Speed up builds with the Test Engine Client

Faster build times with test splitting

Intelligently partition your pipeline with bktec to substantially reduce build times on your critical path to delivery. bktec split tests automatically based on your historical timing data, and maintains peak speed through continuous optimization and automated re-balancing.

The following image from Test Engine's test splitting setup page illustrates how this feature works.

In this example, without bktec, the test suite build time would take as long as it takes for the slowest combination of tests to run on a single partition (Buildkite job), which is 10 minutes.

Since the sum of all test executions across all agents is 16 minutes, with test splitting implemented, all four partitions would take approximately 4 minutes to run, such that the overall test suite build time would be approximately 4 minutes, or a 6-minute reduction.

Increase build reliability with test states

bktec uses test state data from your test suite to mute or skip problematic tests, which quarantines them, so that flaky tests don't affect the result of your build. Quarantining reduces build times by ensuring passing builds, first time, without having to retry jobs with failing tests.

A test marked skip within a test suite won't be executed as part of its test run.

A test marked with mute within a test suite will still be executed, but the result of the test will be ignored.

Buildkite recommends muting tests rather than skipping them, as a muted test will still report its result to Test Engine, so if the test's reliability improves over time, it can be re-enabled.

Learn more

bktec and its test splitting feature is available to all Pro and Enterprise customers, and test state is available for all Enterprise customers. If you are on a legacy plan please contact sales@buildkite.com to gain access these feature and try it out.

Learn more about how to install and configure bktec in their respective configuring and installing pages.