Small Top-Up

Card top-ups start at $10. Stripe processes the payment.
USDC top-ups on Base start at $5.
Bitcoin top-ups start at $20.
TAO top-ups start at $20.

Before You Add Funds

This step moves real money into your prepaid balance. A one-time top-up at your payment method's minimum keeps the project spend controlled.

Select the supported payment method you prepared for this project.

The dialog now shows the amount controls for your chosen payment method.

Enter a one-time amount at or above the minimum listed for your payment method.
Leave Monthly reload turned off if it appears.

You now have a final amount to review before any money moves.

Allow Time for Settlement

USDC usually updates within a minute or two. Bitcoin over Lightning is credited in seconds. Bitcoin on-chain usually takes 10 to 60 minutes. TAO usually updates within a few minutes.

Review the payment amount shown by the provider.
Complete the provider's confirmation flow.

You should see confirmation from the payment provider. Keep the Hippius Console tab available while the payment settles.

Payment Not Going Through?

Confirm that your amount meets the minimum for the selected payment method.
Check the payment provider page for an unfinished confirmation request.
Retry with the supported payment method you prepared before the project.

Ask for help with your payment method: Why is my Hippius top-up not completing?

Confirm your positive balance

A successful provider payment becomes usable only after it reaches your Hippius account balance. The console overview gives you the clearest final check.

Before you check, what do you expect the Account Balance card to show after a successful top-up?

Return to the Hippius Console tab from earlier.
Select Overview in the left sidebar.
Locate the Account Balance card near the top of the dashboard.

You should see a positive dollar balance in the card. That is the funding checkpoint complete. Your Hippius account can now cover the runner jobs you create later.

Balance Still Showing Zero?

Refresh the Overview page after the payment provider confirms your transaction.
Select Billing in the left sidebar.
Open Transaction history to check whether the top-up is listed.

Ask for help checking the settlement: Why is my confirmed Hippius top-up missing from Account Balance?

Your Hippius account now has the prepaid balance its runners need. Next, you will connect your private test repository while keeping runner access limited to that repo.

Connect Your Private Repository

Your Hippius account has credit ready for runner jobs. Hippius still needs permission to accept jobs from your private GitHub repository.

The Hippius Runners GitHub App links that repository to your Hippius account. You will restrict the App to your private test repository.

In this step, get ready to:

Open the GitHub runner connection area in the Hippius console.
Install the Hippius Runners GitHub App on your private test repository.
Confirm that the Hippius console shows GitHub connected.

Open the runner connection

Hippius places its external runner settings under Confidential Computing. The GitHub card starts a temporary connection flow for your current Hippius account.

Switch back to the Hippius console tab from earlier.
Select Confidential Computing in the sidebar.
Select Runners.
Find the GitHub card.
Click Connect GitHub.

GitHub opens the installation flow for the Hippius Runners GitHub App.

About the Connection Link

The connection link works for one hour. It only links the Hippius account that started the flow.

Authorize your private repository

Granting repository access can feel sensitive. You will use Only select repositories to confine the App to your private test repository.

GitHub asks you to review the repository permissions first. It then asks you to authorize the App for your account.

Select the GitHub user account or organization that owns your private test repository.
Under Repository access, select Only select repositories.
Open the Select repositories dropdown.
Select the private test repository you administer.
Review the permissions requested by the Hippius Runners GitHub App.
Click Install.
Review the separate authorization request shown by GitHub.
Approve the authorization request using the confirmation button shown on the page.

Your browser returns to Hippius after authorization. The selected repository is now available to your Hippius account.

What Does Authorization Allow?

The installation lets Hippius register a single-use runner for jobs from the selected repository. Repository access remains limited to the repository you chose.

The separate authorization lets Hippius confirm that you control the GitHub account completing the connection.

Seeing a Request Button?

Ask an organization owner to approve the App installation if GitHub shows Request or Install and request.
Return to the Runners page in Hippius after approval.
Click Connect GitHub again to complete the link.

I need help completing the GitHub App approval.

Confirm the connection

Installing the App grants repository access. The status in Hippius confirms that the installation is linked to your account.

Switch back to the Hippius console tab from earlier if GitHub did not return you automatically.
Return to the Runners page from earlier.
Find the GitHub card.

Before you check the card, what status do you expect to replace the connection prompt?

Check the GitHub card for the connection status.

You will see GitHub connected. That connection now covers your selected private test repository.

Still Not Connected?

Confirm that the GitHub user who completed authorization owns the selected personal account.
Ask an organization owner to approve the installation if the repository belongs to an organization.
Click Connect GitHub again if the original connection link is more than one hour old.

Help me diagnose why Hippius does not show GitHub connected.

Your private repository is connected without launching a runner job. Next up, you will add the workflow that requests your first Hippius runner.

Run Tests on a Small Runner

Your private repository can now send work to Hippius. The next goal is to prove that connection with a real test run.

A GitHub Actions workflow tells GitHub which tests to run. Its runner label decides where the job executes.

No workflow exists yet, so the connected runner service has nothing to boot. You will create one test workflow that runs on a small confidential VM.

In this step, get ready to:

Choose a workflow template that matches your repository's test toolchain.
Route the test job to a hippius-small runner.
Verify the pushed workflow completes successfully in GitHub Actions.

Choose a test workflow template

Workflow templates provide setup for common programming languages. GitHub recommends templates based on the code it detects in your repository.

Switch back to the private test repository you connected earlier.
Select Actions below the repository name.
On the Choose a workflow page, find a recommended continuous integration template for your project's language.
Choose a template that installs the same toolchain your existing tests use.
Click Configure on that template.

The editor should open a workflow file inside .github/workflows/. You should see a job with toolchain setup steps plus a test step.

Why start from a workflow template?

A matching template already contains the normal toolchain setup for your repository's language. It also includes a command that runs the expected test suite.

You still control the runner label. The template handles the language-specific details that your tests depend on.

Template does not match your tests?

Return to the Choose a workflow page.
Search for the language used by your existing tests.
Select a template whose test command matches your repository.

I cannot find a workflow template that matches my repository's test toolchain.

Route the test job to Hippius

In workflow YAML, each job uses runs-on to choose its runner. The value hippius-small sends the test job to Hippius's small runner pool.

Locate the job that runs your repository's tests.
Find the line beginning with runs-on: inside that job.
Replace the existing runner value with hippius-small.
Keep the template's suggested filename inside .github/workflows/.
Confirm the setup step installs the toolchain required by your repository.
Confirm the test step runs your repository's existing tests.

✔️ My workflow is ready to commit

Your workflow now contains every part required for this test run.

The test job uses runs-on: hippius-small.
The setup step installs the repository's required test toolchain.
The test step runs the repository's tests.

ⓧ I'd like to double check the full workflow

Compare the workflow against this end state before committing:

The workflow file is inside .github/workflows/.
The test job contains runs-on: hippius-small.
A setup step installs the repository's required test toolchain.
A test step launches the repository's existing test suite.

This commit uses prepaid credit

Starting a paid job can feel risky. This first run uses the small runner at $0.0411 per hour.

Billing runs per second with a one-minute minimum. A short test uses only a small slice of your prepaid balance.

Click Start commit.
Enter Run tests on Hippius small in the commit message field.
Select the option that commits directly to the default branch.
Complete the commit using the confirmation button.

GitHub adds the workflow to the default branch. That push automatically creates the first workflow run.

Watch the small runner pass

A Hippius runner starts when the workflow requests its label. Each job receives a fresh VM for its test run.

Before you open the run, do you expect the tests to begin immediately or pause while the runner is prepared?

Select Actions in your repository.
Open the newest workflow run created by your commit.

You should first see the job waiting while Hippius prepares its VM. A quiet wait here is normal because runner startup usually takes about 3 to 5 minutes.

Keep the workflow run page open until the run finishes.
Select the completed test job.
Review the runner information near the top of the job log.
Confirm the runner information identifies hippius-small.
Check that the toolchain setup step has a green check.
Check that the test step has a green check.

You should see a green check beside the workflow run. The job log should identify hippius-small.

The toolchain setup should be green. The test step should also be green.

That is the real handoff proven. Your tests now pass on a fresh Hippius VM.

Hippius destroys that VM after the job ends.

Job not going green?

Confirm the test job contains runs-on: hippius-small.
Switch back to the Hippius runner connection area from earlier.
Confirm the connection status still reads GitHub connected.
Return to the prepaid balance from earlier.
Confirm the balance covers about $0.99 for 24 hours of small compute.
Open the earliest failed step if the job started.
Read the first error in that step to identify the missing toolchain or failing test.

Help me troubleshoot my Hippius small runner job.

Your small runner has completed its first real test job. Next, you will add a medium runner job so you can compare both runner sizes.

Compare Small and Medium Jobs

Your first GitHub Actions job is green on a Hippius small runner. That successful run proves your repository can send tests to a fresh confidential VM.

A single runner size gives you nothing to compare. In this step, you will send the same tests to small and medium runners across several commits.

In this step, get ready to:

Duplicate the existing test job for a medium runner.
Push three commits that produce billed small and medium jobs.
Confirm both runner labels in the completed job logs.

Add the medium runner job

Your workflow uses YAML to define each job. Duplicating the successful small job gives both runner sizes the same toolchain setup and test commands.

Switch back to your private test repository on GitHub.
Select the .github directory.
Select the workflows directory.
Select the workflow file that contains your successful small job.
Click the file editor icon in the upper-right corner.

The editor now shows the workflow that ran successfully in the previous step.

Select the complete existing job block beneath jobs:.
Press Cmd+C (macOS) or Ctrl+C (Windows) to copy the block.
Click the first blank line after the existing job block.
Press Cmd+V (macOS) or Ctrl+V (Windows) to paste the copy.

Why duplicate the job?

Duplicating the complete job keeps the toolchain setup and test commands identical. This creates a controlled comparison between runner sizes.

Changing the copied job identifier keeps the YAML valid. Changing its runs-on value isolates the runner size.

Append -medium to the duplicated job identifier.
Find runs-on: hippius-small inside the duplicated job block.
Replace hippius-small with hippius-medium.
Click Preview above the workflow content.
Confirm the preview shows two complete job blocks with unique identifiers.

What changed in the workflow?

The original job still uses runs-on: hippius-small.
The duplicated job uses runs-on: hippius-medium.
Both jobs install the same project toolchain.
Both jobs run the same project tests.

✔️ Both jobs are ready

Your workflow now sends identical tests to small and medium Hippius runners.

ⓧ I'd like to double check the full code

Compare the two job blocks against this structure before committing:

Keep the original job identifier unchanged.
Give the duplicated job a unique identifier ending in -medium.
Keep runs-on: hippius-small in the original job.
Use runs-on: hippius-medium in the duplicated job.
Keep the same toolchain installation steps in both jobs.
Keep the same test steps in both jobs.

This next commit starts two billed jobs against your prepaid balance. The whole project is designed to stay under $5.

Before you commit, picture the next workflow graph. How many jobs do you expect to see?

Click Commit changes.
Enter Compare small and medium runners in the Commit message field.
Choose the option to commit to the current branch.
Click Commit changes to push the workflow update.
Select the repository's Actions tab.
Select your test workflow in the left sidebar.
Select the newest workflow run.

Both jobs may remain queued for 3 to 5 minutes while fresh VMs boot. That pause is expected.

Wait until both jobs show green check marks.

Good progress. One commit now tests the same code on both Hippius runner sizes.

Only seeing one job or a failed run?

Return to the workflow editor and confirm the two job identifiers are unique.
Confirm both job blocks use the same indentation beneath jobs:.
Return to the Hippius console from earlier and confirm your balance remains positive.
Confirm the runner connection still shows GitHub connected.

Share the relevant workflow structure with help me troubleshoot why my small and medium GitHub Actions jobs did not both complete.

Build a useful comparison history

One run gives you a single sample. Two more commits create enough completed jobs for the later spend breakdown to compare both runner sizes.

Each job consumes prepaid Hippius credit. Billing is per second with a one-minute minimum.

Return to the workflow file in your private repository.
Click the file editor icon in the upper-right corner.
Add one blank line between the small and medium job blocks.
Click Commit changes.
Enter Collect second runner sample in the Commit message field.
Choose the option to commit to the current branch.
Click Commit changes to push the spacing update.
Return to the repository's Actions tab.

Select the newest workflow run.
Wait until both jobs show green check marks.

What does each commit add?

Every pushed commit starts the small job and the medium job. Each job receives a fresh confidential VM that is destroyed when the job ends.

The completed runs add billed usage for both runner sizes. That history gives the Spend card something meaningful to break down later.

Return to the workflow file after the second run completes.
Click the file editor icon in the upper-right corner.
Remove the blank line you added between the job blocks.
Click Commit changes.
Enter Finish runner comparison sample in the Commit message field.
Choose the option to commit to the current branch.
Click Commit changes to push the final comparison commit.
Return to the repository's Actions tab.

Select the newest workflow run.
Wait until both jobs show green check marks.

You now have three new workflow runs from three commits. Each run contains one completed small job and one completed medium job.

Did a commit fail to start a run?

Confirm the commit appears in the repository's commit history.
Confirm the workflow still responds to pushed commits.
Confirm the workflow file remains inside .github/workflows.

Use help me find why my pushed commit did not trigger this GitHub Actions workflow if the run still does not appear.

Confirm both runner sizes in the logs

The run history proves that multiple jobs completed. The job logs prove which runner label handled each one.

Before you inspect the newest run, do you expect both job logs to report the same runner label?

Select your workflow in the Actions tab from earlier.
Select the newest completed workflow run.
Select the original small job under Jobs.
Enter hippius-small in the Search logs box.
Confirm the small job log contains hippius-small.
Select the duplicated medium job under Jobs.
Enter hippius-medium in the Search logs box.
Confirm the medium job log contains hippius-medium.

The two logs report different runner labels while showing the same test steps. That is the controlled comparison you set out to create.

Return to the workflow run history.
Confirm the three newest runs each show a completed success state.

You now have multiple billed jobs from small and medium runners, with logs proving both sizes ran successfully. Next, you will turn that usage into a cost comparison.

Review Runner Spend

Your private GitHub Actions workflow has completed several jobs across both Hippius runners. Those green runs prove the jobs work.

Now you need to connect that activity to actual spend. The Spend card groups billed usage by day.

Its breakdowns trace costs to your repository. Separate views show runner size and workflow.

In this step, get ready to:

Read runner spend across the daily chart.
Trace billed activity through each cost breakdown.
Compare your total with equivalent GitHub-hosted runners.

Read the daily spend chart

Each completed job adds billed runner activity to your Hippius account. The daily bars show when that spending occurred.

Switch back to the Hippius console from earlier.
Select the Spend card.
Review the bars for the dates when your workflow runs completed.

You'll see a daily bar chart containing spend from your completed jobs. This proves the runner activity has reached the billing view.

No Runner Spend Showing?

Confirm you are viewing the same Hippius account that funded the runner jobs.
Return to your private test repository's Actions tab to confirm a completed hippius-small job.
Confirm a completed hippius-medium job on the same page.

Help me find why my completed runner jobs are missing from the Spend card.

Trace where your spend came from

One daily total cannot show which work created it. The breakdowns connect billed usage to its source.

Scroll to the repository breakdown.
Locate your private test repository in that breakdown.
Scroll to the runner-size breakdown.
Confirm hippius-small appears as an entry.
Confirm hippius-medium appears as an entry.
Scroll to the workflow breakdown.
Locate the test workflow you ran earlier.

What Should I See?

The repository breakdown connects billed jobs to your private test repository.
The runner-size breakdown shows hippius-small as a separate entry.
The same breakdown shows hippius-medium as a separate entry.
The workflow breakdown connects billed usage to your test workflow.

Compare against GitHub list prices

The comparison line estimates what equivalent GitHub-hosted jobs would cost at GitHub list prices. This gives your real runner spend a direct benchmark.

Before you check the final comparison, do you expect the equivalent GitHub-hosted jobs to cost more or less?

Locate the comparison line on the Spend card.
Read the GitHub-hosted list-price amount shown there.
Compare that amount with your Hippius runner total.

You'll see a GitHub-hosted list-price amount beside your runner spend. Your Hippius total should be lower.

At this point, the Spend card should show the daily spend chart. You should also see cost tied to your private test repository.

Both runner sizes should appear as separate entries. Your test workflow should appear in the workflow breakdown.

The GitHub-hosted comparison line should remain visible. It completes the cost comparison you set out to make.

Nice work. You can now trace your workflow jobs from completed runs to billed spend.

Secret mission

Choose the Most Cost-Effective Runner

Use your real Spend card data to calculate cost per successful job for hippius-small and hippius-medium. Then choose a default runner size for this workflow.

Clean Up Your Resources

Completed Hippius runner VMs were destroyed when their jobs ended. Choose whether your connected GitHub App keeps launching billed GitHub Actions jobs or loses repository access entirely.

Cost warning

Each new workflow run can start both Hippius jobs. Those jobs use your positive prepaid balance.

Runners that do not run a job cost nothing.

Resources you used:

The runs-on: hippius-small assignment in your existing GitHub Actions workflow.
The runs-on: hippius-medium assignment in the same workflow.
The Hippius Runners GitHub App installation authorized for your selected private test repository.

Keep everything running

No action needed. Choose this if you want new commits to continue testing on both Hippius runner sizes.

Each triggered small or medium job is billed from your remaining prepaid balance. Completed jobs leave no runner VM behind.

Pause - I'll come back to this later

Pausing means your workflow uses GitHub-hosted runners. Your Hippius app installation stays available for a later return.

Edit the existing GitHub Actions workflow in your selected private test repository.
Replace runs-on: hippius-small with runs-on: ubuntu-latest.
Replace runs-on: hippius-medium with runs-on: ubuntu-latest.
Commit the workflow change.
Push the commit to your selected private test repository.
Open the Actions tab in the repository.
Select the workflow run created by your change.

You should see both jobs use ubuntu-latest. No new Hippius runner job appears in the run.

Delete - I don't want to use this again

Removing the app connection sounds final. Your private repository stays intact.

This option keeps the test workflow on GitHub-hosted runners. It removes Hippius access to the selected repository.

Edit the existing GitHub Actions workflow in your selected private test repository.
Replace runs-on: hippius-small with runs-on: ubuntu-latest.
Replace runs-on: hippius-medium with runs-on: ubuntu-latest.
Commit the workflow change.
Push the commit to your selected private test repository.
Open the Actions tab in the repository.
Select the workflow run created by your change.

You should see both jobs use ubuntu-latest. This confirms the workflow no longer requests Hippius runners.

Ask an organization owner to complete the app removal if an organization owns the selected repository.
Open the GitHub settings for the account or organization that owns the app installation.
Go to the installed GitHub Apps area.
Open the Hippius Runners GitHub App installation.
Use the uninstall control on the installation page.
Confirm the uninstall when GitHub asks you to approve it.

The Hippius Runners GitHub App no longer has access to your selected private test repository.

Return to the Hippius console.
Open Confidential Computing.
Open Runners.
Open the GitHub card.

You should no longer see the selected repository connected. Your Hippius account and remaining prepaid balance stay outside this repository cleanup.

Nice Work!

You did it! You moved a private GitHub Actions workflow onto Hippius runners. You also measured its real compute costs.

You've learned how to:

Connected a private repository through the Hippius Runners GitHub App. Confirmed the GitHub connected status in the console.
Moved a GitHub Actions workflow to hippius-small. Added a second test job on hippius-medium. Watched both jobs pass on fresh confidential virtual machines.
Used the Spend card to read daily usage. Traced costs to each repository. Compared both runner sizes. Matched spend to each workflow. Compared your bill with GitHub-hosted runner list prices.
Extended your runner workflow through an optional Secret Mission to push your skills further.

Ready to quiz yourself?