GitHub Actions Service Containers

Run Docker containers (Redis, PostgreSQL, etc.) alongside workflow jobs for integration testing.

Not what you need? For building Docker container actions (Dockerfile + action.yml), see the github-docker-action skill.

Prerequisites

• Linux runners only (ubuntu-latest or self-hosted Linux with Docker)
• Service containers cannot be used inside composite actions
• Each service is created fresh per job and destroyed when the job completes

Job Type Decision Tree

Networking depends on whether your job runs in a container or on the runner: