Buildkite vs Jenkins vs TeamCity: What are the differences?

Introduction

Buildkite, Jenkins, and TeamCity are popular tools used for continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) in software development. While all three tools serve the same purpose, there are key differences that set them apart.

1. Scalability and Performance: Buildkite has been designed to perform well at scale, providing high performance even with large CI/CD pipelines. Jenkins, on the other hand, can experience performance issues with larger deployments, especially when running multiple jobs simultaneously. TeamCity offers good scalability and performance, but it may require additional configuration for optimal performance in larger environments.

2. Ease of Use: Buildkite focuses on simplicity and ease of use, with an intuitive user interface and minimal setup required. Jenkins, being a more mature tool, offers a greater level of customization and flexibility, but at the cost of a steeper learning curve. TeamCity strikes a balance between the two, offering a user-friendly interface and easy configuration without sacrificing versatility.

3. Plugin Ecosystem: Jenkins has an extensive plugin ecosystem, with thousands of plugins available to extend its functionality and integrate with various tools and technologies. Buildkite and TeamCity also offer plugins, but their ecosystems are relatively smaller and may not have the same breadth of options as Jenkins.

4. Community and Support: Jenkins has a large and active community, with a wealth of online resources, forums, and user-contributed plugins and integrations. Buildkite and TeamCity also have supportive communities, but they may not be as extensive as Jenkins. Additionally, Jenkins benefits from being around for a longer time and having a larger user base, resulting in more comprehensive support options.

5. Pricing and Licensing: Buildkite follows a subscription model and offers both cloud-based and self-hosted options. Jenkins is an open-source tool and is free to use, although additional commercial support is available for purchase. TeamCity, developed by JetBrains, offers a free limited version and commercial licenses for advanced features and larger deployments.

6. Integration with Other Tools: Buildkite has excellent integration capabilities, with a wide range of options to connect with external services and tools. Jenkins also offers extensive integrations, thanks to its large plugin ecosystem. TeamCity provides good integration options but might have slightly fewer choices compared to Buildkite and Jenkins.

In summary, Buildkite stands out for its scalability and performance, simplicity, and flexible integration options. Jenkins offers a vast array of plugins and a large supportive community. TeamCity strikes a balance between user-friendliness and versatility. The choice between these three CI/CD tools ultimately depends on the specific needs and preferences of the development team.