# Quick start

> Create an account, connect Hetzner and GitLab, start your first runner and run a job on it.

Source: https://managerunners.com/docs/quickstart/

This guide takes you from a new account to a CI/CD job running on your own runner. It takes about 15 minutes, most of it waiting for the server to start.

You need:

- A [Hetzner Cloud](https://console.hetzner.cloud) account.
- A GitLab project on GitLab.com or on your own GitLab instance, where you have the Maintainer or Owner role.
- An authenticator app for two-factor authentication.

## 1. Create your account

1. Open <https://app.managerunners.com/register>.
2. Enter your email address, given name, family name and a password. The password needs at least 8 characters with an uppercase letter, a lowercase letter, a number and a symbol.
3. Select **Create account**.
4. Scan the QR code with your authenticator app, enter the 6-digit code and select **Verify & Continue**.

Two-factor authentication is always on. You enter a code from your authenticator app every time you sign in.

## 2. Choose a plan

The dashboard opens **Billing** until your organization has an active plan. Choose a plan and complete the checkout. Every plan includes unlimited runners; [schedules](https://managerunners.com/docs/manual/schedules/) need Pro or Enterprise. See [Billing and plans](https://managerunners.com/docs/manual/billing/) and [pricing](https://managerunners.com/pricing/).

## 3. Create a Hetzner API token

Manage Runners creates and deletes servers in your Hetzner project, so it needs a token with read and write access.

1. In the [Hetzner Cloud Console](https://console.hetzner.cloud), create a project for your runners, for example `gitlab-runners`. A separate project keeps runner servers apart from your other infrastructure.
2. Open the project, go to **Security** > **API tokens** and generate a token with **Read & Write** permission.
3. Copy the token. Hetzner shows it only once.

Optional: to log in to the runner servers over SSH, add your public key under **Security** > **SSH keys** in the same project. You can select it when you create the runner.

See [Hetzner setup](https://managerunners.com/docs/manual/hetzner/) for details.

## 4. Create a GitLab runner and copy its token

GitLab issues a *runner authentication token* (it starts with `glrt-`) when you create a runner in the GitLab UI. Manage Runners uses this token. The older registration tokens are not used.

1. In your GitLab project, go to **Settings** > **CI/CD** and expand **Runners**.
2. Select **New project runner**.
3. Add the tags your jobs will use, for example `hetzner`, or select **Run untagged jobs**.
4. Select **Create runner** and copy the runner authentication token.

You can also create group or instance runners. See [GitLab setup](https://managerunners.com/docs/manual/gitlab/).

## 5. Create the runner

In the dashboard, select **Create Runner** and fill in the form:

| Field | What to enter |
| --- | --- |
| Name | A name with letters, numbers, spaces and dashes, for example `build-01`. |
| Product | The Hetzner server type. Each option shows the CPU architecture, vCPUs, RAM and disk. |
| Location | The Hetzner location. Each option shows Hetzner's monthly net list price. |
| Executor | `docker` for most projects. See [executors](https://managerunners.com/docs/manual/concepts/#executors). |
| Concurrency | How many jobs run at once. Selecting a product sets it to twice the vCPU count. |
| GitLab Host | `https://gitlab.com/`, or the base URL of your self-managed GitLab instance. |
| GitLab Runner Token | The `glrt-` token from step 4. |
| Hetzner Auth Token | The token from step 3. The form checks it and loads the project's SSH keys. |
| Hetzner SSH Keys | Optional keys for root access to the server. |
| Labels | Optional labels that are attached to the Hetzner server. |
| Resource monitoring | Optional CPU, RAM and disk charts. Requires an active plan. |

![The Create Runner form filled in with a Docker runner on a CPX31 server in Falkenstein](https://managerunners.com/docs/screenshots/create-runner-light.webp)

Select **Create**. The dashboard shows the runner as **Creating** while Hetzner starts the server, then **Configuring** while it installs GitLab Runner. After a few minutes it changes to **Active**.

![The dashboard with an active and a paused runner](https://managerunners.com/docs/screenshots/dashboard-light.webp)

If the runner shows **Invalid Gitlab Token** instead, GitLab rejected the token. Select **Fix** on the runner and paste a new one.

## 6. Run a job

In GitLab, the runner now appears under **Settings** > **CI/CD** > **Runners** as online. Add a job to `.gitlab-ci.yml` that uses its tag:

```yaml
hello:
  image: alpine:latest
  tags:
    - hetzner
  script:
    - echo "Running on my own Hetzner runner"
```

Commit the file. GitLab assigns the job to your runner. If you selected **Run untagged jobs**, the `tags` section is not needed.

## 7. Pause it when you don't need it

A runner costs Hetzner server time while it is active. Select **Pause** on the runner card to delete the server. The runner keeps its configuration and its IP addresses, so firewall rules and allow lists that mention them keep working. Select **Resume** to create a fresh server with the same settings.

To pause and resume automatically, for example outside working hours, set up a [schedule](https://managerunners.com/docs/manual/schedules/). Schedules need a Pro or Enterprise plan.

## Prefer the command line?

The same steps with the [manage-runners CLI](https://managerunners.com/docs/cli/), after the account and plan exist:

```sh
manage-runners auth login --scope runners:write
manage-runners product list
manage-runners product locations --id hz-cpx31

export HCLOUD_TOKEN GLRT_TOKEN   # set them from your secret manager
manage-runners runner create --name build-01 --product-id hz-cpx31 --location fsn1 \
  --executor docker --concurrency 8 --gitlab-host https://gitlab.com/ \
  --runner-token-env GLRT_TOKEN --hetzner-token-env HCLOUD_TOKEN --wait
```

See [Manage runners with the CLI](https://managerunners.com/docs/cli/runners/) for every option.

## Next steps

- Learn the [runner states](https://managerunners.com/docs/manual/concepts/#runner-states) and [which changes recreate the server](https://managerunners.com/docs/manual/concepts/#changes-that-recreate-the-server).
- Invite your team to an [organization](https://managerunners.com/docs/manual/organizations/).
- Create a [personal access token](https://managerunners.com/docs/manual/access-tokens/) for scripts and CI jobs.