Self-Hosted Runners

Run builds on
your own infrastructure

Keep your data on your servers, leverage the Mac hardware you already own, and pay only for the Lycan platform — not for cloud compute minutes.

Why self-host your runners?

Full control without sacrificing developer experience.

Data stays on your servers

Build artefacts, source code, and signing certificates never leave your network. Meet GDPR, HIPAA, and internal data-residency requirements with zero compromise.

Use your own Mac hardware

Already invested in Mac minis or Mac Studios for iOS builds? Point them at Lycan and put that hardware to work. No cloud surcharges for Apple Silicon.

Pay only for the platform

Lycan charges for the platform, not the compute. Run as many concurrent builds as your hardware allows — no per-minute pricing, no surprise bills.

How it works

The self-hosted runner polls the Lycan API for jobs over HTTPS. Your code and artefacts stay on your machine.

┌─────────────────────────┐          HTTPS / WSS           ┌────────────────────────┐
  │                         │  ──────── job dispatch ──────▶  │                        │
  │    Lycan Cloud API      │                                  │   Your Self-Hosted     │
  │  (job queue, dashboard, │  ◀─── build logs & status ────  │       Runner           │
  │   artefact metadata)    │                                  │  (your Mac / Linux)    │
  └─────────────────────────┘                                  └────────────────────────┘
                                                                        │
                                                              ┌─────────▼──────────┐
                                                              │  Local storage:    │
                                                              │  - Source code     │
                                                              │  - Build artefacts │
                                                              │  - Signing certs   │
                                                              └────────────────────┘

  Note: artefacts are NEVER uploaded to Lycan servers unless you configure an S3
  integration for cloud distribution. Metadata (build status, logs) is sent to the API.

Set up in four steps

1

Install the runner binary

Run the one-line installer on any macOS or Linux machine. The runner is a single static binary with no external dependencies.

2

Register with an API token

Generate a runner registration token in the Lycan dashboard and register your machine. The runner authenticates with the Lycan API over HTTPS.

3

Configure your agent pool

Assign runners to agent pools (e.g., "iOS", "Android", "fast-lane") and target pools from your workflow YAML. Mix cloud and self-hosted in the same pipeline.

4

Start building

Trigger builds from a push, pull request, tag, or the Lycan dashboard. Jobs are dispatched to your runner in seconds — your code never leaves your network.

# Step 1 — Install

curl -sSL https://install.lycanx.com/runner | bash

# Step 2 — Register

lycan-runner register --token <your-token>

Supports macOS (Apple Silicon & Intel) and Linux (x86-64, arm64).

Common use cases

GDPR & data-residency requirements

Keep source code and artefacts within your EU or national boundary.

Existing Mac hardware

Maximise ROI on Mac minis or Mac Studios you already own.

On-premise mandate

Meet security policies that prohibit SaaS compute for production builds.

Cost optimisation

Replace expensive cloud macOS minutes with owned hardware at a predictable flat cost.

Self-hosted vs Cloud runners

FeatureSelf-HostedCloud (Lycan-managed)
Cost modelFlat platform fee + own hardwarePer-minute compute pricing
Setup time~15 minutesInstant (no setup)
Data residencyYour network, your rulesLycan-managed regions
MaintenanceRunner updates (one command)Zero — fully managed
ScaleLimited by your hardwareElastic — unlimited

Own your build infrastructure

Download the runner and have your first self-hosted build running in under 15 minutes.