Please

Free#10 of 42 in Build Automation SoftwareMonorepo Management Tools

Please: A focused open-source build system for hermetic, pinned, cache-aware workflows. Ranked #10 of 42 in Build Automation Software by our editors (6.3/10); pricing: Open source; best for hermetic builds with pinned dependencies.

6.3/10★★★☆☆Editor score

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Please6.3 Visit Please

At a glance

• Editor score
  6.3 / 10
• Pricing
  Open source
• Best for
  Hermetic builds with pinned dependencies
• Paid from
  None
• Founded
  2014 · London, United Kingdom
• Facts checked
  22 Sep 2026

• Where it wins

  • Hermetic execution with explicit version and hash pinning
  • Incremental, parallel builds with local and remote caches
  • Docker, Kubernetes, custom rules, and experimental remote execution

• Where it doesn't

  • Supports Linux and macOS in the directory’s platform taxonomy
  • Remote build execution is experimental
  • Requires BUILD-file-based command-line workflows

Our verdict on Please

Please is an open-source, cross-language build system for developers and engineering teams working across languages and technologies. BUILD files and a programmable build language define targets, dependencies, tests, generated files, and custom commands. Its core audience is teams that need reproducible builds with explicit dependency declarations, hermetic execution, and build workflows that span multiple languages. The command-line interface also covers software builds, tests, Docker image workflows, and Kubernetes deployment configuration.

The build model is the main reason to choose Please. Hermetic, isolated execution helps separate builds from the surrounding environment, while incremental builds and parallel task execution can support repeatable development workflows. Local directory caches, HTTP caches, and scriptable remote caches provide several cache options. Explicit version and hash pinning gives dependency definitions a precise form, and extensible custom build rules and plugins allow teams to adapt the system to additional languages and project requirements. These capabilities make Please a strong fit for repositories where dependency control and reproducibility matter more than broad platform coverage.

Please also connects build automation with container and deployment workflows through Docker image and Kubernetes manifest support. Integration with Docker, Kubernetes, Homebrew, and GitHub fits teams already working across those tools. Experimental remote build execution through the Remote Execution API adds a path toward distributed builds, but it should be treated as an experimental capability rather than the foundation of a workflow. Please is distributed as open-source software rather than a priced hosted service, and the directory’s platform taxonomy covers Linux and macOS. Choose it for pinned, hermetic, cache-aware builds; consider a broader alternative if wider operating-system coverage or a mature hosted service is central to your requirements.

Please pricing

Please fact sheet

Alternatives to Please

• BazelA powerful open-source choice for large polyglot builds and remote execution.9.0
• NxA capable choice for JavaScript monorepos that need affected builds and managed CI scaling.8.4
• PantsA capable open-source choice for monorepos that need precise caching and dependency handling.8.2

See all Please alternatives →

Also listed in

• Monorepo Management Tools

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026

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Last updated 28 Sep 2026 · How we research and update