Silo review
A focused, free Gradle cache server with strong administration and retention controls.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Silo is a self-hosted HTTP server implementing the Gradle build cache protocol. It is intended for teams that want to operate a remote build cache themselves without an account or paid subscription. The project supports Linux and web access, stores cached content on the filesystem, and is distributed as a multi-architecture Docker image or a fat JAR. Its focus is deliberately narrow: Gradle teams that need control over cache deployment and administration rather than a multi-build-system cache service.
Silo’s strongest area is cache management. Administrators can configure LRU eviction with TTL, byte, entry-count, and free-space limits, helping define how the filesystem-backed cache behaves as it grows. HTTP Basic and OIDC/Bearer authentication are available, with read-only and read-write role mapping for access control. Atomic content-addressed writes and SQLite metadata support the storage design, while Prometheus metrics, health endpoints, and JSON-structured logging provide operational visibility. A retro-terminal web administration dashboard adds a browser-based management surface.
The pricing model is straightforward: Silo is free and open source. There are no paid tiers to compare, while deployment remains the team’s responsibility through Docker or the fat JAR. The main trade-off is platform breadth. Gradle is the only supported integration and build system, so teams standardizing on other build tools should choose a broader alternative. Silo is also described as alpha software, which makes it a better fit for technically capable administrators comfortable operating a focused, self-hosted service than for organizations seeking a mature, managed cache product.
Silo pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free, open-source remote cache with no account requirement
- Authentication, role mapping, retention limits, metrics, and health endpoints
- Docker and fat JAR distribution with a web administration dashboard
- Where it doesn't
- Supports Gradle rather than multiple build systems
- Alpha software may not suit teams requiring mature tooling
- Self-hosting requires infrastructure and operational ownership
Silo fact sheet, pricing and score →
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