semaphoreui/semaphore · error

docker executor is only available in the proprietary build

Error message

docker executor is only available in the proprietary build

What it means

In the open-source build of Semaphore, the Docker executor stub always returns this error. The real Docker executor implementation lives only in the proprietary build, so any attempt to instantiate a Docker executor provider from the OSS binary fails unconditionally.

Solutions

1. Switch the runner's executor-type config to 'local', the only executor supported in the open-source build
2. Obtain and deploy the proprietary Semaphore build, which contains the real Docker executor provider
3. If the proprietary build is already installed, verify the correct binary/path is being launched (an OSS binary may still be on PATH)

Example fix

# before (config.yml)
executor-type: docker
# after (open-source build)
executor-type: local

if resolveExecutorType(executorCfg) == util.ExecutorTypeDocker {
    return errors.New("docker executor requires the proprietary Semaphore build")
}

func isOSSBuild() bool { return buildFlavor == "oss" }
if isOSSBuild() && resolveExecutorType(cfg) == util.ExecutorTypeDocker { /* skip/reject */ }

When it happens

Trigger: Calling pro/services/tasks/docker.NewProvider (via newExecutorProvider in services/runners/executor_factory.go) when resolveExecutorType(executorCfg) resolves to util.ExecutorTypeDocker — i.e. the runner's executor-type config is 'docker' and the binary is the open-source build.

Common situations: An operator configures `executor-type: docker` (or `kubernetes`/`docker` in the runner config) on a self-hosted open-source Semaphore install, unaware Docker execution requires the proprietary (EE) build.

Related errors

• k8s executor is only available in the proprietary build
• OIDC sign-in failed: invalid redirect URL.
• err
• name can not be empty
• missing secret

AI-assisted analysis of semaphoreui/semaphore@1774ccb71a (2026-09-07). Data as JSON: /api/errors/6dd9dd2c5f1d0e30. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at pro/services/tasks/docker/config.go:22

// in via the top-level go.work file (or the go.mod replace directive), the same import
// path resolves to a fully functional provider that runs each task in an ephemeral
// container. In the open-source build this stub keeps the executor_factory and job_pool
// imports compiling while making it explicit that the "docker" runner executor type
// requires the proprietary build.
//
// The only entry point is NewProvider; it always fails so JobPool refuses to start
// and the operator sees a clear message in the logs.
package docker

import (
	"errors"

	"github.com/semaphoreui/semaphore/services/tasks"
	"github.com/semaphoreui/semaphore/util"
)

func NewProvider(_ util.RunnerDockerConfig) (tasks.ExecutorProvider, error) {
	return nil, errors.New("docker executor is only available in the proprietary build")
}

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