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Update ARC quickstart authentication guidance#44450

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suzunn:docs-arc-github-app-auth-guidance
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Update ARC quickstart authentication guidance#44450
suzunn wants to merge 3 commits into
github:mainfrom
suzunn:docs-arc-github-app-auth-guidance

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@suzunn suzunn commented May 25, 2026

What changed

Updates the ARC quickstart to recommend GitHub App authentication for runner scale sets registered at the repository or organization level, while keeping the short setup example based on a classic PAT.

Also clarifies that runner scale sets registered at the enterprise level require classic PAT authentication, and aligns the GITHUB_PAT setup bullets with that token type.

Why

This addresses #37288 by nudging readers toward the more production-ready GitHub App authentication path where it is supported, while avoiding ambiguity for enterprise-level runner scale sets.

Testing

  • Ran npm run lint-content -- --paths content/actions/tutorials/use-actions-runner-controller/get-started.md
  • Pre-commit hook also ran npm run lint-content -- --precommit --paths C:/_Dev/Code/open-sources/docs/content/actions/tutorials/use-actions-runner-controller/get-started.md

Closes #37288

AI-assisted-by: Codex

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings May 25, 2026 19:57
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github-actions Bot commented May 25, 2026

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Source Review Production What Changed
actions/tutorials/use-actions-runner-controller/get-started.md fpt
ghec
ghes@ 3.21 3.20 3.19 3.18 3.17 3.16
fpt
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ghes@ 3.21 3.20 3.19 3.18 3.17 3.16

Key: fpt: Free, Pro, Team; ghec: GitHub Enterprise Cloud; ghes: GitHub Enterprise Server

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@github-actions github-actions Bot added the triage Do not begin working on this issue until triaged by the team label May 25, 2026
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Pull request overview

Note

Copilot was unable to run its full agentic suite in this review.

Updates the ARC “Get started” documentation to better guide users toward the appropriate authentication method (GitHub App vs PAT) and clarifies that the walkthrough uses a PAT for brevity.

Changes:

  • Replaces PAT-only guidance with method selection guidance (GitHub App recommended for repo/org; PAT required for enterprise).
  • Adds a note explaining the example uses a PAT to keep setup short and recommends GitHub App for production when possible.

For additional Helm configuration options, see [`values.yaml`](https://github.com/actions/actions-runner-controller/blob/master/charts/gha-runner-scale-set-controller/values.yaml) in the ARC documentation.

1. To enable ARC to authenticate to {% data variables.product.company_short %}, generate a {% data variables.product.pat_v1 %}. For more information, see [AUTOTITLE](/actions/hosting-your-own-runners/managing-self-hosted-runners-with-actions-runner-controller/authenticating-to-the-github-api#deploying-using-personal-access-token-classic-authentication).
1. To enable ARC to authenticate to {% data variables.product.company_short %}, choose an authentication method for your runner scale set. If you are registering runners at the repository or organization level, we recommend authenticating with a {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %}. Enterprise-level runners require {% data variables.product.pat_v1 %} authentication. For more information, see [AUTOTITLE](/actions/hosting-your-own-runners/managing-self-hosted-runners-with-actions-runner-controller/authenticating-to-the-github-api).
* Update the `INSTALLATION_NAME` value carefully. You will use the installation name as the value of `runs-on` in your workflows. For more information, see [AUTOTITLE](/actions/using-workflows/workflow-syntax-for-github-actions#jobsjob_idruns-on).
* Update the `NAMESPACE` value to the location you want the runner pods to be created.
* Set `GITHUB_CONFIG_URL` to the URL of your repository, organization, or enterprise. This is the entity that the runners will belong to.
* This example uses a {% data variables.product.pat_generic %} to keep the initial setup short. For repository or organization runner scale sets, use a {% data variables.product.prodname_github_app %} in production environments when possible.
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"Quickstart for Actions Runner Controller" recommends using a legacy user PAT for setting up ARC, which is poor practice

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