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BuildGrid
What BuildGrid is
BuildGrid is an open-source remote execution and caching service that implements Google’s Remote Execution API and Remote Workers API. Worker bots run jobs while BuildGrid schedules them and stores job data, aiming to speed builds by distributing work across computers with different environments. Documented clients include Bazel, BuildStream, and RECC; the project also lists Trexe as a supported build system, and says clients conforming to its API protocols are designed to work with it. Deployments use gRPC services that can run in one process or across multiple processes. Configurable schedulers assign queued jobs to matching bots. Its Action Cache, ByteStream, and Content Addressable Storage services can support a cache-only instance, while LogStream lets execution clients retrieve live worker logs. The service supports JWT or request-header authorization, optional access-control lists, and TLS credentials. A server requires installation, a configuration file, and PostgreSQL. The quickstart includes pre-built container images and a Docker Compose example with local services and a web UI, but the guide says that demo is not suitable for production scaling. BuildGrid is free and can be self-hosted.
Who it suits
BuildGrid suits teams that want to run remote build execution or caching with compatible clients and manage their own deployment. It is intended for deployments where users can configure the server, database, and worker environment.
What it does well
- Implements Google’s Remote Execution and Remote Workers APIs.
- Supports Bazel, BuildStream, RECC, and Trexe.
- Can provide live worker logs through LogStream.
- Supports JWT or header authorization and TLS.
What to know first
- A server requires PostgreSQL and configuration.
- Docker Compose demo is not suitable for production scaling.
- Host-tools runner can expose the worker’s full filesystem.
Getting started
- Install BuildGrid
- Prepare a configuration file
- Install or connect PostgreSQL
- Use a pre-built container image or Docker Compose quickstart
- Configure worker bots and schedulers
- Connect a compatible client such as Bazel or BuildStream
Verdict
BuildGrid offers open-source remote execution and caching, with options for authorization, TLS, scheduling, and live logs. Server setup requires PostgreSQL, and its Docker Compose demo is explicitly not for production scaling.
Questions
Is BuildGrid free?
Yes. BuildGrid is free and open source.
Can BuildGrid be self-hosted?
Yes. It provides a self-hosted deployment built from gRPC services.
Which build systems can connect?
The project lists Bazel, BuildStream, RECC, and Trexe. Clients that conform to its API protocols can also connect.
What database does a server require?
The getting-started guide requires PostgreSQL when starting a BuildGrid server.
Does BuildGrid provide remote execution logs?
Yes. Its separate LogStream service lets execution clients retrieve live logs from worker machines.
Facts from BuildGrid's own pages
- Authorization
- BuildGrid supports JWT or request-header authorization, with optional ACL configuration for controlling access to requests. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Build speed
- The project aims to speed up builds by executing jobs remotely across a grid of computers with different environments. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Caching
- Its Action Cache, ByteStream, and Content Addressable Storage services together support a cache-only instance. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Compatible clients
- The documentation names Bazel, BuildStream, and RECC as clients, and says BuildGrid is designed to work with clients that conform to its API protocols. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Database requirement
- The getting-started guide says starting a BuildGrid server requires installation, a configuration file, and a PostgreSQL database. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- A deployment consists of gRPC services that can run in one process or across multiple processes for more granular scaling. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 2018 · buildgrid.build, 28 Sept 2026
- How it works
- Worker bots execute jobs on the backend while BuildGrid handles scheduling and storage. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Live logs
- The separate LogStream service lets execution clients retrieve live logs from worker machines during remote execution. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Monitoring
- Monitoring is off by default; when enabled, BuildGrid can publish metrics and server logs to configured destinations. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Notable deployment limit
- The getting-started guide says the Docker Compose demo is not suitable for production scaling. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- BuildGrid is a remote execution and caching service that implements Google’s Remote Execution API and Remote Workers API. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Quickstart
- The quickstart provides pre-built container images and a Docker Compose example that starts BuildGrid services, a web UI, Remote Asset API, and LogStream locally. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Resource sharing
- Bot cohorts and per-instance quotas can help share worker capacity across instances while setting minimum and maximum concurrent job slots. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Storage
- The Content Addressable Storage service persistently stores data needed during a job, and BuildGrid supports CAS indices stored in Redis or PostgreSQL. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Support
- The project documentation points users to a BuildTeamWorld Slack channel and GitLab bug tracking. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Support channel
- The documentation links to a BuildGrid Slack channel and an invite link. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Transport security
- The server configuration supports TLS credentials, including server keys and certificates and client certificates. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Worker platforms
- The documented BuildBox worker tools support Linux, AIX, and Solaris. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Worker scheduling
- BuildGrid queues execution jobs and assigns them to matching bots using configurable scheduler components. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
- Worker security
- The documentation warns that the host-tools runner gives actions access to the worker machine’s full filesystem and describes a userchroot runner for sandboxing. · buildgrid.build, 7 Oct 2026
Where BuildGrid stands on Freedom251
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