Rahul Sharma (Editor)

BuildMaster

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Developer(s)
  
Inedo

License
  
Proprietary

Stable release
  
5.5 / October 2016

Website
  
inedo.com/BuildMaster

BuildMaster

Operating system
  
Microsoft Windows and Linux

Type
  
Application release automation and Release management

BuildMaster is an application release automation tool, designed by the software development team, Inedo. It combines build management and ARA capabilities to manage and automate processes primarily related to continuous integration, database change scripts, and production deployments. The tool is browser-based and able to be used “out-of-the-box”. Its feature set and scope puts it in line with the DevOps movement, and is marketed as “more than a release automation tool. It brings together the people, processes, and practices that allow teams to deliver software rapidly, reliably, and responsibly.” It’s a tool that embodies incremental DevOps adoption.

Contents

BuildMaster is configured entirely through its UI, as opposed to scripts or XML-based configuration files. Although the primary web application is Windows-only, BuildMaster orchestrates Windows or Linux-based servers to perform various build and deploy actions. BuildMaster also has a tight integration with PowerShell and is often used along with other DevOps tools.

Main Features

The main features of BuildMaster are:

  • Pipelines as Code – Pivot between Visual mode and the JSON Text editor
  • Global Pipeline – Reusability across releases and applications
  • Database Changes – Use BuildMaster to ensure sensitive information is protected and associate connection string with environment
  • Issue tracking Integration – Tight integration with variety of issue tracker and built-in
  • Pipeline Gates – Mix of manual and automated approvals
  • Deployment Plans – Drag-and –drop visual user interface that may also be edited in text mode (code view)
  • PowerShell Integration – First class integration with PowerShell and Shell for support of both Windows and Linux.
  • Event Listener – Useful for monitoring action and operations
  • Configuration Variables – Add flexibility when modeling deployment plans
  • Release Packages – Flexibility by uploading manually, pushed from CI server such as TeamCity or TFS, created within BuildMaster or Pushed from ProGet
  • Configuration File Management - enables configuration files to be defined with multiple instances (such as one per environment) in a version-controlled manner with file deployments logged

    • Highlights

    Highlights include:

  • A simple, plan editor that allows for code or drag and drop interface
  • Intuitive UI that enables quick implementation
  • Strong support for .NET applications Microsoft Windows

    • BuildMaster was recognized in the Gartner 2016 Magic Quadrant for Application Release Automation and critical capabilities for Application Release Automation Solutions.

    Development Company Culture

    Of interest also is the corporate culture where BuildMaster was developed. Its producer Inedo were cited in the creation of the software development card game Release!, and have been cited in several sources that their products are developed as much by the coding work that went into them, as the sense of community that an office gaming culture has established.

    References

    BuildMaster Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA