Provide option to specify arguments for container jobs and services

[seanyoung]

When specifying service containers for a jobs, sometimes it is necessary to add command line arguments to the container. See this example: https://github.bokerqi.topmunity/t/how-do-i-properly-override-a-service-entrypoint/17435. Here it is useful to add --listen-client-urls http://0.0.0.0:2379 --advertise-client-urls http://0.0.0.0:2379 to the container start command line.

These arguments are simply passed after the image name on the docker create command line.

Here is another example of trying to add command line arguments to postgres: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/65438055/how-to-add-config-args-to-postgres-service-container-in-github-action

The options field cam be used to change the entrypoint of a container, but it is not possible to change the arguments.

Please let me know what else is required to make this mergable, thank you.

[seanyoung]

Another example is parity substrate. This container requires an argument, else an error is returned:

docker run --rm -it parity/substrate:latest
Error: Input("Please specify which chain you want to run, e.g. --dev or --chain=local")

vs

docker run --rm -it parity/substrate:latest --dev
2021-06-12 16:56:39  Running in --dev mode, RPC CORS has been disabled.    
2021-06-12 16:56:39  Substrate Node    
...

So without being able to add any arguments, it's impossible to have substrate as a service.

[abe-winter]

bumping this in case it moves it up the queue

in many cases, the 'local emulator' image for key cloud services can only be configured with command line parameters. this is a primary use-case for the services feature of actions

a user can work around that by building their own image with an overridden CMD/ENTRYPOINT, but it would be so much better for actions to expose this ability directly; it is core docker functionality

there are multiple requests for this out in the wild:

• Pass arguments to service containers #2276
• https://github.com/actions/runner/discussions/1872
• https://github.com/orgs/community/discussions/26688 override a service entrypoint

gitlab has had this for decades: https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/ci/docker/using_docker_images.html#override-the-entrypoint-of-an-image

[Blizter]

Hello,

Building, and Maintaining custom images everytime we want to pass a specific entrypoint is extremely painful.

Any news regarding the merge of this PR for passing custom CMD/entrypoints to container services?

[plutov]

Hey,

any update on this? Service containers are unusable to me as is without being able to override CMD.

[rob-apella]

bump - is this good to go? lgtm

[mmizutani]

@AllanGuigou @TingluoHuang @rentziass @benwells
Could you please assign a new reviewer for this highly anticipated but overlooked PR?
This PR requires re-approval for merge, but more than three years passed since the original reviewer approved this PR.

[jmalloc]

Hi maintainers, is there any chance of this proceeding?

[jannes-io]

Need this to run mysql to change flags and configuration.

--sql_mode=IGNORE_SPACE,NO_ZERO_IN_DATE,ERROR_FOR_DIVISION_BY_ZERO,NO_ENGINE_SUBSTITUTION --group_concat_max_len=16384 --max_allowed_packet=512M

[FabioDavidF]

Bump.

The fact that this is not already merged is weird. Passing args to docker container entrypoints is a basic feature and expected to be available by very common docker images like mysql.

[soenneker]

@seanyoung Have you heard from the maintainers at all on this?

[jbebe]

Bumping because the Azurite image doesn't even work without passing --blobHost 0.0.0.0 to it.

[slavik-pastushenko]

Do you have any idea when it will be merged?

[rwojsznis]

Jesus, this PR is from 2021?

[lostzsh]

Waiting for the merge

[dvaldivia]

it's approved, can this be merged?

[lostzsh]

Where is the merged???

[0xmaiev]

Where is this merged???

[jaeyson]

wow they probably had other reasons why this isn't merged yet

[ofirzyg]

merge this !!! much much needed!!

[jgnieuwhof]

Can we have any comment from the maintainers as to why this hasn't been merged?

It's such a basic use-case I'm shocked it wasn't in the initial release.

[aviallon]

Come on, I agree with the others, this is a trivial PR.

[soenneker]

@salmanmkc @ericsciple @TingluoHuang tagging for visibility

If not possible to merge in, perhaps we could get an explanation or we could seek changes?

Thanks

[stephen-totty-hpe]

It would be nice to get some feedback from maintainers on this PR

[petelah]

This PR would greatly improve the usability of containerised services in github actions. Any maintainers in the chat?

[sodabrew]

Happy New Year 2026!