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Screwdriver

Free plan APISelf-hostedWeb

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Screwdriver's own site

What Screwdriver is

Screwdriver is a free, open-source build platform for continuous delivery, intended for teams that define pipelines and manage their own build infrastructure. Pipelines are configured in YAML files stored alongside code, allowing pipeline changes to be reviewed and rolled out with the codebase. The platform can test pull requests, build merged commits and deploy to environments; it also supports load tests, canary deployments and multi-environment pipelines.

Screwdriver connects with GitHub, GitLab and Bitbucket, though available features vary by provider. Its pluggable architecture lets teams replace components such as the datastore or executor, and pipelines can use different execution engines. It can run as a local cluster using Docker Compose, and its documentation describes production cluster setup. There is no hosted option. The version 4 API is documented through Swagger and provides interactive Try it out controls, but rejects requests with payloads larger than 1 MB. User secrets and service traffic are encrypted; secrets are released only to authorized builds, and pull request builds do not receive them by default.

Who it suits

Screwdriver suits teams that define continuous delivery pipelines and operate their own build infrastructure. It may fit teams that want YAML pipeline configuration and control over deployment environments.

What it does well

  • Free, open-source build platform
  • Pipelines are configured in YAML
  • Supports pull request checks and canary deployments
  • Pluggable datastore and executor architecture
  • Secrets are withheld from pull request builds by default

What to know first

  • No hosted option
  • API rejects payloads larger than 1 MB
  • Source control feature support varies by provider
  • Running it requires managing build infrastructure

Limits

Screwdriver is free and self-hosted, but there is no hosted option. Its API rejects requests with payloads larger than 1 MB, and pull request builds do not receive secrets unless the allowInPR flag is enabled for a secret.

Plans

PlanBilled and limitsPrice
ScrewdriverOpen source build platform; self-hosted clusterFree

As screwdriver.cd lists them, read 9 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

  1. Visit https://screwdriver.cd/
  2. Use the documentation to run a local cluster with Docker Compose or set up a production cluster
  3. Connect a supported source control provider: GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket
  4. Define the pipeline in a YAML file alongside the code

Verdict

Screwdriver offers pipeline automation for teams prepared to run their own infrastructure. Its source-control feature differences and API payload limit are worth checking against your workflows.

Questions

How much does Screwdriver cost?

The Screwdriver plan is free. The platform is open source and self-hosted.

Is there a hosted version?

No hosted option is available. Screwdriver can be run as a local cluster using Docker Compose, with documentation also covering production cluster setup.

Which source control providers does it support?

Screwdriver supports GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket. Feature support varies by provider.

What configuration format do pipelines use?

Pipelines are defined in YAML files stored beside the code.

How does it handle build secrets?

User secrets and traffic between services are encrypted, and secrets are released only to authorized builds. Pull request builds do not receive secrets by default.

Facts from Screwdriver's own pages

API
The current API is version 4, is documented through Swagger, and provides interactive Try it out controls. · docs.screwdriver.cd, 9 Oct 2026
API request limit
The API rejects requests with payloads larger than 1 MB. · docs.screwdriver.cd, 9 Oct 2026
Build cache
Build cache can be scoped to a pipeline, event, or job, and can be disabled for an individual job. · docs.screwdriver.cd, 9 Oct 2026
Deployment
Screwdriver can be run as a local cluster using Docker Compose, and its documentation also describes production cluster setup. · screwdriver.cd, 9 Oct 2026
Founded
2012 · screwdriver.cd, 28 Sept 2026
Intended users
Screwdriver is aimed at teams defining continuous delivery pipelines and managing their own build infrastructure. · docs.screwdriver.cd, 9 Oct 2026
Pipeline as code
Pipelines are defined in a YAML file that lives beside the code and can be reviewed and rolled out with the codebase. · docs.screwdriver.cd, 9 Oct 2026
Pluggable infrastructure
Its pluggable architecture allows components to be swapped, including Postgres for the datastore or Jenkins for the executor, and lets pipelines use different execution engines. · docs.screwdriver.cd, 9 Oct 2026
Pull request and deployment workflow
Screwdriver tests pull requests, builds merged commits, and deploys to environments; it also supports load tests, canary deployments, and multi-environment pipelines. · docs.screwdriver.cd, 9 Oct 2026
Pull request secret control
Secrets are not exposed to pull request builds by default; exposing one requires enabling its allowInPR flag. · docs.screwdriver.cd, 9 Oct 2026
Purpose
Screwdriver is an open source build platform designed for Continuous Delivery. · screwdriver.cd, 9 Oct 2026
Secret protection
User secrets are stored encrypted, traffic between services is encrypted, and secrets are released only to authorized builds. · docs.screwdriver.cd, 9 Oct 2026
Security reporting
The project asks users to report security issues to its private security mailing list and directs non-security issues to GitHub or Slack. · docs.screwdriver.cd, 9 Oct 2026
Source control integrations
Screwdriver supports GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket, with feature support varying by provider. · docs.screwdriver.cd, 9 Oct 2026
Support
The project offers community support through GitHub issues and pull requests, Slack, and Stack Overflow posts tagged screwdriver-cd. · docs.screwdriver.cd, 9 Oct 2026

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