When comparing Buildkite vs AWS CodeBuild, the Slant community recommends Buildkite for most people. In the question“What are the best hosted continuous integration services?” Buildkite is ranked 20th while AWS CodeBuild is ranked 25th. The most important reason people chose Buildkite is:
The web UI allows writing a build script inline, running a script from your repository, or creating a whole pipeline. Docker support is built-in.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Very easy to set up
The web UI allows writing a build script inline, running a script from your repository, or creating a whole pipeline. Docker support is built-in.
Pro Allows parallel jobs
Buildkite allows you to configure your build in order to run parallel jobs and obtain considerably faster results.
Pro Scheduled builds
Run builds on a cron-like schedule to rebuild a master branch or run an import process.
Pro Run your own build servers
Run an agent on your own servers (AWS, etc) so that you have control over what your builds can access.
Pro Intergrates with VCS
Integrates with GitHub, GitHub Enterprise, Bitbucket, Bitbucket Server, GitLab, Codebase, or any custom Git repository.
Pro Affordable
One plan that gives you everything at a reasonable price.
Pro Plugin support for docker and docker-compose
Pro Concurrency control
Make sure only one deploy build runs at a time with concurrency control.
Pro Config driven build process
While you can define your build process in the dashboard, you can also run it from config files in the repository.
Pro Responsive support
Support respond quickly and listen to feedback.
Pro Security
Scoped down IAM service roles and managed policies. AWS CloudTrail intergation for API access tracking. AWS Config integration for enforcing complaince rules. Native support for Parameter Store for storing/passing secrets securely to build container.
Pro GitHub cloud, GitHub Enterprise and Bitbucket cloud support
Native support for AWS CodeCommit, S3 and popular git repositories, except GitLab and Bitbucket server.
Pro Compliance
CodeBuild is compliant for PCI, ISO, SOC, and HIPAA workloads.
Pro Documentation and support
Pretty thorough documentation and troubelshooting steps in the CodeBuild user guide @ https://docs.aws.amazon.com/codebuild/latest/userguide/welcome.html.
Questions on the service forum mostly gets prompt response @ https://forums.aws.amazon.com/forum.jspa?forumID=230
Pro Availability
Had minimal to no issues with the service being available. Also, being an AWS service, it has regional endpoint across various AWS regions.
Pro Amazon VPC integration
CodeBuild can access resources within a VPC from it's build containers. Useful for customers who have resources in an Amazon VPC, like RDS instance, ElastiCache, GitHub Enterprise source repo, artifact repo, etc.
Pro On-demand CI. Zero queueing
Users get 20 or so concurrent builds per AWS account ID. Build start up within seconds with no queueing.
Pro Windows support
Support for .NET builds using windowsservercore Docker containers. Preconfigured image have .NET Core and several other runtimes like Java, Node, Ruby. Supports custom images for proprietary tooling like full Visual Studio build targets.
Cons
Con No iOS support
Limited to Linux and Windows builds.
Con No support for GitLab and Bitbucket server
Off the popular git based source control management system, Bitbucket server and GitLab cloud/on-prem is missing. Generic git support is also not available.
Con No support for Docker layer caching
Customer managed images may be slower for a cold startup than CodeBuild managed ones.
Con No unlimited free builds for Open source repo
CodeBuild gives 100 free mins every month, but no unlimited free builds for Open source repository like Travis CI for example.
