List of build automation software

This page lists notable software build automation tools and systems.

Sequencing

These tools sequence build operations – often based on dependencies – sometimes running tasks in parallel.

  • Apache Ant – Java build tool; uses XML format for configuration files
  • Apache Maven – Software tool for managing build dependencies
  • ASDF – de facto standard build facility for Common Lisp
  • Bazel – Software tool that automates software builds and tests
  • BitBake – Build automation tool often used for building Linux distributions; written in Python
  • Boot – build automation and dependency management tool; written in Clojure
  • Boost boost.build – For C++ projects, cross-platform, based on Perforce Jam
  • Buck – Build system developed and used by Meta Platforms; written in Rust, using Starlark (BUILD file syntax) as Bazel
  • Buildout – programming tool aimed to assist with deploying software; Python-based
  • Cabal – package manager for Haskell software
  • D Dub – Official package and build manager of the D Language
  • Flowtracer – Build management tool
  • Gradle – Free software build automation tool; with a Groovy- and Kotlin-based domain specific language (DSL), combining features of Apache Ant and Apache Maven with more features like a reliable incremental build
  • Grunt – JavaScript build tool
  • Gulp – Server-side JavaScript build tool
  • IncrediBuild – Grid computing software
  • Leiningen – Build automation tool; for Clojure projects
  • Make – Software build automation tool; one of the earliest build automation tools; many variants
  • Mix – Build automation software for Elixir
  • MSBuild – Build automation software; from Microsoft
  • NAnt – .NET build software; based on Ant
  • Ninja – Free build automation software
  • Perforce Jam – Build tool by Perforce, inspired by Make
  • Qt Build System – cross-platform free and open-source software for managing the build process of software
  • Rake – Make-like tool written in Ruby
  • sbt – Open-source build tool for Scala and Java projects
  • SCons – software construction tool; Python-based
  • Stack – Haskell development tool
  • Waf – software build automation tool; Python-based

Meta build

Called meta-build tools, these generate configuration files for other build tools such as those listed above.

  • CMake – Cross-platform build tool for configuring platform-specific builds; very popular; integrated with IDEs such as Qt Creator, KDevelop and GNOME Builder
  • GNU build system (aka Autotools) – Software build toolset from GNU
  • GYP (Generate Your Projects) – Build automation tool created by Google; superseded by GN which generates files for ninja and other tools
  • imake – build automation system written for the X Window System
  • OpenMake Software Meister
  • Meson – Build automation tool; integrated with GNOME Builder
  • Premake – Cross-platform build tool for configuring platform-specific builds; written in Lua
  • qmake – software build tool that generates Makefiles

Continuous integration

Continuous integration systems automate build operations at a relatively high level via features including: scheduling and triggering builds, storing build log and output files and integrating with version control systems.

  • AnthillPro – Continuous integration server
  • Apache Continuum – Continuous integration server for building Java-based projects; discontinued
  • Bitbucket Pipelines and Deployments – Continuous integration for Bitbucket hosted repositories
  • Buildbot – Continuous integration testing framework
  • CruiseControl – Software continuous build framework
  • Go continuous delivery – Open source, cross-platform
  • GitLab Runner – Continuous integration
  • GitHub Actions – Free continuous integration service for open-source projects
  • Hudson – Continuous integration tool
  • Jenkins – Open source automation server; Hudson fork
  • Spinnaker – Open source multi-cloud continuous delivery service from Netflix and Google
  • TeamCity – Build management and continuous integration server
  • Travis CI – Service to build and test software projects

Others

  • checkinstall – Computer program for Unix-like operating systems
  • Open Build Service – Development platform for Linux distributions

Licensing

See also

References

Uses material from the Wikipedia article List of build automation software, released under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.