Buildkite serves as a comprehensive scale-out delivery platform, simplifying the entire software development lifecycle from testing and packaging to deployment. In this episode of TFiR: Let’s Talk, Keith Pitt, CEO at Buildkite, delves into the critical role  of speed and concurrency in software delivery, the benefits of Buildkite’s unique hybrid model that utilizes customers’ own compute resources, and the changing best practices required to tackle modern delivery challenges. Pitt says, “Last year, Buildkite helped our customers save upwards of 18,000 years of compute time and achieve a 90% reduction in delivery time.”

Introduction to Buildkite and its purpose

• Pitt explains that the platform is designed to scale out the delivery process, offering tools that enhance every step of software development, from building and testing to packaging and deploying.
• Buildkite is capable of handling millions of lines of code daily, with a focus on delivering reliable, high-performance software for development teams across various industries.
• Top companies like Uber, Slack, Pinterest, and Shopify use Buildkite’s platform to power their software delivery pipelines, reaching over a billion end-users with applications that are built and updated through the platform’s capabilities.

The importance of speed and concurrency

• Pitt emphasizes that speed and concurrency are vital for modern software delivery, enabling teams to deploy quickly and respond to market changes, which is crucial for maintaining competitive advantage.
• Drawing from a DevOps Research and Assessment (DORA) report, Pitt points out that only 18% of elite software delivery teams deploy code once a day, illustrating the challenge many face in making frequent deployments a reality.
• For customers like Slack and Shopify, Buildkite has significantly improved efficiency by reducing build times, for example, cutting down from an hour to just 10 minutes, allowing for faster iterations and testing of new features.

Navigating the challenges in modern software delivery

• Despite the advancements made in DevOps practices, Pitt discusses how software delivery remains complex, with challenges like tool accessibility, reliability, and ensuring consistent performance in distributed environments.
• Buildkite addresses these challenges by lowering the barrier to entry for teams, providing a reliable, scalable platform that allows developers to focus on building quality software without worrying about tooling inconsistencies or system reliability.
• One key area where Buildkite helps is minimizing issues like flaky tests, ensuring that developers can trust the platform and avoid spending unnecessary time fixing recurring problems, leading to greater productivity.

The role of concurrency in accelerating the software delivery process

• Pitt further explains how concurrency plays a crucial role in accelerating the software delivery process, making testing and validation faster, much like the quality assurance processes in his father’s career.
• The hybrid model Buildkite offers allows customers to integrate their own cloud resources with the platform, creating a scalable solution that can meet the needs of various businesses while maintaining high levels of security and data privacy.
• This hybrid approach unlocks unique use cases, such as conducting on-device testing for hardware like cars or using specialized, high-performance GPUs for intensive applications in AI or machine learning, extending the flexibility of the delivery pipeline.

Buildkite’s hybrid model and its benefits

• Pitt explains Buildkite’s BYOC hybrid model, where customers connect their own cloud compute resources to the platform, giving them full control over the infrastructure, source code, and sensitive data like API keys or credentials.
• By allowing customers to maintain control over their compute resources, Buildkite’s model ensures that delivery tooling does not need access to production environments, mitigating the risks of security breaches or data leaks.
• This innovative hybrid model has empowered customers to improve delivery speeds and optimize workflows, enabling companies to take full advantage of their existing resources while maintaining high standards for security and privacy.

The impact of “delivery decay” and cultural shifts

• Pitt introduces the concept of “delivery decay,” where teams slowly shift focus away from maintaining high standards in continuous integration and continuous delivery (CICD), which can lead to slower release cycles and bottlenecks in production.
• Pitt critiques the belief that continuous integration and continuous delivery (CICD) should be a secondary concern, pointing to companies like Shopify that make delivery a central part of their business culture, ensuring that it’s always a priority for product teams.
• Buildkite helps shift this mindset by offering tools and practices that encourage companies to embrace delivery as a strategic advantage, fostering cultural changes that lead to faster product iterations and more effective overall operations.

The importance of experimentation with tooling

• Comparing Buildkite’s dynamic, flexible pipeline model to a Lego set, Pitt highlights how it allows teams to design highly customized, adaptable workflows that can be fine-tuned to fit specific business goals and development environments.
• Pitt stresses the importance of experimenting with tools in low-pressure situations, which helps teams become more familiar with the tooling, ensuring they can execute efficiently and confidently when the stakes are high.
• Buildkite actively encourages creativity and experimentation with its tools, believing that fostering an environment where teams can innovate and try new things will ultimately lead to faster, more efficient delivery and better responses to changing business needs.

Guest: Keith Pitt (LinkedIn)
Company: Buildkite
Show: Let’s Talk

This summary was written by Emily Nicholls.