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Install Buildbot on a Linux VPS with a dedicated, non-root account, a Python virtual environment, and separate master and worker directories. The documented path is to install the master with pip install 'buildbot[bundle]', install workers with pip install buildbot-worker, register matching worker credentials, and run both components under a supervisor such as systemd. A small test setup can run the master and worker on one VPS; use separate machines when build isolation, concurrency, or security requirements increase.
What you are installing
Buildbot is split into two roles:
- Master: the coordinator. It reads the configuration, accepts change notifications, schedules jobs, tracks results, and serves the web interface.
- Worker: the execution process. It checks out source code, runs shell commands and tests, creates artifacts, and reports results to the master.
The master does not perform ordinary build work merely because it is installed. At least one worker must be connected before a scheduled build can execute. The worker may share the VPS with the master for a small installation, or it may run on another machine for stronger isolation and more capacity.
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Choose a VPS layout before installing
| Layout | Isolation | Concurrency and capacity | Network latency | Operational effort | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master and worker on one VPS | Low: builds can consume CPU, memory, disk, or processes needed by the master | Suitable for a small number of jobs and modest repositories; capacity is limited by one host | Lowest, because worker-to-master traffic stays local | Simplest: one operating system, one firewall, and one backup target | Lowest initial cost |
| Master and worker on separate machines | Higher: build jobs can be isolated from coordination and web services | Workers can be added or sized independently for parallel jobs | Depends on the network path and repository location | More hosts, credentials, firewall rules, monitoring, and upgrades | Higher infrastructure cost |
There is no universal CPU or RAM recommendation in the official installation material. Size the VPS from repository size, compiler and test requirements, simultaneous jobs, peak memory use, disk space for checkouts and artifacts, and how long you retain logs and artifacts. Start with a small single-host installation only when losing build capacity during a VPS outage is acceptable.
Prerequisites on the Linux VPS
Operating-system packages
Buildbot is installed with Python packages, but its dependencies can require a compiler and development headers. On Debian or Ubuntu, install the packages listed by the first-run tutorial:
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sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essential python3-dev libssl-dev libffi-dev python3-venvpython3-venv supplies the standard-library virtual-environment module on distributions that package it separately. If your distribution already includes it with Python, the package command simply confirms that it is available.
On RHEL, CentOS, or Fedora, install the corresponding development packages:
sudo dnf install gcc python3-devel openssl-devel libffi-devel python3-virtualenvUse yum instead of dnf on an older release that still uses it. Package names can vary by distribution release; the important requirements are a C compiler, Python development headers, OpenSSL development files, and libffi development files.
Access and network requirements
- Use an administrator account only for operating-system package installation and service setup. Buildbot itself should run as a dedicated least-privilege account.
- Ensure outbound internet access so
pipcan download dependencies and the master or worker can reach source repositories. - Reserve a hostname or private address for the master if workers will run on other machines.
- Plan firewall rules for only the web interface, the worker protocol, SSH administration, and any package or database traffic you actually use.
- Have enough disk space for Python environments, source checkouts, temporary build files, logs, and retained artifacts.
Buildbot’s official first-run tutorial explicitly states: “Buildbot does not require root access.” Root is still needed for tasks such as installing operating-system packages, creating a system account, opening firewall ports, and installing PostgreSQL.
Create a dedicated account and directory tree
Do not run the master or worker as root. Create a service account with no interactive administrative privileges and give it ownership only of its Buildbot directories. The exact account-management command depends on your distribution; on Debian or Ubuntu, a typical setup is:
sudo adduser --system --group --home /home/buildbot buildbot
sudo install -d -o buildbot -g buildbot /home/buildbot/buildbotLog in as that account, or use a controlled shell such as sudo -u buildbot -H, before creating virtual environments. Keep the master and worker trees separate even when they share a VPS:
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Install and initialize the Buildbot master
1. Create an isolated Python environment
Run the following as the dedicated Buildbot account:
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cd ~/buildbot/master_root
python3 -m venv sandbox
source sandbox/bin/activate
pip install --upgrade pip
pip install 'buildbot[bundle]'The virtual environment keeps Buildbot and its Python dependencies out of the operating system’s Python installation. Activate it whenever you use the buildbot command interactively. Service files should use the absolute path to the virtual environment’s binaries rather than relying on an interactive shell.
2. Generate the master directory and configuration
buildbot create-master my_master
mv my_master/master.cfg.sample my_master/master.cfgcreate-master creates the initial layout, including the sample configuration. Renaming the sample gives you a real configuration file to edit while retaining the generated examples as a reference in the installed release.
Open ~/buildbot/master_root/my_master/master.cfg and set the project, repository, schedulers, builders, and worker credentials appropriate to your CI jobs. The generated sample is release-specific, so follow the imports and object names it provides rather than copying a configuration from an unrelated Buildbot version.
3. Validate and start the master
When available in your installed release, validate the file before starting or restarting:
buildbot checkconfig my_masterThen start the instance:
buildbot start my_masterCheck the installed command versions immediately:
buildbot --versionThe simple tutorial instance exposes its status page at http://localhost:8010/. Test it from the VPS first. A localhost-only listener is a safer initial state than exposing an unauthenticated status page to the internet.
Configure the web interface safely
If administrators need remote access, deliberately choose how the web service is bound and protected in the generated configuration. Keep it on a private interface when possible, restrict the port with the host firewall, and place it behind an authenticated reverse proxy for public access. The tutorial’s port 8010 is an example for the simple instance; use the port and listener settings in your installed configuration.
- Allow the web port only from administrator networks or the reverse proxy.
- Terminate TLS at the reverse proxy or another trusted edge service.
- Require authentication for administrative actions and avoid exposing internal logs unnecessarily.
- Do not confuse the web port with the worker protocol port; workers connect to the worker endpoint configured by the master.
After changing the listener or authentication configuration, run buildbot checkconfig and restart the master. Confirm both the local service status and the externally intended URL before opening a broader firewall rule.
Register and install a worker
1. Decide where the worker runs
For a trial or a low-risk private project, the worker can run on the same VPS. For untrusted pull requests, toolchains with conflicting dependencies, high parallelism, or builds that need substantial CPU and disk, use a separate worker host. A worker executes commands supplied by the build configuration, so treat it as a sensitive machine and avoid placing secrets or unrelated services on it.
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2. Create the worker virtual environment
cd ~/buildbot/worker_root
python3 -m venv sandbox
source sandbox/bin/activate
pip install --upgrade pip
pip install buildbot-workerConfirm the package is available:
buildbot-worker --version3. Add matching credentials on the master
The master configuration must define a worker name and password. The name and password supplied when creating the worker must match exactly. Keep the password private; anyone who can authenticate as a worker may be able to run jobs under that worker’s permissions.
The generated configuration commonly represents a worker in a structure similar to this, but use the syntax present in your release’s sample:
from buildbot.plugins import util
c['workers'] = [
util.Worker('vps-worker-1', 'REPLACE_WITH_A_LONG_RANDOM_PASSWORD')
]Replace the placeholder with a secret stored with the same care as an SSH credential. Do not publish it in a tutorial, commit it to source control, or include it in shell history. Run buildbot checkconfig my_master after editing and restart the master if the configuration is accepted.
4. Create the worker directory
Use the master address and worker endpoint configured in master.cfg. The command form is:
buildbot-worker create-worker WORKER_DIRECTORY MASTER_HOST:PORT WORKER_NAME WORKER_PASSWORDFor example, a same-VPS test might look like this (replace the endpoint, name, and password with your values):
buildbot-worker create-worker ~/buildbot/worker_root/worker
127.0.0.1:WORKER_PORT vps-worker-1 'REPLACE_WITH_A_LONG_RANDOM_PASSWORD'WORKER_PORT is intentionally not assumed to be the web port. Use the worker protocol port declared by the master configuration. On a separate host, use the master’s private address or DNS name and permit that source address through the firewall.
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5. Start and verify the worker
buildbot-worker start ~/buildbot/worker_root/workerOpen the master status page and confirm that the worker changes from disconnected to connected or idle. If it remains disconnected, check the worker log, DNS or IP reachability, the firewall on both hosts, the endpoint port, and the exact spelling of the worker name and password. A connected worker still will not run anything until a builder and scheduler assign work to it.
Use a database appropriate to the installation
Simple local setup
A newly generated master can use the simple database arrangement supplied by its sample configuration. This is convenient for evaluation and a small private installation, but you must understand its backup and concurrency characteristics before treating it as production infrastructure. Back up the master configuration and the database files together, and test restoration rather than assuming a filesystem copy is sufficient while the service is running.
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PostgreSQL setup
The official deployment guide demonstrates PostgreSQL on Ubuntu. PostgreSQL is optional, and installing it requires root access even though the virtual-environment Buildbot process does not. Install the server using your distribution’s package manager, then create a role and database owned by that role. One Ubuntu-style sequence is:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install postgresql
sudo -u postgres createuser --pwprompt buildbot
sudo -u postgres createdb -O buildbot buildbotUse a strong database password and restrict PostgreSQL network listening to the interfaces that need it. If the database is on the same VPS, prefer a local address or socket and do not open PostgreSQL to the public internet.
Set the SQLAlchemy URL in master.cfg. The documented shape is:
c['db'] = {
'db_url': 'postgresql://buildbot:YOUR_PASSWORD@127.0.0.1/buildbot'
}Replace the role, password, host, and database name with your actual values. URL-encode reserved characters in a password or use a password without URL-reserved characters to avoid parsing errors. Do not publish the completed URL.
After saving the configuration, run the master upgrade command against the master directory:
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|---|---|---|---|
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Run Buildbot reliably with systemd
The interactive buildbot start command is useful for a first test but does not by itself guarantee startup after a reboot or recovery after a crash. Use systemd or another supervisor once the configuration works. Run each component as the dedicated account and set an explicit PATH that begins with the relevant virtual environment.
A master unit can follow this pattern; adjust paths and the service account to your layout:
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[Unit]
Description=Buildbot master
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target
[Service]
Type=forking
User=buildbot
Group=buildbot
WorkingDirectory=/home/buildbot/buildbot/master_root
Environment="PATH=/home/buildbot/buildbot/master_root/sandbox/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin"
ExecStart=/home/buildbot/buildbot/master_root/sandbox/bin/buildbot start /home/buildbot/buildbot/master_root/my_master
ExecStop=/home/buildbot/buildbot/master_root/sandbox/bin/buildbot stop /home/buildbot/buildbot/master_root/my_master
Restart=on-failure
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.targetFor the worker, create a separate unit whose working directory and commands point to the worker virtual environment and worker directory. Do not reuse the master’s virtualenv merely because both components happen to be on one VPS. After placing units under /etc/systemd/system/, reload systemd, enable the services, and start them:
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sudo systemctl enable --now buildbot-master.service
sudo systemctl enable --now buildbot-worker.service
sudo systemctl status buildbot-master.service buildbot-worker.serviceUse journalctl -u buildbot-master.service and journalctl -u buildbot-worker.service to inspect failures. If systemd reports that buildbot cannot be found, the unit is using the operating-system PATH instead of the virtualenv path.
Firewall and security checklist
- Permit SSH only from trusted administration networks, preferably with keys and a non-root login.
- Permit the Buildbot web port only from administrators or the reverse proxy.
- Permit the worker protocol port only from registered worker addresses.
- Allow outbound HTTPS, Git, or other repository and package traffic required by your jobs.
- Keep PostgreSQL on localhost or a private network unless remote access is essential; then restrict it by source address and authentication.
- Store worker and database passwords outside public source repositories and rotate them by updating both ends of the connection.
- Run workers with the minimum filesystem and operating-system permissions needed by the build.
- Separate untrusted builds from production credentials and deployment keys.
- Set disk quotas or cleanup policies for old checkouts, logs, and artifacts so a failed build cannot fill the VPS.
First-run verification
- As the Buildbot account, run
buildbot --versionandbuildbot-worker --versionfrom the intended virtual environments. - Run
buildbot checkconfig my_masterbefore every initial start or configuration restart when the command is available. - Open the local status page and confirm the master is serving requests.
- Confirm the worker appears connected with the exact configured name.
- Trigger a small, harmless test build that checks out a known repository and records a short log.
- Verify that the build runs on the intended worker, produces the expected result, and leaves logs or artifacts where your retention policy expects them.
- Reboot during a maintenance window and confirm that systemd starts both services automatically.
- Test a failed-build path, a worker disconnect, and restoration of the master configuration and database backup.
Troubleshoot common installation failures
pip install fails while compiling a dependency
Recheck the compiler and development headers. Debian or Ubuntu needs build-essential, python3-dev, libssl-dev, and libffi-dev; RHEL-family systems need gcc, python3-devel, openssl-devel, and libffi-devel. Confirm that the virtualenv uses the Python interpreter you intended and upgrade pip inside that environment before retrying.
The master starts but the web page is unreachable
Check the service status and master log first. Then verify whether the listener is bound to localhost, a private address, or all interfaces. A localhost listener will not accept remote connections; an all-interface listener may be reachable but unsafe without firewall and authentication rules. Confirm that the firewall allows the selected web port only from the intended source.
The worker is disconnected
Confirm that the master is running, the worker endpoint is reachable from the worker host, and the firewall permits that connection. Compare the configured worker name and password character-for-character. Make sure you used the worker protocol port rather than the web interface port and that the worker service is using the virtualenv containing buildbot-worker.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe worker connects but no build runs
A connection proves authentication, not scheduling. Check that a builder names the worker, that a scheduler has a change source or manual trigger, and that the job is not blocked by a queue, branch filter, or unmet property. Start with the smallest test build before adding deployment steps.
PostgreSQL configuration fails
Test the role and database independently, then inspect the SQLAlchemy URL for the correct host, database, username, and password. Ensure PostgreSQL is running and accepting connections on the address in the URL. Run buildbot upgrade-master my_master after changing to the PostgreSQL backend, validate the configuration, and inspect the master log for authentication or migration errors.
The service works manually but not under systemd
Systemd does not load your interactive shell profile. Use absolute paths, set an explicit virtualenv PATH, set WorkingDirectory, and ensure the service account can read the master configuration and write its state, logs, and build directories. Review the unit with systemctl cat and the failure details with journalctl.
When to move beyond a single VPS
Keep the single-host layout when the goal is learning, a private project has low concurrency, and a build outage has limited consequences. Split the master and workers when builds compete with the web service for resources, when jobs require incompatible operating-system toolchains, when pull requests are untrusted, or when you need to scale workers independently. The master still coordinates all workers, so protect its credentials and network endpoint even if workers are disposable.
There are no published universal capacity figures for Buildbot in the official installation and deployment pages. Measure your own queue times, peak memory, disk growth, and artifact retention, then resize or add workers from those observations rather than from a generic VPS size.
Quick Recap
Installation decision checklist
- Small evaluation: one VPS, one dedicated account, virtualenvs for master and worker, the simple database arrangement, localhost web access, and a manual test build.
- Small production service: the same least-privilege layout, systemd units, restricted firewall rules, authenticated web access, tested backups, and a worker sized for the actual toolchain.
- Growing CI system: PostgreSQL with a tested backup plan, a separately managed master, multiple workers, private worker networking, resource limits, and monitoring for queue, disk, and database health.
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