.github/workflows files stay unchanged. You choose where the jobs run: on your own machine, on servers you operate, or on hosts that register with GitHub.
Preloop ships as two products. You can use either one on its own.
Control plane
Run unmodified workflows locally or on your own infrastructure.
preloop run executes a workflow against your working tree, including uncommitted files. preloop serve runs the engine, which can start runs from GitHub pushes and pull requests through a GitHub App, and can pause a failed job so you can debug it.Runner
A standalone, drop-in replacement for
actions/runner. It registers with GitHub or a Preloop server, polls for jobs, and runs them on the host where it is installed. It needs no control plane, microVMs, or background services.
Where to go next
Quickstart
Install the CLI and run your first workflow locally.
Install
Requirements for macOS, Linux, and WSL2, and running the engine as a service.
Configuration
The config file, GitHub credentials, and secrets.
CLI reference
Every command and flag.
Compatibility
How closely Preloop matches GitHub Actions, and where it differs.
Comparison
How Preloop compares with other local and self-hosted CI tools.