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layout: documentation title: Remote execution overview

Remote execution overview

By default, Bazel executes builds and tests on your local machine. Remote execution of a Bazel build allows you to distribute build and test actions across multiple machines, such as a datacenter.

Remote execution provides the following benefits:

• Faster build and test execution through scaling of nodes available for parallel actions
• A consistent execution environment for a development team
• Reuse of build outputs across a development team

Bazel uses an open-source gRPC protocol to allow for remote execution and remote caching.

Remote execution services

To run Bazel with remote execution, you can use one of the following:

• Manual
  • Use the gRPC protocol directly to create your own remote execution service.
• Self-service
  • Buildbarn
  • Buildfarm
  • BuildGrid
  • Scoot
• Commercial
  • EngFlow Remote Execution -- Remote execution and remote caching service. Can be self-hosted or hosted.
  • BuildBuddy -- Remote build execution, caching, and results UI.
  • Flare -- Providing a cache + CDN for Bazel artifacts and Apple-focused remote builds in addition to build & test analytics.

Requirements

Remote execution of Bazel builds imposes a set of mandatory configuration constraints on the build. For more information, see Adapting Bazel Rules for Remote Execution.