What are GitLab runners and executors?
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Quick Answer
Runners are the agents that execute jobs; executors (docker, shell, kubernetes) define how each job runs.
Detailed Answer
A runner picks up jobs and runs them via an executor. The docker executor runs each job in a fresh container (clean, reproducible); the kubernetes executor spins up a pod per job; shell runs directly on the host (least isolated). Tags match jobs to specific runners.
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Interview Tip
Prefer docker/kubernetes executors for isolation.
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