Optimizing caching
Design cache keys, scope by branch, and push your hit rate above 80%.
Read guideGet from zero to a green pipeline in four steps. You'll need a Git repository and the Buildkit CLI.
Grab the binary with a single command — no runtime dependencies.
Log in and link your Git provider so checks post back automatically.
Scaffold a buildkit.yml tuned to your detected stack.
Commit, push, and watch your first build go green in the dashboard.
# 1. install the CLI (macOS / Linux) $ curl -fsSL https://get.buildkit.dev | sh # 2. authenticate & link your repo $ buildkit login → opening browser… authenticated ✓ # 3. scaffold a pipeline for this repo $ buildkit init → detected node 20 · wrote buildkit.yml # 4. push and run $ git push → pipeline #1 queued · live at app.buildkit.dev
The buildkit binary is the fastest way to manage pipelines, runners, and secrets. The most common commands:
buildkit <command> [options] init scaffold a buildkit.yml for this repo run trigger a pipeline (--local, --cache) logs stream live logs for a run secret set add an encrypted, scoped secret runner install register a self-hosted runner cache prune clear cached artifacts for a branch status show the latest pipeline result
Pipelines are declared in a single buildkit.yml at the root of your repo. Below is a complete, production-ready example.
version: 1 stages: [install, test, build, deploy] cache: key: "deps-{{ hashFiles('package-lock.json') }}" paths: [node_modules, .next/cache] jobs: test: stage: test matrix: { node: [18, 20, 22] } run: npm ci && npm test -- --shard=$SHARD build: stage: build needs: [test] run: npm run build deploy: stage: deploy needs: [build] when: branch == "main" secrets: [DEPLOY_KEY] run: buildkit deploy ./dist
Deep-dive walkthroughs for the features teams reach for most.
Design cache keys, scope by branch, and push your hit rate above 80%.
Read guideShard suites by timing data and fan out across runners safely.
Read guideDrop long-lived keys and authenticate to your cloud with federated tokens.
Read guideRegister a runner pool, add GPU labels, and configure autoscaling.
Read guideSpin up ephemeral environments per pull request with auto-teardown.
Read guideUse path filters to build only the packages a commit actually touched.
Read guideThe Free plan includes 2,000 build minutes a month — more than enough to follow this quickstart end to end.