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This guide explains how to update your GCP runner to ensure you have the latest features, improvements, and security patches. There are three methods to update your runner: Follow the instructions in each section to keep your GCP runner up-to-date and running smoothly.

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Automatic Updates

The GCP runner includes a built-in update mechanism that automatically manages application updates. Here’s how it works:

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Update Check Process

  • The updater performs version checks periodically
  • During each check, the runner:
    • Queries the Ona API for the available version
    • Compares the current version with the available version
    • Verifies infrastructure version compatibility

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Update Eligibility

A runner is eligible for updates when:
  • It is on the stable channel
  • Auto-updates are enabled for the version
  • The infrastructure version matches the current runner’s infrastructure version
  • The available version is newer than the current version
  • The runner image is different from the currently running image

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Important Notes

  • Updates are non-disruptive to running workloads
  • Process is fully automated with no manual intervention needed
  • Failed updates don’t impact existing runner functionality
  • Runner maintains configuration and credentials through updates
View the current version of the runner on the runner card under Settings → Runners.

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Set Update Window

By default, automatic updates can occur at any time. You can restrict updates to a specific daily time window (UTC) to align with your maintenance schedule.
  1. Navigate to Settings → Runners and select your runner
  2. Scroll to Runner Configuration
  3. Enable Set update window
  4. Select a Start hour and End hour (UTC). The window must be at least 2 hours long. Overnight windows are supported (e.g., 22:00 to 04:00 UTC).
  5. Click Save Configuration
    Runner configuration showing the update window settings with start and end hour selection
To remove the restriction and allow updates at any time, disable the Set update window toggle. When the toggle is off, the runner applies updates as soon as they are available.
The update window controls when routine automatic updates are applied. It does not affect manual infrastructure upgrades via Terraform.In rare cases, Ona may push a hotfix release that bypasses the update window. Hotfixes are reserved for fixes to functional degradation of the runner or critical security patches. You will be notified before a hotfix is applied.

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Updating Infrastructure

Certain updates, particularly those involving significant infrastructural changes, cannot be applied automatically. Follow these steps to apply updates:
  1. Navigate to your Terraform configuration directory: 
    cd gitpod-gcp-terraform
  2. Fetch the latest version of the Terraform module from GitHub: 
    git fetch origin
git pull origin main
    Alternatively, you can download the latest release from the GitHub repository.
  3. Re-initialize Terraform to update any provider or module dependencies: 
    terraform init -upgrade
  4. Review the planned changes before applying: 
    terraform plan -out=tfplan
    Carefully review the output for:
    • New resources being created
    • Resources being modified or replaced
    • Any unexpected deletions
  5. Apply the updates: 
    terraform apply tfplan
  6. Verify the runner status in the Ona dashboard under Settings → Runners to confirm the update was successful.