< Glossary

Glossary

BuildKite

BuildKite is a powerful, hybrid CI/CD platform that allows developers to run pipelines on their infrastructure while leveraging the scalability and flexibility of cloud-based tooling. It supports multiple platforms and languages, enabling teams to build, test, and deploy software efficiently.

What is BuildKite?

BuildKite is a CI/CD solution designed to optimize and accelerate software development workflows. Unlike fully cloud-hosted solutions, BuildKite uses a hybrid approach, allowing teams to execute pipelines on their hardware while connecting to BuildKite’s cloud-based orchestration service. 

This unique design provides greater control over resources and security, making it the best CI/CD tool for enterprises with specific infrastructure requirements.

Features of BuildKite

BuildKite offers a variety of features that meet the needs of modern software development teams:

  • Hybrid Infrastructure: Build pipelines run on your infrastructure, giving teams complete control over performance, security, and compliance.
  • Cross-Platform Support: BuildKite agents can run on macOS, Linux, and Windows.
  • Scalability: Its cloud orchestration service scales well, enabling teams to handle workloads of any size.
  • Pipeline-as-Code: BuildKite pipelines can be defined using version-controlled YAML files, allowing for streamlined collaboration and version management.
  • Comprehensive Integrations: It integrates with popular tools like GitHub, GitLab, Docker, and Kubernetes to fit into your existing workflows.
  • Customizable Agents: BuildKite’s agents allow teams to use custom tools and configurations specific to their project needs.
  • Parallel Builds: BuildKite enables concurrent execution of steps, reducing build times and increasing efficiency.

This platform provides real-time insights and logs, helping teams monitor and optimize pipelines.

BuildKite vs Jenkins

While both BuildKite and Jenkins serve as CI/CD platforms, they differ significantly in approach and features:

Infrastructure:

  • BuildKite: Uses a hybrid model where builds run on your infrastructure, combining control with the convenience of cloud orchestration.
  • Jenkins: More often than not, hosted entirely on user infrastructure, requiring more setup and maintenance effort.

Ease of Use:

  • BuildKite: Known for its modern, user-friendly interface and streamlined setup process.
  • Jenkins: Offers flexibility but has a steeper learning curve and a more complex configuration process.

Scalability:

  • BuildKite: Provides effortless scalability with its cloud-backed orchestration.
  • Jenkins: Requires manual scaling, which can be challenging for large projects.

Customization:

  • Both tools offer high levels of customization, but BuildKite’s agents and pipeline-as-code approach simplify the process.

Community Support:

  • Jenkins: Has a larger and more established community.
  • BuildKite: Gaining traction with a growing developer community.

BuildKite and Incredibuild

BuildKite’s hybrid architecture pairs seamlessly with Incredibuild’s distributed computing capabilities. Together, they enhance CI/CD workflows by reducing build and test times.