PVC lifecycle binds to pod when using Kubernetes runners

[priya135792]

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Discussion Details

Summary:
In Kubernetes-mode CI runners, PVCs created via volumeClaimTemplates are deleted with the pod, preventing data sharing across jobs. I want to understand best practices for sharing persistent data across jobs using PVCs.
Problem:

Ephemeral PVCs follow pod lifecycle → data is lost after job finishes
Static PVCs work, but require RWX storage
Many runners don’t document this clearly

Questions:

What is the recommended way to persist shared data across jobs?
Is using a static RWX PVC officially supported?
Is there a documented approach for CI workflows needing shared file storage?

[kamranshakib]

The PVC is bound per Pod, so with Kubernetes runners each job creates a new Pod and the PVC gets bound to that Pod’s lifecycle. To fix this, use a ReadWriteMany (RWX) storage class or a pre-created shared PVC that can be mounted by multiple Pods, instead of a Pod-scoped PVC.