Runner Installation
The Runner is the execution agent that performs the automated work. One Runner handles one execution at a time by default; install as many Runners as you need concurrent executions.
Requirements
- Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit) or Windows Server 2019+
- 2 CPU cores minimum (4 recommended)
- 4 GB RAM minimum (8 GB recommended)
- 2 GB free disk space, plus space for any files the workflows touch
- Outbound HTTPS access to the Hub
- An Operator or Developer login on the Hub to register the Runner
Install the Runner application
Download the installer
Download Exekra Setup.exe from the Customer Portal or the Hub dashboard. This is the same installer used for Studio.
Choose components
On the Choose Components page, tick Exekra Runner. Untick Studio if this is a Runner-only machine.
Choose an install directory
Accept the default (C:\Program Files\Exekra) or change it. Runner installs to a Runner\ subdirectory.
Launch the Runner
Open the Runner from the Start Menu. It opens in the system tray and shows a Disconnected status until you complete registration.
Register the Runner with the Hub
Open Runners > Register Runner in the Hub
Sign in to the Hub dashboard with an Operator or Developer account.
Name the Runner and click Register
Give the Runner a name that identifies its environment or purpose (for example Runner-Finance-01). Click Register to generate a Machine Key and Machine Secret.
Copy the Machine Key and Machine Secret
The secret is shown once. If you miss it, regenerate from the Runner's page after the Runner is created.
Enter the credentials in the Runner application
Open the Runner tray icon and paste the values into the connection dialog:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Hub URL | The HTTPS URL of your Hub (e.g. https://hub-server:8443) |
| Machine Key | The key generated when you registered the Runner |
| Machine Secret | The secret generated when you registered the Runner |
Click Connect
The Runner authenticates with the Hub and starts sending heartbeats. The Runner should appear as Online in the Hub's Runners page within a few seconds.
Running as a background service
For unattended automation, configure the Runner to start automatically with Windows. The Runner tray icon stays in the system tray and maintains the connection to the Hub. Workflows assigned to this Runner will execute automatically without user interaction.
After installation
- For administrative operations (rotating credentials, decommissioning Runners), see Runners deep dive.
- For configuring schedules, webhooks, and manual triggers, see Triggers.
- If the Runner does not connect, see Troubleshooting.
Was this page helpful?
A quick signal helps us prioritise improvements.