Earthly review
A portable build system with caching, parallel targets, and broad CI integration.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Earthly is a containerized build framework for software teams that need consistent workflows across developer machines and continuous integration systems. Teams define build logic in Earthfiles, using syntax influenced by Dockerfiles and Makefiles. It supports isolated builds, parallel targets, Docker images, non-image artifacts, reusable targets, multi-platform builds, cache mounts, and secret injection without persisting secrets in image layers. A free plan is available, and builds can run on Windows, macOS, Linux, and the web through local or cloud-based execution options.
Caching and build composition are the strongest reasons to consider Earthly. Local layer caching and cache mounts can reduce repeated work, while Earthly Cloud Satellites provide remote runners with persistent cache. Independent targets can execute in parallel, and targets, artifacts, and images can be reused across Earthfiles. This makes Earthly a fit for teams standardizing complex build workflows or moving between local development and CI. It also covers both image and non-image outputs, rather than focusing only on container publishing.
Its ecosystem fit is broad: integrations include Jenkins, GitHub Actions, CircleCI, GitLab CI/CD, AWS CodeBuild, and Google Cloud Build. Self-hosted runners are also supported. However, the official repository states that Earthly is no longer actively maintained, which is a significant consideration for teams choosing a long-term build foundation. Earthly suits teams that value portable, cache-aware, containerized builds and can accept that maintenance position; teams prioritizing an actively maintained tool should consider alternatives instead.
Earthly pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Isolates builds in containers for repeatable local and CI workflows
- Supports parallel targets, layer caching, and persistent remote caching
- Builds multi-platform images plus reusable artifacts and non-image outputs
- Where it doesn't
- The official repository says Earthly is no longer actively maintained
- Earthfile syntax adds a dedicated workflow layer to build pipelines
- Remote runners and persistent cloud caching extend the platform beyond local builds
Earthly fact sheet, pricing and score →
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