feat: add size-based cache eviction (#1170)

The cache server retired entries 30 days after creation regardless of use, so a job that ran often enough to keep its cache warm still lost it on a fixed schedule. Nothing bounded the disk either.

Retention now counts from last access alone, and a repository over its limit sheds least recently accessed entries until it fits, enforced on commit as well as on the periodic sweep.

```yaml
cache:
  retention: 168h        # remove entries not accessed for seven days
  repo_size_limit: 10GB  # cap each repository
  size_limit: 0          # cap the whole cache, off by default
  sweep_interval: 1h     # minimum time between sweeps
```

Sizes accept `10GB`, `512mb`, `1TiB` or a plain byte count, binary either way. Leave a key out for its default; `0` turns a limit off, and `0s` does the same for `retention`. Whatever these allow, the cache also sheds entries to keep free space above `health_check.min_free_disk_space_mb` when health checks are enabled, so it cannot grow past the point where the runner stops accepting work.

Supporting fixes: serving an entry stamps its access time, so a find cannot hand a job a download URL for an entry the next eviction is about to remove; an entry larger than the limit is dropped on its own account rather than emptying its repository to make room; and a blob that cannot be unlinked keeps its row, so the next sweep retries instead of orphaning bytes no limit can account for.

Closes https://gitea.com/gitea/runner/issues/1168

---------

Co-authored-by: silverwind <me@silverwind.io>
Reviewed-on: https://gitea.com/gitea/runner/pulls/1170
Reviewed-by: silverwind <2021+silverwind@noreply.gitea.com>

README.md

@@ -273,6 +273,12 @@ A password in a proxy URL is hidden in job logs. Any step can still read it, bec
 
 Each runner starts its own cache server automatically. Cache entries are local to that runner — runners do not share a cache by default.
 
+**Eviction**
+
+An entry nothing has read or written for `retention` is removed, and a repository past `repo_size_limit` loses its least recently accessed entries until it fits; `size_limit` caps the whole cache the same way. Age alone never retires an entry still in use, and whatever these allow, the cache keeps free space above `health_check.min_free_disk_space_mb` when health checks are enabled.
+
+These apply where the cache server runs, so on a shared server they belong in *its* config, not the runners'. See `retention`, `repo_size_limit`, `size_limit` and `sweep_interval` in [config.example.yaml](internal/pkg/config/config.example.yaml) for units and defaults.
+
 **Cache service v2**
 
 `actions/cache@v4.2` and later can use the *cache service v2* API. The runner serves it from the same store as v1, on by default, and it works with `external_server`. Turn it off with:

act/artifactcache/handler.go

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 package artifactcache
 
 import (
+	"cmp"
 	"context"
 	"crypto/hmac"
 	"crypto/rand"
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
+	"slices"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
@@ -27,6 +29,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/act/common"
+	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/internal/pkg/disk"
 
 	"github.com/julienschmidt/httprouter"
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
@@ -103,19 +106,38 @@ type Handler struct {
 
 	credMu sync.RWMutex
 	creds  map[string]*credEntry
+
+	policy Policy
+
+	// freeDisk is a field so tests can drive evictForFreeSpace without a full volume.
+	freeDisk func(string) (uint64, error)
+}
+
+// Options configures a cache server started by StartHandler; the zero value is usable.
+type Options struct {
+	Dir        string
+	OutboundIP string
+	Port       uint16
+
+	// InternalSecret, when non-empty, enables a control-plane API at
+	// /_internal/{register,revoke} that lets a remote runner pre-register the
+	// per-job ACTIONS_RUNTIME_TOKENs it expects this server to honor. The
+	// embedded in-process handler leaves it empty and registers tokens via the
+	// in-process RegisterJob method directly.
+	InternalSecret string
+
+	Policy Policy
+	Logger logrus.FieldLogger
 }
 
 // StartHandler opens the on-disk cache store and starts the HTTP server.
-//
-// internalSecret, when non-empty, enables a control-plane API at
-// /_internal/{register,revoke} that lets a remote runner pre-register the
-// per-job ACTIONS_RUNTIME_TOKENs it expects this server to honor. The
-// embedded in-process handler leaves it empty and registers tokens via the
-// in-process RegisterJob method directly.
-func StartHandler(dir, outboundIP string, port uint16, internalSecret string, logger logrus.FieldLogger) (*Handler, error) {
+func StartHandler(opts Options) (*Handler, error) {
+	dir, logger := opts.Dir, opts.Logger
 	h := &Handler{
 		creds:          make(map[string]*credEntry),
-		internalSecret: internalSecret,
+		internalSecret: opts.InternalSecret,
+		policy:         opts.Policy.withDefaults(),
+		freeDisk:       disk.FreeBytes,
 	}
 
 	if logger == nil {
@@ -145,8 +167,8 @@ func StartHandler(dir, outboundIP string, port uint16, internalSecret string, lo
 	}
 	h.storage = storage
 
-	if outboundIP != "" {
-		h.outboundIP = outboundIP
+	if opts.OutboundIP != "" {
+		h.outboundIP = opts.OutboundIP
 	} else if ip := common.GetOutboundIP(); ip == nil {
 		return nil, errors.New("unable to determine outbound IP address")
 	} else {
@@ -185,7 +207,7 @@ func StartHandler(dir, outboundIP string, port uint16, internalSecret string, lo
 	// can break Docker Desktop variants where the host's outbound IP is not
 	// routable from inside the container network. Authentication is enforced
 	// by the bearer middleware and per-repo scoping, not by reachability.
-	listener, err := net.Listen("tcp", fmt.Sprintf(":%d", port))
+	listener, err := net.Listen("tcp", fmt.Sprintf(":%d", opts.Port))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -390,6 +412,9 @@ func (h *Handler) lookupCache(db *bolthold.Store, repo string, keys []string, ve
 		_ = db.Delete(cache.ID, cache)
 		return nil, nil //nolint:nilnil // absence is not an error here
 	}
+	// Handing out a download URL counts as access, or eviction could drop the entry between
+	// this call and the GET that follows it.
+	h.touch(db, cache)
 	return cache, nil
 }
 
@@ -527,13 +552,22 @@ func (h *Handler) commitCache(cache *Cache) error {
 	// write real size back to cache, it may be different from the current value when the request doesn't specify it.
 	cache.Size = written
 	cache.Complete = true
+	cache.UsedAt = time.Now().Unix() // a just-written entry counts as accessed, so it cannot be its own eviction victim
 
 	db, err := h.openDB()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	defer db.Close()
-	return db.Update(cache.ID, cache)
+	if err := db.Update(cache.ID, cache); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	// A commit is the only thing that grows the store, so the only thing that can push the
+	// volume under the floor.
+	h.evictRepo(db, cache.Repo)
+	h.evictTotal(db)
+	h.evictForFreeSpace(db)
+	return nil
 }
 
 // GET /_apis/artifactcache/artifacts/:id
@@ -821,12 +855,43 @@ func (h *Handler) touchCache(id uint64, requireIncomplete bool) error {
 }
 
 const (
-	keepUsed   = 30 * 24 * time.Hour
-	keepUnused = 7 * 24 * time.Hour
-	keepTemp   = 5 * time.Minute
-	keepOld    = 5 * time.Minute
+	miB = 1024 * 1024
+
+	defaultSweepInterval = time.Hour
+
+	// inUseGrace matches artifactURLTTL so an entry outlives every signed URL still usable
+	// for it, and no sweep cuts off a download in progress.
+	inUseGrace = artifactURLTTL
+
+	// uploadStallTimeout is how long a reservation may sit without a chunk before it counts
+	// as abandoned. Widening it also widens the window for findExactCache to hand a finalize
+	// a stale reservation.
+	uploadStallTimeout = 5 * time.Minute
+
+	defaultMinFreeDisk = 1024 * miB
 )
 
+// Policy bounds what the cache server keeps: a retention window counted from last access,
+// and size limits that evict least recently accessed first. A zero limit is no limit.
+type Policy struct {
+	Retention     time.Duration // Retention removes entries nothing has read or written within this window. Zero keeps them regardless of age.
+	RepoSizeLimit int64         // RepoSizeLimit caps one repository's completed entries in bytes, evicting least recently accessed first.
+	SizeLimit     int64         // SizeLimit caps every repository's completed entries together, in bytes.
+	SweepInterval time.Duration // SweepInterval is the minimum time between two eviction sweeps.
+	MinFreeDisk   int64         // MinFreeDisk is volume headroom the cache will not eat into. Tracks the runner's health-check floor rather than taking a key of its own.
+}
+
+func (p Policy) withDefaults() Policy {
+	// The limits default in config.LoadDefault, so a written 0 means off.
+	if p.MinFreeDisk <= 0 {
+		p.MinFreeDisk = defaultMinFreeDisk
+	}
+	if p.SweepInterval <= 0 {
+		p.SweepInterval = defaultSweepInterval
+	}
+	return p
+}
+
 func (h *Handler) gcCache() {
 	if h.gcing.Load() {
 		return
@@ -836,7 +901,7 @@ func (h *Handler) gcCache() {
 	}
 	defer h.gcing.Store(false)
 
-	if time.Since(h.gcAt) < time.Hour {
+	if time.Since(h.gcAt) < h.policy.SweepInterval {
 		h.logger.Debugf("skip gc: %v", h.gcAt.String())
 		return
 	}
@@ -849,95 +914,208 @@ func (h *Handler) gcCache() {
 	}
 	defer db.Close()
 
-	// Remove the caches which are not completed for a while, they are most likely to be broken.
-	var caches []*Cache
-	if err := db.Find(&caches, bolthold.
-		Where("UsedAt").Lt(time.Now().Add(-keepTemp).Unix()).
-		And("Complete").Eq(false),
-	); err != nil {
-		h.logger.Warnf("find caches: %v", err)
-	} else {
-		for _, cache := range caches {
-			h.storage.Remove(cache.ID)
-			if err := db.Delete(cache.ID, cache); err != nil {
-				h.logger.Warnf("delete cache: %v", err)
-				continue
-			}
-			h.logger.Infof("deleted cache: %+v", cache)
-		}
+	h.evictIncomplete(db)
+	h.evictExpired(db)
+	h.evictSuperseded(db)
+	h.evictOversized(db)
+	h.evictForFreeSpace(db)
+}
+
+// evictForFreeSpace bounds the volume itself, so it also covers bytes the cache never
+// accounted for.
+func (h *Handler) evictForFreeSpace(db *bolthold.Store) {
+	free, err := h.freeDisk(h.dir)
+	if err != nil {
+		h.logger.Debugf("free disk check: %v", err) // unsupported platform, treat as unavailable rather than full
+		return
+	}
+	if free >= uint64(h.policy.MinFreeDisk) {
+		return
 	}
 
-	// Remove the old caches which have not been used recently.
-	caches = caches[:0]
-	if err := db.Find(&caches, bolthold.
-		Where("UsedAt").Lt(time.Now().Add(-keepUnused).Unix()),
-	); err != nil {
-		h.logger.Warnf("find caches: %v", err)
-	} else {
-		for _, cache := range caches {
-			h.storage.Remove(cache.ID)
-			if err := db.Delete(cache.ID, cache); err != nil {
-				h.logger.Warnf("delete cache: %v", err)
-				continue
-			}
-			h.logger.Infof("deleted cache: %+v", cache)
-		}
+	caches := h.completedByUse(db)
+	total, shortfall := totalSize(caches), h.policy.MinFreeDisk-int64(free)
+	if total <= shortfall {
+		// Say so, or shedding everything and still being short reads as the backstop working.
+		h.logger.Warnf("cache volume is %d MiB short of the free space floor with only %d MiB of cache on it; something else is filling it", shortfall/miB, total/miB)
 	}
+	h.evictTo(db, caches, total-shortfall, "the cache volume")
+}
 
-	// Remove the old caches which are too old.
-	caches = caches[:0]
-	if err := db.Find(&caches, bolthold.
-		Where("CreatedAt").Lt(time.Now().Add(-keepUsed).Unix()),
-	); err != nil {
-		h.logger.Warnf("find caches: %v", err)
-	} else {
-		for _, cache := range caches {
-			h.storage.Remove(cache.ID)
-			if err := db.Delete(cache.ID, cache); err != nil {
-				h.logger.Warnf("delete cache: %v", err)
-				continue
-			}
-			h.logger.Infof("deleted cache: %+v", cache)
-		}
+// evictIncomplete removes uploads that stopped part way, which are most likely broken.
+func (h *Handler) evictIncomplete(db *bolthold.Store) {
+	h.sweep(db, bolthold.
+		Where("UsedAt").Lt(time.Now().Add(-uploadStallTimeout).Unix()).
+		And("Complete").Eq(false).
+		Index("UsedAt"))
+}
+
+func (h *Handler) evictExpired(db *bolthold.Store) {
+	if h.policy.Retention <= 0 {
+		return
 	}
+	// Never below inUseGrace, or a short retention would outrun a signed URL already issued.
+	window := max(h.policy.Retention, inUseGrace)
+	h.sweep(db, bolthold.Where("UsedAt").Lt(time.Now().Add(-window).Unix()).Index("UsedAt"))
+}
 
-	// Remove the old caches with the same key and version within the same
-	// repository, keep the latest one. Aggregation must include Repo so two
-	// repos that happen to share a (key, version) do not evict each other —
-	// otherwise per-repo scoping holds for reads but one repo can age
-	// another out after keepOld.
-	// Also keep the olds which have been used recently for a while in case of the cache is still in use.
-	if results, err := db.FindAggregate(
-		&Cache{},
-		bolthold.Where("Complete").Eq(true),
-		"Repo", "Key", "Version",
-	); err != nil {
+// evictSuperseded removes entries a newer one with the same key and version replaced. The
+// aggregation includes Repo so two repos sharing a (key, version) do not evict each other.
+func (h *Handler) evictSuperseded(db *bolthold.Store) {
+	results, err := db.FindAggregate(&Cache{}, bolthold.Where("Complete").Eq(true).Index("Complete"), "Repo", "Key", "Version")
+	if err != nil {
 		h.logger.Warnf("find aggregate caches: %v", err)
-	} else {
-		for _, result := range results {
-			if result.Count() <= 1 {
+		return
+	}
+	var caches []*Cache
+	for _, result := range results {
+		if result.Count() <= 1 {
+			continue
+		}
+		result.Sort("CreatedAt")
+		caches = caches[:0]
+		result.Reduction(&caches)
+		for _, cache := range caches[:len(caches)-1] {
+			if inUse(cache) {
 				continue
 			}
-			result.Sort("CreatedAt")
-			caches = caches[:0]
-			result.Reduction(&caches)
-			for _, cache := range caches[:len(caches)-1] {
-				if time.Since(time.Unix(cache.UsedAt, 0)) < keepOld {
-					// Keep it since it has been used recently, even if it's old.
-					// Or it could break downloading in process.
-					continue
-				}
-				h.storage.Remove(cache.ID)
-				if err := db.Delete(cache.ID, cache); err != nil {
-					h.logger.Warnf("delete cache: %v", err)
-					continue
-				}
-				h.logger.Infof("deleted cache: %+v", cache)
-			}
+			h.deleteCache(db, cache)
 		}
 	}
 }
 
+// evictOversized applies the per-repository limit, then the whole-store one. Only completed
+// entries count, since only those carry a size measured at commit rather than claimed.
+func (h *Handler) evictOversized(db *bolthold.Store) {
+	if h.policy.RepoSizeLimit > 0 {
+		byRepo := make(map[string][]*Cache)
+		for _, cache := range h.completedByUse(db) {
+			byRepo[cache.Repo] = append(byRepo[cache.Repo], cache)
+		}
+		for repo, caches := range byRepo {
+			h.evictTo(db, caches, h.policy.RepoSizeLimit, "repository "+repo)
+		}
+	}
+	h.evictTotal(db)
+}
+
+// evictTotal caps the store as a whole. It re-queries because the per-repo pass may have
+// deleted rows an earlier result still holds.
+func (h *Handler) evictTotal(db *bolthold.Store) {
+	if h.policy.SizeLimit <= 0 {
+		return
+	}
+	h.evictTo(db, h.completedByUse(db), h.policy.SizeLimit, "the cache")
+}
+
+// evictRepo reclaims space when a commit pushes a repo over, rather than at the next sweep.
+func (h *Handler) evictRepo(db *bolthold.Store, repo string) {
+	if h.policy.RepoSizeLimit <= 0 {
+		return
+	}
+	h.evictTo(db, h.cachesByUse(db, bolthold.Where("Repo").Eq(repo).And("Complete").Eq(true).Index("Repo")), h.policy.RepoSizeLimit, "repository "+repo)
+}
+
+// evictTo deletes until caches fit limit. caches must be ordered by UsedAt ascending.
+func (h *Handler) evictTo(db *bolthold.Store, caches []*Cache, limit int64, scope string) {
+	// An entry bigger than the limit never fits, so it goes on its own account instead of
+	// dragging every neighbour out first and then following them next sweep.
+	fits := caches[:0]
+	for _, cache := range caches {
+		if cache.Size <= limit {
+			fits = append(fits, cache)
+			continue
+		}
+		if !inUse(cache) {
+			h.logger.Warnf("cache %q is %d MiB on its own, over the limit for %s; dropping it", cache.Key, cache.Size/miB, scope)
+			h.deleteCache(db, cache)
+		}
+	}
+	caches = fits
+
+	total := totalSize(caches)
+	var freed int64
+	for _, cache := range caches {
+		if total <= limit {
+			break
+		}
+		if inUse(cache) || !h.deleteCache(db, cache) {
+			continue
+		}
+		total -= cache.Size
+		freed += cache.Size
+	}
+	if freed > 0 {
+		h.logger.Warnf("evicted %d MiB from %s, least recently used first", freed/miB, scope)
+	}
+}
+
+// inUse reports whether an entry was read or written recently enough that removing it
+// could break a download in progress.
+func inUse(cache *Cache) bool {
+	return time.Since(time.Unix(cache.UsedAt, 0)) < inUseGrace
+}
+
+// touch stamps UsedAt through the caller's store, a bolt write on the read path. It cannot
+// go through touchCache, which opens its own store and would block on the exclusive lock
+// for as long as the caller holds one.
+func (h *Handler) touch(db *bolthold.Store, cache *Cache) {
+	cache.UsedAt = time.Now().Unix()
+	if err := db.Update(cache.ID, cache); err != nil {
+		h.logger.Warnf("touch cache: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func (h *Handler) sweep(db *bolthold.Store, query *bolthold.Query) {
+	for _, cache := range h.caches(db, query) {
+		h.deleteCache(db, cache)
+	}
+}
+
+func (h *Handler) caches(db *bolthold.Store, query *bolthold.Query) []*Cache {
+	var caches []*Cache
+	if err := db.Find(&caches, query); err != nil {
+		h.logger.Warnf("find caches: %v", err)
+	}
+	return caches
+}
+
+// cachesByUse returns matches least recently accessed first, sorting here rather than with
+// bolthold's SortBy, which reflects over every field it compares.
+func (h *Handler) cachesByUse(db *bolthold.Store, query *bolthold.Query) []*Cache {
+	caches := h.caches(db, query)
+	slices.SortFunc(caches, func(a, b *Cache) int { return cmp.Compare(a.UsedAt, b.UsedAt) })
+	return caches
+}
+
+// completedByUse returns every entry the size limits count, least recently accessed first.
+func (h *Handler) completedByUse(db *bolthold.Store) []*Cache {
+	return h.cachesByUse(db, bolthold.Where("Complete").Eq(true).Index("Complete"))
+}
+
+func totalSize(caches []*Cache) int64 {
+	var total int64
+	for _, cache := range caches {
+		total += cache.Size
+	}
+	return total
+}
+
+// deleteCache drops an entry and its bytes, reporting whether it went fully. The blob goes
+// first, so a failed unlink leaves the row for the next sweep instead of orphaning bytes.
+func (h *Handler) deleteCache(db *bolthold.Store, cache *Cache) bool {
+	if err := h.storage.Remove(cache.ID); err != nil {
+		h.logger.Warnf("remove cache blob: %v", err)
+		return false
+	}
+	if err := db.Delete(cache.ID, cache); err != nil {
+		h.logger.Warnf("delete cache: %v", err)
+		return false
+	}
+	h.logger.Infof("deleted cache: %+v", cache)
+	return true
+}
+
 func (h *Handler) responseJSON(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, code int, v ...any) {
 	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json; charset=utf-8")
 	var data []byte

act/artifactcache/handler_test.go

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"crypto/rand"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
@@ -41,6 +42,9 @@ func (b *bearerTransport) RoundTrip(r *http.Request) (*http.Response, error) {
 
 var testClient = &http.Client{Transport: &bearerTransport{token: testToken}}
 
+// testRetention mirrors config.DefaultCacheRetention; Policy has no defaults of its own.
+const testRetention = 7 * 24 * time.Hour
+
 // signArtifactURL builds a signed download URL the same way the server does;
 // tests use it to reach the get handler directly without going through a
 // find/cache-hit round trip.
@@ -50,7 +54,7 @@ func signArtifactURL(h *Handler, id int64) string {
 
 func TestHandler(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache")
-	handler, err := StartHandler(dir, "", 0, "", nil)
+	handler, err := StartHandler(Options{Dir: dir})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	handler.RegisterJob(testToken, JobCredential{Repo: testRepo})
 
@@ -656,7 +660,7 @@ func backdateCache(t *testing.T, handler *Handler, key string, age time.Duration
 	require.NoError(t, db.Update(caches[0].ID, caches[0]))
 }
 
-func uploadCacheNormally(t *testing.T, base, key, version string, content []byte) { //nolint:unparam // pre-existing issue from nektos/act
+func uploadCacheNormally(t *testing.T, base, key, version string, content []byte) {
 	var id uint64
 	{
 		body, err := json.Marshal(&Request{
@@ -722,7 +726,7 @@ func uploadCacheNormally(t *testing.T, base, key, version string, content []byte
 
 func TestHandler_gcCache(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache")
-	handler, err := StartHandler(dir, "", 0, "", nil)
+	handler, err := StartHandler(Options{Dir: dir, Policy: Policy{Retention: testRetention}})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	defer func() {
@@ -752,8 +756,8 @@ func TestHandler_gcCache(t *testing.T) {
 				Key:       "test_key_2",
 				Version:   "test_version",
 				Complete:  false,
-				UsedAt:    now.Add(-(keepTemp + time.Second)).Unix(),
-				CreatedAt: now.Add(-(keepTemp + time.Hour)).Unix(),
+				UsedAt:    now.Add(-(inUseGrace + time.Second)).Unix(),
+				CreatedAt: now.Add(-(inUseGrace + time.Hour)).Unix(),
 			},
 			Kept: false,
 		},
@@ -763,21 +767,21 @@ func TestHandler_gcCache(t *testing.T) {
 				Key:       "test_key_3",
 				Version:   "test_version",
 				Complete:  true,
-				UsedAt:    now.Add(-(keepUnused + time.Second)).Unix(),
-				CreatedAt: now.Add(-(keepUnused + time.Hour)).Unix(),
+				UsedAt:    now.Add(-(testRetention + time.Second)).Unix(),
+				CreatedAt: now.Add(-(testRetention + time.Hour)).Unix(),
 			},
 			Kept: false,
 		},
 		{
-			// should be removed, since it's used but too old.
+			// should be kept, since age alone does not retire an entry that is still used.
 			Cache: &Cache{
 				Key:       "test_key_3",
 				Version:   "test_version",
 				Complete:  true,
 				UsedAt:    now.Unix(),
-				CreatedAt: now.Add(-(keepUsed + time.Second)).Unix(),
+				CreatedAt: now.Add(-365 * 24 * time.Hour).Unix(),
 			},
-			Kept: false,
+			Kept: true,
 		},
 		{
 			// should be kept, since it has a newer edition but be used recently.
@@ -785,7 +789,7 @@ func TestHandler_gcCache(t *testing.T) {
 				Key:       "test_key_1",
 				Version:   "test_version",
 				Complete:  true,
-				UsedAt:    now.Add(-(keepOld - time.Minute)).Unix(),
+				UsedAt:    now.Add(-(inUseGrace - time.Minute)).Unix(),
 				CreatedAt: now.Add(-(time.Hour + time.Second)).Unix(),
 			},
 			Kept: true,
@@ -796,7 +800,7 @@ func TestHandler_gcCache(t *testing.T) {
 				Key:       "test_key_1",
 				Version:   "test_version",
 				Complete:  true,
-				UsedAt:    now.Add(-(keepOld + time.Second)).Unix(),
+				UsedAt:    now.Add(-(inUseGrace + time.Second)).Unix(),
 				CreatedAt: now.Add(-(time.Hour + time.Second)).Unix(),
 			},
 			Kept: false,
@@ -829,11 +833,265 @@ func TestHandler_gcCache(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, db.Close())
 }
 
+// TestHandler_evictPolicy covers the non-default policies; TestHandler_gcCache covers the
+// defaults across every pass.
+func TestHandler_evictPolicy(t *testing.T) {
+	now := time.Now()
+	stale := func(d time.Duration) int64 { return now.Add(-d).Unix() }
+	mib := func(n int64) int64 { return n * miB }
+
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		name    string
+		policy  Policy
+		entries []*Cache
+		kept    []string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:   "a zero retention keeps an entry nothing has touched",
+			policy: Policy{Retention: 0},
+			entries: []*Cache{
+				{Key: "idle", UsedAt: stale(testRetention + time.Hour)},
+			},
+			kept: []string{"idle"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:   "evicts least recently accessed until the repository fits",
+			policy: Policy{RepoSizeLimit: mib(10)},
+			entries: []*Cache{
+				{Repo: "o/a", Key: "oldest", Size: mib(4), UsedAt: stale(3 * time.Hour)},
+				{Repo: "o/a", Key: "middle", Size: mib(4), UsedAt: stale(2 * time.Hour)},
+				{Repo: "o/a", Key: "newest", Size: mib(4), UsedAt: stale(time.Hour)},
+			},
+			kept: []string{"middle", "newest"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:   "spares entries that may still be downloading",
+			policy: Policy{RepoSizeLimit: mib(10)},
+			entries: []*Cache{
+				{Repo: "o/a", Key: "fresh_1", Size: mib(6), UsedAt: stale(time.Minute)},
+				{Repo: "o/a", Key: "fresh_2", Size: mib(6), UsedAt: stale(time.Minute)},
+			},
+			kept: []string{"fresh_1", "fresh_2"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:   "one repository over its limit leaves another alone",
+			policy: Policy{RepoSizeLimit: mib(10)},
+			entries: []*Cache{
+				{Repo: "o/a", Key: "a_old", Size: mib(6), UsedAt: stale(3 * time.Hour)},
+				{Repo: "o/a", Key: "a_new", Size: mib(6), UsedAt: stale(time.Hour)},
+				{Repo: "o/b", Key: "b_old", Size: mib(6), UsedAt: stale(4 * time.Hour)},
+			},
+			kept: []string{"a_new", "b_old"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:   "the total limit evicts across repositories once each fits its own",
+			policy: Policy{RepoSizeLimit: mib(10), SizeLimit: mib(12)},
+			entries: []*Cache{
+				{Repo: "o/a", Key: "a_old", Size: mib(8), UsedAt: stale(3 * time.Hour)},
+				{Repo: "o/b", Key: "b_new", Size: mib(8), UsedAt: stale(time.Hour)},
+			},
+			kept: []string{"b_new"},
+		},
+		{
+			// Retention below inUseGrace would otherwise drop an entry whose signed URL a job
+			// is still holding.
+			name:   "a retention shorter than the grace still spares a just-served entry",
+			policy: Policy{Retention: time.Minute},
+			entries: []*Cache{
+				{Key: "just_served", UsedAt: stale(2 * time.Minute)},
+				{Key: "idle", UsedAt: stale(time.Hour)},
+			},
+			kept: []string{"just_served"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:   "an entry over the limit goes without emptying the repository",
+			policy: Policy{RepoSizeLimit: mib(10)},
+			entries: []*Cache{
+				{Repo: "o/a", Key: "keeps", Size: mib(4), UsedAt: stale(3 * time.Hour)},
+				{Repo: "o/a", Key: "huge", Size: mib(20), UsedAt: stale(2 * time.Hour)},
+			},
+			kept: []string{"keeps"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:   "a zero limit keeps everything",
+			policy: Policy{RepoSizeLimit: 0},
+			entries: []*Cache{
+				{Repo: "o/a", Key: "huge_1", Size: mib(100), UsedAt: stale(3 * time.Hour)},
+				{Repo: "o/a", Key: "huge_2", Size: mib(100), UsedAt: stale(2 * time.Hour)},
+			},
+			kept: []string{"huge_1", "huge_2"},
+		},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			for _, e := range tc.entries {
+				e.Complete = true // only completed entries carry a measured size, so only they count
+			}
+			handler := newTestHandler(t, tc.policy, tc.entries...)
+			handler.gcAt = time.Time{} // ensure gcCache will not skip
+			handler.gcCache()
+			assert.ElementsMatch(t, tc.kept, keptKeys(t, handler, tc.entries))
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// TestHandler_evictForFreeSpace proves the volume backstop sheds only what it must, and only
+// when the disk is actually short.
+func TestHandler_evictForFreeSpace(t *testing.T) {
+	free := func(n int64) func(string) (uint64, error) {
+		return func(string) (uint64, error) { return uint64(n), nil }
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		name     string
+		freeDisk func(string) (uint64, error)
+		kept     []string
+	}{
+		{"ample free space evicts nothing", free(defaultMinFreeDisk), []string{"oldest", "middle", "newest"}},
+		{"a small shortfall sheds one entry", free(defaultMinFreeDisk - 4*miB), []string{"middle", "newest"}},
+		{"a shortfall the cache cannot cover sheds all of it", free(0), nil},
+		{
+			"an unreadable volume is treated as unavailable, not as full",
+			func(string) (uint64, error) { return 0, errors.New("unsupported") },
+			[]string{"oldest", "middle", "newest"},
+		},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			now := time.Now()
+			entries := []*Cache{
+				{Key: "oldest", Complete: true, Size: 4 * miB, UsedAt: now.Add(-3 * time.Hour).Unix()},
+				{Key: "middle", Complete: true, Size: 4 * miB, UsedAt: now.Add(-2 * time.Hour).Unix()},
+				{Key: "newest", Complete: true, Size: 4 * miB, UsedAt: now.Add(-time.Hour).Unix()},
+			}
+			handler := newTestHandler(t, Policy{}, entries...)
+			handler.freeDisk = tc.freeDisk
+
+			db, err := handler.openDB()
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			handler.evictForFreeSpace(db)
+			require.NoError(t, db.Close())
+
+			assert.ElementsMatch(t, tc.kept, keptKeys(t, handler, entries))
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// TestHandler_SweepKeepsEntryWhenBlobSurvives proves a failed unlink leaves the row in place,
+// so the next sweep retries rather than orphaning bytes no row points at and no limit counts.
+func TestHandler_SweepKeepsEntryWhenBlobSurvives(t *testing.T) {
+	cache := &Cache{Key: "stuck", Complete: true, UsedAt: time.Now().Add(-(testRetention + time.Hour)).Unix()}
+	handler := newTestHandler(t, Policy{Retention: testRetention}, cache)
+
+	// A non-empty directory where the blob belongs makes os.Remove fail on every platform.
+	blob := handler.storage.filename(cache.ID)
+	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(blob, 0o755))
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(blob, "held"), []byte("x"), 0o600))
+
+	handler.gcAt = time.Time{}
+	handler.gcCache()
+
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{"stuck"}, keptKeys(t, handler, []*Cache{cache}), "the entry must outlive a blob that could not be removed")
+}
+
+// TestHandler_FindProtectsFromEviction covers the window between a find handing out a signed
+// download URL and the GET that redeems it: the entry promised to a job must not be the next
+// eviction victim just because its last access predates the find.
+func TestHandler_FindProtectsFromEviction(t *testing.T) {
+	// 12 MiB against a 10 MiB limit, so exactly one entry has to go.
+	wanted := &Cache{Repo: testRepo, Key: "wanted", Version: "v", Complete: true, Size: 4 * miB, UsedAt: time.Now().Add(-3 * time.Hour).Unix()}
+	other := &Cache{Repo: testRepo, Key: "other", Version: "v", Complete: true, Size: 4 * miB, UsedAt: time.Now().Add(-2 * time.Hour).Unix()}
+	newest := &Cache{Repo: testRepo, Key: "newest", Version: "v", Complete: true, Size: 4 * miB, UsedAt: time.Now().Add(-time.Hour).Unix()}
+	handler := newTestHandler(t, Policy{RepoSizeLimit: 10 * miB}, wanted, other, newest)
+	writeBlob(t, handler, wanted.ID) // find only reports a hit when the blob is on disk
+
+	resp, err := testClient.Get(fmt.Sprintf("%s%s/cache?keys=wanted&version=v", handler.ExternalURL(), apiPath))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+	require.Equal(t, 200, resp.StatusCode)
+
+	// Evict directly: the request above kicked off an async gcCache, and writing gcAt here
+	// to drive gcCache would race its read.
+	db, err := handler.openDB()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer func() { require.NoError(t, db.Close()) }()
+	handler.evictOversized(db)
+
+	require.NoError(t, db.Get(wanted.ID, &Cache{}), "the entry just promised to a job must survive")
+	assert.ErrorIs(t, db.Get(other.ID, &Cache{}), bolthold.ErrNotFound, "the next least recently used goes instead")
+}
+
+// TestHandler_evictOnCommit proves a repository that goes over its limit gets space back at
+// once, rather than waiting out the collection interval.
+func TestHandler_evictOnCommit(t *testing.T) {
+	full := &Cache{Repo: testRepo, Key: "full", Version: "v", Complete: true, Size: 4 * miB, UsedAt: time.Now().Add(-time.Hour).Unix()}
+	handler := newTestHandler(t, Policy{RepoSizeLimit: 4 * miB}, full)
+
+	// StartHandler already stamped gcAt, so the periodic sweep stays rate-limited out and
+	// only the commit path can evict.
+	uploadCacheNormally(t, handler.ExternalURL()+apiPath, "new", "v", []byte("some content"))
+
+	assert.Empty(t, keptKeys(t, handler, []*Cache{full}))
+}
+
+func TestHandler_gcCacheInterval(t *testing.T) {
+	cache := &Cache{Key: "temp", UsedAt: time.Now().Add(-time.Hour).Unix()}
+	// Half the default, so a sweep 45m ago is still inside the default but past this one.
+	handler := newTestHandler(t, Policy{SweepInterval: 30 * time.Minute}, cache)
+
+	handler.gcAt = time.Now().Add(-45 * time.Minute) // past the configured interval, still inside the default
+	handler.gcCache()
+	assert.Empty(t, keptKeys(t, handler, []*Cache{cache}))
+}
+
+// newTestHandler starts a handler with testToken registered, seeded with entries.
+func newTestHandler(t *testing.T, policy Policy, entries ...*Cache) *Handler {
+	t.Helper()
+	handler, err := StartHandler(Options{
+		Dir:        filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache"),
+		OutboundIP: "127.0.0.1",
+		Policy:     policy,
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	t.Cleanup(func() { require.NoError(t, handler.Close()) })
+	handler.RegisterJob(testToken, JobCredential{Repo: testRepo})
+
+	db, err := handler.openDB()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	for _, e := range entries {
+		require.NoError(t, insertCache(db, e))
+	}
+	require.NoError(t, db.Close())
+	return handler
+}
+
+// keptKeys reports which of entries are still in the store.
+func keptKeys(t *testing.T, handler *Handler, entries []*Cache) []string {
+	t.Helper()
+	db, err := handler.openDB()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer func() { require.NoError(t, db.Close()) }()
+
+	var kept []string
+	for _, e := range entries {
+		if err := db.Get(e.ID, &Cache{}); err == nil {
+			kept = append(kept, e.Key)
+		}
+	}
+	return kept
+}
+
+// writeBlob gives an entry the on-disk bytes that find and get require.
+func writeBlob(t *testing.T, handler *Handler, id uint64) {
+	t.Helper()
+	require.NoError(t, handler.storage.Write(id, 0, strings.NewReader("a")))
+	_, err := handler.storage.Commit(id, 1)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}
+
 // TestHandler_RejectsMissingBearer covers the advisory's root cause:
 // unauthenticated access to management endpoints is now refused with 401.
 func TestHandler_RejectsMissingBearer(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache")
-	handler, err := StartHandler(dir, "", 0, "", nil)
+	handler, err := StartHandler(Options{Dir: dir})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer handler.Close()
 
@@ -866,7 +1124,7 @@ func TestHandler_RejectsMissingBearer(t *testing.T) {
 // accepted after RegisterJob; stale/forged tokens cannot be replayed.
 func TestHandler_RejectsUnknownBearer(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache")
-	handler, err := StartHandler(dir, "", 0, "", nil)
+	handler, err := StartHandler(Options{Dir: dir})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer handler.Close()
 
@@ -886,7 +1144,7 @@ func TestHandler_RejectsUnknownBearer(t *testing.T) {
 // working the moment the job ends instead of living for the runner's lifetime.
 func TestHandler_UnregisterRevokes(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache")
-	handler, err := StartHandler(dir, "", 0, "", nil)
+	handler, err := StartHandler(Options{Dir: dir})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer handler.Close()
 
@@ -917,7 +1175,7 @@ func TestHandler_UnregisterRevokes(t *testing.T) {
 // invisible to queries scoped to repoB.
 func TestHandler_CrossRepoIsolation(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache")
-	handler, err := StartHandler(dir, "", 0, "", nil)
+	handler, err := StartHandler(Options{Dir: dir})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer handler.Close()
 	handler.RegisterJob("token-a", JobCredential{Repo: "owner/repoA"})
@@ -983,7 +1241,7 @@ func TestHandler_CrossRepoIsolation(t *testing.T) {
 // working after artifactURLTTL even if the bearer token is still registered.
 func TestHandler_ArtifactSignature(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache")
-	handler, err := StartHandler(dir, "", 0, "", nil)
+	handler, err := StartHandler(Options{Dir: dir})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer handler.Close()
 	handler.RegisterJob(testToken, JobCredential{Repo: testRepo})
@@ -1016,7 +1274,7 @@ func TestHandler_ArtifactSignature(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("signature from a different server", func(t *testing.T) {
 		dir2 := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache2")
-		other, err := StartHandler(dir2, "", 0, "", nil)
+		other, err := StartHandler(Options{Dir: dir2})
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		defer other.Close()
 		otherURL := signArtifactURL(other, 1)
@@ -1038,13 +1296,13 @@ func TestHandler_ArtifactSignature(t *testing.T) {
 func TestHandler_SecretPersistsAcrossRestarts(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache")
 
-	first, err := StartHandler(dir, "127.0.0.1", 0, "", nil)
+	first, err := StartHandler(Options{Dir: dir, OutboundIP: "127.0.0.1"})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	exp := time.Now().Add(artifactURLTTL).Unix()
 	sig := first.computeSignature("", 42, exp)
 	require.NoError(t, first.Close())
 
-	second, err := StartHandler(dir, "127.0.0.1", 0, "", nil)
+	second, err := StartHandler(Options{Dir: dir, OutboundIP: "127.0.0.1"})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer second.Close()
 
@@ -1056,7 +1314,7 @@ func TestHandler_SecretPersistsAcrossRestarts(t *testing.T) {
 // the auth refactor.
 func TestHandler_ArtifactSignatureDownload(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache")
-	handler, err := StartHandler(dir, "", 0, "", nil)
+	handler, err := StartHandler(Options{Dir: dir})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer handler.Close()
 	handler.RegisterJob(testToken, JobCredential{Repo: testRepo})
@@ -1096,7 +1354,7 @@ func TestHandler_ArtifactSignatureDownload(t *testing.T) {
 // (restart mid-task, retry), which must not kill the live job's auth.
 func TestHandler_RegisterJob_RefCounted(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache")
-	handler, err := StartHandler(dir, "", 0, "", nil)
+	handler, err := StartHandler(Options{Dir: dir})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer handler.Close()
 
@@ -1125,10 +1383,10 @@ func TestHandler_RegisterJob_RefCounted(t *testing.T) {
 
 // TestHandler_GC_PerRepoDedup ensures duplicate-pruning does not evict
 // another repo's entry. Two repos reserve the same (key, version); after the
-// keepOld window, GC must keep the one from each repo.
+// inUseGrace window, GC must keep the one from each repo.
 func TestHandler_GC_PerRepoDedup(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache")
-	handler, err := StartHandler(dir, "", 0, "", nil)
+	handler, err := StartHandler(Options{Dir: dir})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer handler.Close()
 	handler.RegisterJob("tok-a", JobCredential{Repo: "owner/repoA"})
@@ -1142,7 +1400,7 @@ func TestHandler_GC_PerRepoDedup(t *testing.T) {
 	db, err := handler.openDB()
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	now := time.Now().Unix()
-	stale := time.Now().Add(-keepOld - time.Minute).Unix()
+	stale := time.Now().Add(-inUseGrace - time.Minute).Unix()
 	a := &Cache{Repo: "owner/repoA", Key: key, Version: version, Complete: true, CreatedAt: stale, UsedAt: stale, Size: 1}
 	b := &Cache{Repo: "owner/repoB", Key: key, Version: version, Complete: true, CreatedAt: now, UsedAt: now, Size: 1}
 	require.NoError(t, insertCache(db, a))
@@ -1179,7 +1437,7 @@ func TestHandler_GC_PerRepoDedup(t *testing.T) {
 // register/revoke when the feature is off.
 func TestHandler_InternalAPI_Disabled(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache")
-	handler, err := StartHandler(dir, "", 0, "", nil)
+	handler, err := StartHandler(Options{Dir: dir})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer handler.Close()
 
@@ -1197,7 +1455,7 @@ func TestHandler_InternalAPI_Disabled(t *testing.T) {
 func TestHandler_InternalAPI_AuthAndUsage(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache")
 	const secret = "internal-secret"
-	handler, err := StartHandler(dir, "", 0, secret, nil)
+	handler, err := StartHandler(Options{Dir: dir, InternalSecret: secret})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer handler.Close()
 

act/artifactcache/handler_v2.go

@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ func (h *Handler) v2CreateCacheEntry(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, _ h
 		h.twirpError(w, r, twirpInternal, err)
 		return
 	} else if existing != nil {
+		h.touch(db, existing) // the client skips the upload, so this is the only sign the entry is still in use
 		h.twirpNotOK(w, r)
 		return
 	}

act/artifactcache/handler_v2_test.go

@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
@@ -67,16 +66,6 @@ func getURL(t *testing.T, url string) []byte {
 	return body
 }
 
-func startTestHandler(t *testing.T) *Handler {
-	t.Helper()
-
-	handler, err := StartHandler(filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache"), "127.0.0.1", 0, "", nil)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = handler.Close() })
-	handler.RegisterJob(testToken, JobCredential{Repo: testRepo})
-	return handler
-}
-
 // saveV2 runs the reserve/upload/finalize sequence and returns the finalize response along
 // with the upload URL it used.
 func saveV2(t *testing.T, handler *Handler, key, version string, content []byte) (finalized map[string]any, uploadURL string) {
@@ -98,7 +87,7 @@ func saveV2(t *testing.T, handler *Handler, key, version string, content []byte)
 // URLs it is handed: unsigned requests are refused, an upload URL cannot be replayed to read
 // or to replace a finalized entry.
 func TestCacheServiceV2RoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
-	handler := startTestHandler(t)
+	handler := newTestHandler(t, Policy{})
 	content := []byte("the cached archive")
 
 	unsigned := fmt.Sprintf("%s%s/1", handler.ExternalURL(), blobPath)
@@ -127,7 +116,7 @@ func TestCacheServiceV2RoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
 // A large archive is staged as blocks and only put in order by the final block list, so
 // blocks that arrive out of order must still be assembled the way the client asked.
 func TestCacheServiceV2BlockUpload(t *testing.T) {
-	handler := startTestHandler(t)
+	handler := newTestHandler(t, Policy{})
 
 	created := v2Call(t, handler, testClient, "CreateCacheEntry", map[string]any{"key": "blocks", "version": "v1"})
 	uploadURL, _ := created["signed_upload_url"].(string)
@@ -164,7 +153,7 @@ func TestCacheServiceV2BlockUpload(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestCacheServiceV2Lookups(t *testing.T) {
-	handler := startTestHandler(t)
+	handler := newTestHandler(t, Policy{})
 	saved, _ := saveV2(t, handler, "deps-abc", "v1", []byte("x"))
 	require.Equal(t, true, saved["ok"])
 

act/artifactcache/results_test.go

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ func TestFrontResultsService(t *testing.T) {
 	}))
 	defer gitea.Close()
 
-	handler, err := StartHandler(t.TempDir(), "127.0.0.1", 0, "", nil)
+	handler, err := StartHandler(Options{Dir: t.TempDir(), OutboundIP: "127.0.0.1"})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer handler.Close()
 	const token = "forward-token"

act/artifactcache/storage.go

@@ -143,9 +143,13 @@ func (s *Storage) Serve(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, id uint64) {
 	http.ServeFile(w, r, name)
 }
 
-func (s *Storage) Remove(id uint64) {
-	_ = os.Remove(s.filename(id))
-	_ = os.RemoveAll(s.tempDir(id))
+// Remove deletes an entry's blob and any staged parts. It reports failure so the caller can
+// keep the entry and retry, rather than dropping the only reference to bytes on disk.
+func (s *Storage) Remove(id uint64) error {
+	if err := os.Remove(s.filename(id)); err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return err
+	}
+	return os.RemoveAll(s.tempDir(id))
 }
 
 func (s *Storage) filename(id uint64) string {

act/runner/toolkit_patch_e2e_test.go

@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ func TestCacheServiceV2EndToEnd(t *testing.T) {
 	restore := patchedAction(t, "actions/cache", actionsCacheRef, "dist/restore/index.js")
 	save := patchedAction(t, "actions/cache", actionsCacheRef, "dist/save/index.js")
 
-	handler, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "cache"), "127.0.0.1", 0, "", nil)
+	handler, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(artifactcache.Options{Dir: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "cache"), OutboundIP: "127.0.0.1"})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = handler.Close() })
 	const token, repo = "e2e-runtime-token", "testuser/testrepo"
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ func TestUploadArtifactThroughTheResultsService(t *testing.T) {
 	}))
 	defer gitea.Close()
 
-	handler, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "cache"), "127.0.0.1", 0, "", nil)
+	handler, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(artifactcache.Options{Dir: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "cache"), OutboundIP: "127.0.0.1"})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = handler.Close() })
 	// The artifact client decodes the runtime token for the run ids it puts in its requests, where
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ func TestSetupActionFindsTheCacheService(t *testing.T) {
 
 	setup := patchedAction(t, "actions/setup-node", "v7.0.0", "dist/setup/index.js")
 
-	handler, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "cache"), "127.0.0.1", 0, "", nil)
+	handler, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(artifactcache.Options{Dir: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "cache"), OutboundIP: "127.0.0.1"})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = handler.Close() })
 	const token = "setup-runtime-token"

go.mod

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/distribution/reference v0.6.0
 	github.com/docker/cli v29.7.1+incompatible
 	github.com/docker/go-connections v0.8.1
+	github.com/docker/go-units v0.5.0
 	github.com/go-git/go-billy/v5 v5.9.1
 	github.com/go-git/go-git/v5 v5.19.2
 	github.com/gobwas/glob v0.2.3
@@ -61,7 +62,6 @@ require (
 	github.com/cyphar/filepath-securejoin v0.6.1 // indirect
 	github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 // indirect
 	github.com/docker/docker-credential-helpers v0.9.6 // indirect
-	github.com/docker/go-units v0.5.0 // indirect
 	github.com/emirpasic/gods v1.18.1 // indirect
 	github.com/fatih/color v1.19.0 // indirect
 	github.com/felixge/httpsnoop v1.0.4 // indirect

internal/app/cmd/cache-server.go

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"os/signal"
 
 	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/act/artifactcache"
+	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/internal/app/run"
 	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/internal/pkg/config"
 
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
@@ -52,13 +53,14 @@ func runCacheServer(configFile *string, cacheArgs *cacheServerArgs) func(cmd *co
 		if secret == "" {
 			return errors.New("cache.external_secret (or cache.external_secret_file) must be set for cache-server; configure the same value on each runner that points at this server via cache.external_server")
 		}
-		cacheHandler, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(
-			dir,
-			host,
-			port,
-			secret,
-			log.StandardLogger().WithField("module", "cache_request"),
-		)
+		cacheHandler, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(artifactcache.Options{
+			Dir:            dir,
+			OutboundIP:     host,
+			Port:           port,
+			InternalSecret: secret,
+			Policy:         run.CachePolicy(cfg),
+			Logger:         log.StandardLogger().WithField("module", "cache_request"),
+		})
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}

internal/app/cmd/exec.go

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/act/common"
 	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/act/runner"
 	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/internal/app/run"
+	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/internal/pkg/config"
 
 	"gitea.dev/actionslib/pkg/model"
 	"github.com/joho/godotenv"
@@ -374,7 +375,10 @@ func runExec(ctx context.Context, execArgs *executeArgs) func(cmd *cobra.Command
 		}
 
 		// init a cache server
-		handler, err := artifactcache.StartHandler("", "", 0, "", log.StandardLogger().WithField("module", "cache_request"))
+		handler, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(artifactcache.Options{
+			Policy: run.CachePolicy(&config.Config{Cache: config.DefaultCache()}),
+			Logger: log.StandardLogger().WithField("module", "cache_request"),
+		})
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}

internal/app/run/runner.go

@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/act/runner"
 	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/internal/pkg/client"
 	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/internal/pkg/config"
+	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/internal/pkg/disk"
 	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/internal/pkg/labels"
 	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/internal/pkg/metrics"
 	"gitea.com/gitea/runner/internal/pkg/report"
@@ -89,17 +90,18 @@ func NewRunner(cfg *config.Config, reg *config.Registration, cli client.Client)
 	var cacheHandler *artifactcache.Handler
 	if cfg.Cache.Enabled == nil || *cfg.Cache.Enabled {
 		if cfg.Cache.ExternalServer != "" {
+			warnIgnoredCachePolicy(cfg)
 			// The v1 client appends its path to this without a separator, so the slash is required.
 			envs["ACTIONS_CACHE_URL"] = strings.TrimRight(cfg.Cache.ExternalServer, "/") + "/"
 		} else {
 			warnIgnoredCacheSecret(cfg)
-			handler, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(
-				cfg.Cache.Dir,
-				cfg.Cache.Host,
-				cfg.Cache.Port,
-				"",
-				log.StandardLogger().WithField("module", "cache_request"),
-			)
+			handler, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(artifactcache.Options{
+				Dir:        cfg.Cache.Dir,
+				OutboundIP: cfg.Cache.Host,
+				Port:       cfg.Cache.Port,
+				Policy:     CachePolicy(cfg),
+				Logger:     log.StandardLogger().WithField("module", "cache_request"),
+			})
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Errorf("cannot init cache server, it will be disabled: %v", err)
 				// go on
@@ -693,7 +695,7 @@ func checkFreeDisk(cfg *config.Config) (bool, string) {
 		root = filepath.FromSlash("/" + strings.TrimLeft(cfg.Container.WorkdirParent, "/"))
 	}
 	root = nearestExistingPath(root)
-	available, err := freeDiskBytes(root)
+	available, err := disk.FreeBytes(root)
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, fmt.Sprintf("cannot determine free disk space for %s: %v", root, err)
 	}
@@ -726,6 +728,35 @@ func (r *Runner) Declare(ctx context.Context, labels []string) (*connect.Respons
 	}))
 }
 
+// minFreeDisk keeps the cache from growing past the point where the runner stops taking
+// work, but only when health checks are on, since the key is documented as opt-in.
+func minFreeDisk(cfg *config.Config) int64 {
+	if !cfg.HealthCheck.Enabled {
+		return 0
+	}
+	return cfg.HealthCheck.MinFreeDiskSpaceMB * 1024 * 1024
+}
+
+// CachePolicy maps the cache config onto the cache server's own type, in bytes not MiB.
+func CachePolicy(cfg *config.Config) artifactcache.Policy {
+	return artifactcache.Policy{
+		Retention:     cfg.Cache.Retention,
+		RepoSizeLimit: int64(cfg.Cache.RepoSizeLimit),
+		SizeLimit:     int64(cfg.Cache.SizeLimit),
+		SweepInterval: cfg.Cache.SweepInterval,
+		MinFreeDisk:   minFreeDisk(cfg),
+	}
+}
+
+// warnIgnoredCachePolicy flags eviction settings configured on a runner that points at an external cache server.
+func warnIgnoredCachePolicy(cfg *config.Config) {
+	defaults := config.DefaultCache()
+	if cfg.Cache.Retention != defaults.Retention || cfg.Cache.RepoSizeLimit != defaults.RepoSizeLimit ||
+		cfg.Cache.SizeLimit != defaults.SizeLimit || cfg.Cache.SweepInterval != defaults.SweepInterval {
+		log.Warn("cache eviction settings are ignored when cache.external_server is set; configure them on that server instead")
+	}
+}
+
 // warnIgnoredCacheSecret flags an external cache server secret configured on a runner that uses the built-in cache server.
 func warnIgnoredCacheSecret(cfg *config.Config) {
 	if cfg.Cache.ExternalServer != "" {

internal/app/run/runner_cache_test.go

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ func emptyCfg() *config.Config { return &config.Config{} }
 
 func TestRunner_registerCacheForTask(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache")
-	handler, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(dir, "127.0.0.1", 0, "", nil)
+	handler, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(artifactcache.Options{Dir: dir, OutboundIP: "127.0.0.1"})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer handler.Close()
 
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func TestRunner_registerCacheForTask_NoOps(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("empty token", func(t *testing.T) {
 		dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache")
-		handler, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(dir, "127.0.0.1", 0, "", nil)
+		handler, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(artifactcache.Options{Dir: dir, OutboundIP: "127.0.0.1"})
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		defer handler.Close()
 
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func TestRunner_registerCacheForTask_NoOps(t *testing.T) {
 // /find, no auth on the signed archiveLocation download.
 func TestRunner_CacheFullFlow_MatchesToolkit(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "artifactcache")
-	handler, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(dir, "127.0.0.1", 0, "", nil)
+	handler, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(artifactcache.Options{Dir: dir, OutboundIP: "127.0.0.1"})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer handler.Close()
 
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ func decodeJSON(resp *http.Response, v any) error {
 func TestRunner_ExternalCacheServer_RegisterRevoke(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "remote-cache")
 	const secret = "shared-secret-for-tests"
-	remote, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(dir, "127.0.0.2", 0, secret, nil) // advertised, never dialled
+	remote, err := artifactcache.StartHandler(artifactcache.Options{Dir: dir, OutboundIP: "127.0.0.2", InternalSecret: secret}) // advertised, never dialled
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer remote.Close()
 	external := strings.Replace(remote.ExternalURL(), "127.0.0.2", "127.0.0.1", 1)

internal/pkg/config/config.example.yaml

@@ -159,6 +159,20 @@ cache:
   # the action's own bundle, keeping the untouched copy beside it. The same edit lets the stock
   # upload-artifact and download-artifact work here. A bundle that does not match is left alone.
   #v2: true
+  # How the cache server discards entries, ignored when external_server is set since that
+  # server applies its own. Leave a setting out for its default; 0s or 0 turns the three
+  # limits off. Sizes accept 10GB, 512mb, 1TiB or a plain byte count, binary either way.
+  # Whatever these allow, the cache still sheds entries to keep free space on its volume
+  # above health_check.min_free_disk_space_mb when health checks are enabled.
+  # Remove entries nothing has read or written within this window. Only last access counts.
+  #retention: 168h
+  # Cap one repository, removing its least recently accessed entries until it fits. An entry
+  # larger than the limit is dropped rather than emptying the repository to make room.
+  #repo_size_limit: 10GB
+  # Cap the whole cache the same way. Off by default, since the free space floor bounds it.
+  #size_limit: 0
+  # Minimum time between two eviction sweeps. This one has no "off".
+  #sweep_interval: 1h
 
 container:
   # Specifies the network to which the container will connect.

internal/pkg/config/config.go

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/docker/go-units"
 	"github.com/joho/godotenv"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"go.yaml.in/yaml/v4"
@@ -81,6 +82,47 @@ type Cache struct {
 	ExternalSecretFile string `yaml:"external_secret_file"` // ExternalSecretFile is the path to a file holding the ExternalSecret value, so the secret can be mounted instead of stored in the config file. LoadDefault reads it into ExternalSecret; setting both is an error.
 	OfflineMode        bool   `yaml:"offline_mode"`         // OfflineMode reuses a cached action without fetching from the remote; a moved tag or branch stays at the cached commit until the cache entry is removed.
 	V2                 *bool  `yaml:"v2"`                   // V2 serves the actions cache service v2 API to jobs, used by actions/cache@v4.2 and later, and edits the action bundles that would otherwise refuse it. Unset means enabled.
+
+	// Eviction settings, ignored when ExternalServer is set since that server applies its own.
+	Retention     time.Duration `yaml:"retention"`       // Retention removes entries nothing has read or written within this window. Default 168h, 0 keeps them regardless of age.
+	RepoSizeLimit Size          `yaml:"repo_size_limit"` // RepoSizeLimit caps one repository, evicting least recently accessed first. Default 10GB, 0 is no limit.
+	SizeLimit     Size          `yaml:"size_limit"`      // SizeLimit caps the whole cache the same way. No limit by default.
+	SweepInterval time.Duration `yaml:"sweep_interval"`  // SweepInterval is the minimum time between two eviction sweeps. Default 1h; a cadence has no "off".
+}
+
+// DefaultCache returns the cache eviction defaults, seeded before the file is read so a
+// written 0 can mean off. SizeLimit stays zero: the free space floor bounds the whole cache.
+func DefaultCache() Cache {
+	return Cache{
+		Retention:     7 * 24 * time.Hour,
+		RepoSizeLimit: 10 * 1024 * 1024 * 1024,
+		SweepInterval: time.Hour,
+	}
+}
+
+// Size is a byte count written the way people say it: 10GB, 512mb, 1TiB, or a plain number
+// of bytes. Units are binary and case-insensitive, so GB and GiB both mean 1024³.
+type Size int64
+
+func (s *Size) UnmarshalYAML(value *yaml.Node) error {
+	if value.Kind != yaml.ScalarNode {
+		return fmt.Errorf("line %d: size must be a scalar such as 10GB", value.Line)
+	}
+	size, err := parseSize(value.Value)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("line %d: %w", value.Line, err)
+	}
+	*s = size
+	return nil
+}
+
+// parseSize reads a Size such as 10GB, 512mb, 1TiB or a plain byte count.
+func parseSize(value string) (Size, error) {
+	bytes, err := units.RAMInBytes(strings.TrimSpace(value))
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("%q is not a size such as 10GB, 512MB or a plain byte count", value)
+	}
+	return Size(bytes), nil
 }
 
 // Container represents the configuration for the container.
@@ -142,7 +184,7 @@ type Config struct {
 // LoadDefault returns the default configuration.
 // If file is not empty, it will be used to load the configuration.
 func LoadDefault(file string) (*Config, error) {
-	cfg := &Config{}
+	cfg := &Config{Cache: DefaultCache()}
 	definedRunnerKeys := map[string]bool{}
 	if file != "" {
 		content, err := os.ReadFile(file)

internal/pkg/config/config_test.go

@@ -168,6 +168,37 @@ runner:
 	assert.Equal(t, 5*time.Minute, cfg.Runner.PostTaskScriptTimeout)
 }
 
+func TestLoadDefault_LoadsCacheEviction(t *testing.T) {
+	write := func(t *testing.T, body string) string {
+		t.Helper()
+		path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "config.yaml")
+		require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(path, []byte(body), 0o600))
+		return path
+	}
+
+	t.Run("sizes accept any spelling of the unit", func(t *testing.T) {
+		cfg, err := LoadDefault(write(t, "cache:\n  retention: 336h\n  repo_size_limit: 50gb\n  size_limit: 1TiB\n  sweep_interval: 15m\n"))
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, 336*time.Hour, cfg.Cache.Retention)
+		assert.Equal(t, Size(50*1024*1024*1024), cfg.Cache.RepoSizeLimit)
+		assert.Equal(t, Size(1024*1024*1024*1024), cfg.Cache.SizeLimit)
+		assert.Equal(t, 15*time.Minute, cfg.Cache.SweepInterval)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("zero turns a limit off where an absent key keeps its default", func(t *testing.T) {
+		cfg, err := LoadDefault(write(t, "cache:\n  repo_size_limit: 0\n"))
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Zero(t, cfg.Cache.RepoSizeLimit)
+		assert.Equal(t, DefaultCache().Retention, cfg.Cache.Retention, "an absent key still defaults")
+	})
+
+	t.Run("a bad size names the offending value", func(t *testing.T) {
+		_, err := LoadDefault(write(t, "cache:\n  repo_size_limit: banana\n"))
+		require.Error(t, err)
+		assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "banana")
+	})
+}
+
 func TestLoadDefault_LoadsJobHooks(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := t.TempDir()
 	path := filepath.Join(dir, "config.yaml")

internal/pkg/config/edit.go

@@ -26,7 +26,10 @@ const (
 	kindSection
 )
 
-var durationType = reflect.TypeFor[time.Duration]()
+var (
+	durationType = reflect.TypeFor[time.Duration]()
+	sizeType     = reflect.TypeFor[Size]()
+)
 
 // GetValue renders a flat list or mapping one entry per line, and anything nested as YAML.
 func GetValue(file, path string) (string, error) {
@@ -537,6 +540,13 @@ func scalarNode(typ reflect.Type, value string) (*yaml.Node, error) {
 		return &yaml.Node{Kind: yaml.ScalarNode, Tag: "!!str", Value: duration.String()}, nil
 	}
 
+	if typ == sizeType {
+		if _, err := parseSize(value); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		return &yaml.Node{Kind: yaml.ScalarNode, Tag: "!!str", Value: value}, nil
+	}
+
 	switch typ.Kind() {
 	case reflect.Bool:
 		parsed, err := strconv.ParseBool(value)

internal/pkg/disk/doc.go

@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+// Copyright 2026 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+// Package disk reports free space on the volume holding a path. Platforms without an
+// implementation return an error, so callers treat the check as unavailable rather than
+// as a full disk.
+package disk

internal/pkg/disk/free_other.go

@@ -3,10 +3,11 @@
 
 //go:build !aix && !darwin && !dragonfly && !freebsd && !linux && !netbsd && !openbsd && !solaris && !windows
 
-package run
+package disk
 
 import "fmt"
 
-func freeDiskBytes(path string) (uint64, error) {
+// FreeBytes reports the space available to an unprivileged user on the volume holding path.
+func FreeBytes(path string) (uint64, error) {
 	return 0, fmt.Errorf("free disk space checks are not supported for %s", path)
 }

internal/pkg/disk/free_unix.go

@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@
 
 //go:build aix || darwin || dragonfly || freebsd || linux || netbsd || openbsd || solaris
 
-package run
+package disk
 
 import "golang.org/x/sys/unix"
 
-func freeDiskBytes(path string) (uint64, error) {
+// FreeBytes reports the space available to an unprivileged user on the volume holding path.
+func FreeBytes(path string) (uint64, error) {
 	var stat unix.Statfs_t
 	if err := unix.Statfs(path, &stat); err != nil {
 		return 0, err

internal/pkg/disk/free_windows.go

@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@
 
 //go:build windows
 
-package run
+package disk
 
 import "golang.org/x/sys/windows"
 
-func freeDiskBytes(path string) (uint64, error) {
+// FreeBytes reports the space available to an unprivileged user on the volume holding path.
+func FreeBytes(path string) (uint64, error) {
 	pathPtr, err := windows.UTF16PtrFromString(path)
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err