Buildstash

Product Introduction

1. Buildstash is a unified platform designed for software teams to manage build artifacts and release workflows across diverse platforms including mobile apps, desktop software, games, XR applications, and embedded systems. It centralizes build storage, distribution, and collaboration to replace fragmented workflows with a structured system. The product enables teams to automate build archival, organize releases, and streamline QA processes while maintaining full visibility into build origins and dependencies.
2. The core value of Buildstash lies in eliminating chaos from software delivery by providing a single source of truth for binaries, integrating with development tools, and enabling controlled distribution. It replaces ad-hoc methods like shared folders and manual Slack coordination with version-controlled artifact management, secure sharing, and release automation tailored for multi-platform environments.

Main Features

1. Buildstash offers automated build archival with local and CI/CD integrations, ensuring every build is stored, tagged, and traceable to its source code commit, branch, and repository. Teams can filter builds by platform, label, or stream (e.g., stable, nightlies) and attach related Jira or Linear issues directly to builds for contextual tracking.
2. Multi-platform release grouping allows teams to bundle binaries for applications spanning consoles (PlayStation, Nintendo Switch), XR (Meta Quest, Vision Pro), mobile (iOS, Android), and embedded systems into unified releases. Each release includes changelogs, versioning, and customizable distribution rules for testers, QA teams, or public portals.
3. Secure distribution workflows include one-click expiring links, password-protected access, and branded portals for external collaborators. Teams can create public download pages hosted on their own domains or private portals for client-specific builds, with granular controls over who can view or download artifacts.

Problems Solved

1. Buildstash addresses the lack of centralized version control for binaries, which often leads to lost builds, disorganized shared folders, and manual tracking via Slack or email. It solves fragmented release workflows by integrating artifact storage with QA sign-off, tester distribution, and rollout management.
2. The product targets software teams developing cross-platform applications, including game studios managing playtest builds, mobile app teams steering releases through app stores, and embedded systems engineers deploying firmware updates.
3. Typical use cases include automating uploads from CI pipelines like GitHub Actions, sharing nightly builds with QA via permissioned portals, and managing client approvals for agency projects through branded release dashboards.

Unique Advantages

1. Unlike generic cloud storage or artifact repositories, Buildstash is purpose-built for multi-platform software binaries, with native support for console-specific formats (e.g., .xci for Nintendo Switch), firmware files (.hex), and platform-specific packaging (e.g., .apk, .dmg).
2. Innovative features include source-code-linked builds, which display Git commit details and branch origins, and issue tracker integrations that attach Linear/Jira tickets to builds for traceability. The platform also uniquely supports “streams” (e.g., stable, nightlies) to organize builds by lifecycle stage.
3. Competitive advantages include tailored workflows for niche industries like gaming (PlayStation 5/Xbox Series X/S build management) and embedded systems (OTA update tracking), plus upcoming one-click deployments to app stores and console vendor portals.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What platforms does Buildstash support? Buildstash supports over 30 platforms, including consoles (PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch), XR devices (Meta Quest, Vision Pro), mobile (iOS, Android), desktop (Windows, macOS), and embedded systems (FreeBSD, Linux). Custom platform labels can be added for proprietary hardware.
2. How does Buildstash integrate with CI/CD pipelines? The platform provides CLI tools and APIs to automate uploads from local machines or CI systems like Jenkins, GitHub Actions, and GitLab CI. Builds are tagged with metadata including Git commit hashes, branch names, and CI job IDs.
3. Can I restrict access to sensitive builds? Yes, teams can enforce password protection, IP allowlisting, and expiration dates on shared links. Private portals support SAML/SSO authentication and granular permissions for external testers or clients.
4. How is this different from using Google Drive or S3 buckets? Buildstash adds versioning, platform-specific metadata, release grouping, and integrated issue tracking lacking in generic storage. It also avoids file naming chaos by auto-organizing builds by platform, version, and stream.
5. Does Buildstash support deployment to app stores? Currently, teams can publish builds to public/private portals for download, with one-click store deployments (e.g., Apple App Store, Google Play) planned for Q4 2025 via partnerships with official platform vendors.