Run GitHub CI in FreeBSD

Use this action to run your CI in FreeBSD.

The github workflow only supports Ubuntu, Windows and MacOS. But what if you need to use FreeBSD?

1. Example: test.yml:

name: Test

on: [push]

jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    name: A job to run test in FreeBSD
    env:
      MYTOKEN : ${{ secrets.MYTOKEN }}
      MYTOKEN2: "value2"
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
    - name: Test in FreeBSD
      id: test
      uses: vmactions/freebsd-vm@v1
      with:
        envs: 'MYTOKEN MYTOKEN2'
        usesh: true
        prepare: |
          pkg install -y curl

        run: |
          pwd
          ls -lah
          whoami
          env
          freebsd-version
          sysctl hw.model
          sysctl hw.ncpu
          sysctl hw.physmem
          sysctl hw.usermem

The latest major version is: v1, which is the most recommended to use. (You can also use the latest full version: v1.1.7)

If you are migrating from the previous v0, please change the runs-on: to runs-on: ubuntu-latest

The envs: 'MYTOKEN MYTOKEN2' is the env names that you want to pass into the vm.

The run: xxxxx is the command you want to run in the vm.

The env variables are all copied into the VM, and the source code and directory are all synchronized into the VM.

The working dir for run in the VM is the same as in the Host machine.

All the source code tree in the Host machine are mounted into the VM.

All the GITHUB_* as well as CI=true env variables are passed into the VM.

So, you will have the same directory and same default env variables when you run the CI script.

The default shell in FreeBSD(before 14.0) is csh, if you want to use sh to execute the run script, please set usesh to true.

2. Share code

The code is shared from the host to the VM via rsync by default, you can choose to use sshfs or nfs share code instead.

...

    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
    - name: Test
      id: test
      uses: vmactions/freebsd-vm@v1
      with:
        envs: 'MYTOKEN MYTOKEN2'
        usesh: true
        sync: sshfs  # or: nfs
        prepare: |
          pkg install -y curl



...

You can also set sync: no, so the files will not be synced to the VM.

When using rsync, you can define copyback: false to not copy files back from the VM in to the host.

...

    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
    - name: Test
      id: test
      uses: vmactions/freebsd-vm@v1
      with:
        envs: 'MYTOKEN MYTOKEN2'
        usesh: true
        sync: rsync
        copyback: false
        prepare: |
          pkg install -y curl



...

3. NAT from host runner to the VM

You can add NAT port between the host and the VM.

...
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
    - name: Test
      id: test
      uses: vmactions/freebsd-vm@v1
      with:
        envs: 'MYTOKEN MYTOKEN2'
        usesh: true
        nat: |
          "8080": "80"
          "8443": "443"
          udp:"8081": "80"
...

4. Set memory and cpu

The default memory of the VM is 6144MB, you can use mem option to set the memory size:

...
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
    - name: Test
      id: test
      uses: vmactions/freebsd-vm@v1
      with:
        envs: 'MYTOKEN MYTOKEN2'
        usesh: true
        mem: 4096
...

The VM is using all the cpu cores of the host by default, you can use cpu option to change the cpu cores:

...
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
    - name: Test
      id: test
      uses: vmactions/freebsd-vm@v1
      with:
        envs: 'MYTOKEN MYTOKEN2'
        usesh: true
        cpu: 3
...

5. Select release

It uses the FreeBSD 14.2 by default, you can use release option to use another version of FreeBSD:

...
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
    - name: Test
      id: test
      uses: vmactions/freebsd-vm@v1
      with:
        release: "15.0"
...

All the supported releases are here: FreeBSD 12.4, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4, 14.0, 14.1, 14.2-pre, 14.2, 15.0, test.releases See all here

6. Custom shell

Support custom shell:

...
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v4
    - name: Start VM
      id: vm
      uses: vmactions/freebsd-vm@v1
      with:
        sync: sshfs
    - name: Custom shell step 1
      shell: freebsd {0}
      run: |
        cd $GITHUB_WORKSPACE;
        pwd
        echo "this is step 1, running inside the VM"
    - name: Custom shell step 2
      shell: freebsd {0}
      run: |
        cd $GITHUB_WORKSPACE;
        pwd
        echo "this is step 2, running inside the VM"
...

Under the hood

We use Qemu and Libvirt to run the FreeBSD VM.

Upcoming features:

1. Runs on MacOS to use cpu accelaration.
2. Support ARM and other architecture.