Frequently asked questions

Aspect Workflows is a complete developer platform for teams using Bazel that includes the developer infrastructure teams need for optimal build & test times, as well as a set of predefined tasks for common developer workflows such as building, testing, formatting/linting, code generation, and delivering release artifacts.

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Aspect Workflows infrastructure includes a remote cache for CI and local development, remote execution for CI and local development, and Bazel-optimized CI runners that register as self-hosted runners with your existing CI system.

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Aspect Workflows ensures consistency and efficiency throughout your development process.

Aspect Workflows support parallel execution of tasks, easy integration with CI/CD pipelines, and customizable steps to suit different project requirements. This flexibility helps streamline complex build and deployment processes.

To create a custom workflow, define the necessary steps in your build or deployment process, configure triggers, and integrate the workflow with your existing tools and pipelines. This ensures a tailored, automated process.

Aspect Workflows reduce the potential for errors, streamline repetitive tasks, and ensure consistency across different environments. This leads to more reliable builds and faster deployment cycles.

By automating critical steps and enabling parallel execution, Aspect Workflows make it easier to manage large-scale projects with multiple moving parts. This scalability is crucial for maintaining efficiency as projects grow.

Aspect Workflows play a critical role in DevOps pipelines by automating build and deployment processes, ensuring that code moves from development to production in a consistent and controlled manner.

To experience Aspect Workflows in action within your environment, you can request a custom demo tailored to your specific needs. Our team will guide you through the setup and showcase how Aspect Workflows can streamline your build and deployment processes, highlighting the features most relevant to your projects. Simply reach out to us, and we’ll arrange a session that demonstrates the full potential of Aspect Workflows in your unique context.

Aspect CLI is a powerful command-line interface that enhances Bazel’s usability, providing developers with streamlined tools to manage builds, run tests, and deploy applications efficiently.

Aspect CLI includes features like command auto-completion, built-in help, and a suite of powerful commands for managing Bazel builds. It also offers tools for generating and managing BUILD files, enhancing productivity.

CLI Pro is an advanced version of Aspect CLI, offering additional features like more comprehensive build file generation, deeper integration with other tools, and enhanced performance optimizations for complex projects.

Aspect CLI can automatically generate BUILD files using Starlark, Bazel’s build language. This automation saves time, reduces errors, and ensures that your build files are consistent with your project’s structure and dependencies.

CLI Plugins are extensions that add new commands and features to Aspect CLI, allowing developers to customize their build environment. This flexibility helps automate additional tasks and tailor the CLI to specific needs.

Aspect CLI simplifies interactions with Bazel, making it easier to manage complex builds and deployments. Its user-friendly commands and automation features enhance productivity and reduce the learning curve for new users.

Remote Build Execution (RBE) is a method of offloading the computation of build and test processes to remote servers, allowing for faster and more efficient builds compared to traditional local execution.

RBE utilizes Bazel, an open-source build tool, which orchestrates the distribution of build tasks to remote servers. This allows for parallel processing and reduces the load on local machines, leading to quicker build times.

RBE offers several advantages including reduced build times, improved resource utilization, scalability for large projects, and the ability to leverage powerful remote servers that may have better hardware than local machines.

You should consider using RBE when your organization faces long build times, has a large codebase that requires frequent building, or when you want to improve collaboration among teams by centralizing build resources.

While RBE has its benefits, there are limitations such as potential network latency issues, dependency on stable internet connectivity, and additional complexity in setup and configuration compared to local builds.

RBE is particularly beneficial for large-scale projects with extensive build requirements. However, smaller projects or those with minimal build needs may not see significant advantages from adopting RBE.

Rules_lint is a Bazel ruleset that integrates linters and formatters into your build process, ensuring that your code adheres to style guidelines and is free of common errors. This promotes code consistency and quality.

Using Rules_lint helps maintain high code quality by automatically enforcing coding standards and identifying potential issues early in the development process. This reduces technical debt and streamlines code reviews.

Integrate Rules_lint by adding the ruleset to your Bazel WORKSPACE file, configuring the specific linters and formatters you need, and including them in your build targets. This automation ensures that code quality checks are part of your build process.

Rules_lint ensures consistent code style across your project, early detection of potential issues, and reduced code review time by automating style checks. This leads to more maintainable and error-free codebases.

By integrating linting and formatting into the build process, Rules_lint reduces the time developers spend on manual code reviews, catches issues early, and helps maintain a high standard of code quality throughout the project.

Challenges may include configuring the linters to meet your team’s coding standards and handling legacy code that doesn’t conform to current styles. However, these challenges are often outweighed by the long-term benefits of improved code quality.

Selective Delivery allows developers to deploy specific features or modules without redeploying the entire application. This reduces deployment times, minimizes risks, and enables faster iteration.

Bazel’s support for fine-grained targets makes it ideal for Selective Delivery. It enables efficient, targeted builds, allowing teams to isolate and deploy only the changed components, resulting in faster release cycles.

Successful implementation requires a well-structured codebase with clear module boundaries. Dependencies must be carefully managed, and a robust CI/CD pipeline is necessary for automated testing and deployment.

Challenges include managing interdependencies between modules and maintaining version compatibility. Thorough automated testing and clear documentation help mitigate these risks.

It enables teams to work independently on different components, reducing bottlenecks and accelerating delivery times, which is particularly beneficial for distributed teams.

It’s most beneficial for large, complex projects with frequent updates. Smaller projects with tightly coupled components may not see significant benefits and should weigh the overhead before adopting.

Rules_js is a Bazel ruleset for building JavaScript and TypeScript projects. Migrating ensures a unified, efficient build system across your stack, reducing complexity and improving workflow.

It leverages Bazel’s caching and parallelism to reduce build times, ensuring that only necessary parts are rebuilt, leading to faster feedback loops and efficient development.

Update your Bazel WORKSPACE and BUILD files to include Rules_js, adjust dependency management, and align your CI/CD pipeline with the new setup.

Challenges include adapting existing build scripts and dealing with tool compatibility. Address these by refactoring code, adjusting configurations, and contributing to the Bazel community for improved tool support.

They can extend Rules_js with custom rules and macros for specialized build processes, optimizing performance and fitting the unique needs of their project.

Rules_js is part of a growing ecosystem supporting various languages. Expect ongoing updates that enhance performance, compatibility, and ease of use.

Rules_oci is a Bazel ruleset for building and deploying OCI-compliant container images. It integrates container management into your Bazel workflow, ensuring consistent, reproducible builds.

Migrating allows you to leverage Bazel’s build capabilities for containerized applications, improving consistency and efficiency across different environments.

Update your Bazel WORKSPACE and BUILD files to include Rules_oci, define container images and dependencies, and adjust your CI/CD pipeline for automated container builds.

Challenges include adapting Dockerfiles and ensuring OCI compatibility. Overcome these by restructuring container layers and optimizing workflows within Bazel’s build model.

Rules_oci automates container builds, integrates with existing deployment processes, and ensures consistent environments, making CI/CD pipelines more reliable and efficient.

Advanced teams can create custom rules within Rules_oci, optimizing container builds for specific requirements, and integrating complex deployment strategies seamlessly into their Bazel workflow.

Bzlmod is Bazel’s new module system that replaces the traditional WORKSPACE file, offering a more flexible and powerful approach to managing dependencies. It introduces modularization and simplifies complex project setups.

Migrating to Bzlmod enhances dependency management by resolving dependencies more efficiently and offering better modularization. This results in improved build performance and easier maintenance of complex projects.

Migration involves converting your WORKSPACE file to Bzlmod’s format, updating your dependencies, and thoroughly testing your build to ensure compatibility. This process streamlines your project’s dependency management.

Challenges include handling legacy dependencies, updating build configurations, and ensuring that all modules are correctly defined and resolved. A methodical approach to migration can help address these issues.

Bzlmod provides a more scalable and maintainable way to manage dependencies, reducing the complexity of large projects. It also supports better isolation and reuse of modules, leading to more efficient builds.

Bzlmod facilitates collaborative development by making it easier to share and manage dependencies across teams. Its modular approach reduces conflicts and enables more consistent builds across different environments.

Continuous Delivery (CD) ensures your codebase is always in a deployable state, enabling frequent and reliable releases. It reduces the time between development and production, fostering rapid iteration.

Bazel’s deterministic builds and caching capabilities ensure consistent, fast builds across environments, making it a natural fit for robust CD pipelines.

CD ensures readiness for deployment, while Continuous Deployment automates the release process. Bazel supports both by ensuring reliable, production-ready builds.

Configure your CI system to trigger Bazel builds automatically, incorporating stages for testing, building, and deploying. This setup ensures reliability and speed in your delivery process.

Bazel mitigates issues like inconsistent environments, flaky tests, and long feedback loops through its reproducible build environment and efficient parallel execution.

Advanced teams can create custom rules and macros in Bazel, optimizing build processes and integrating sophisticated deployment strategies like blue-green deployments.

Staying updated with the latest Bazel versions ensures access to performance improvements, new features, and essential security patches. This leads to faster, more reliable builds and better overall project health.

Bazel 7.0 introduces enhanced dependency resolution, faster build times, and improved support for modern programming languages and frameworks. These updates make it easier to manage complex builds more efficiently.

Upgrading involves updating your build environment, testing your project with the new Bazel version, and making any necessary adjustments to your build files. This ensures compatibility and leverages new features.

Upgrading can present challenges such as dealing with deprecated features, adjusting to changes in build behavior, and ensuring that all team members use the same version to avoid inconsistencies.

Version upgrades can impact your CI/CD pipeline by introducing new build behaviors or performance changes. Thorough testing and validation are crucial to ensure that your pipeline continues to operate smoothly post-upgrade.

Best practices include maintaining a consistent upgrade schedule, thoroughly testing all builds before and after the upgrade, and documenting any changes that may affect your workflow. This approach minimizes disruptions and maximizes benefits.