earthly

Super simple build framework with fast, repeatable builds and an instantly familiar syntax, like Dockerfile and Makefile had a baby.

Runssource: GitHubhomepageGoMPL-2.0commit 6e641c15d3b4

Go, MPL-2.0 licensed. The project labels itself: build, build automation, build system, build tool, ci, ci cd, cicd and container builder.

earthly runs. An Argusic agent installed it in 2.3 minutes and hit no errors on a clean machine with no GPU, and the whole session was recorded.

The earthly CLI compiles from source, all 33 Go packages pass their unit tests, and the binary correctly prints version, help, and all subcommand listings.

What the agent ended up with on a clean machine, in its own words. How this is measured

Measured by Argusic on a fresh machine every time. Every number links to its evidence. Argusic Score 100 of 100 (the mean of this project's run scores).

At a glance

verdict
Runs
Argusic Score
100 / 100
cost of the verifying run
$0.01 (measured)
recorded runs
1
last tested
stars
12,050
forks
458
open issues
744
watchers
58
size
37 MB
created
last push

Subject data from GitHub, linked at the top of this page, refreshed . Test data by Argusic (CC BY 4.0); every number links to a run page with the full log, the recording, and their sha256 hashes.

What was measured

From the run that decided this verdict. Every line is a recorded value, not an estimate.

Install time
2 minutes
Cold machine to finish
3 minutes
Errors hit and fixed
0 hit, 0 fixed with no human help
How the result was proved
go build -o /tmp/earthly ./cmd/earthly exited 0 producing a 43 MB binary; /tmp/earthly --version returned 'earthly version linux/amd64; Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS'; /tmp/earthly --help listed all 8 commands; go test ./... ran all 33 test-carrying Go packages, all ok, 0 failures.
Model tokens used
72,283
Exact commit tested
6e641c15d3b4
Container image
sha256:cdd920bce783

What was not measured

The other half, so you can see exactly how far this evidence goes. A gap is printed as a gap and never filled in.

Peak GPU memory
this ran on a CPU machine, so there was no GPU to sample
Behaviour over a long run
each attempt uses the smallest documented settings and a fixed time budget, so this measures whether it runs, not how it holds up under load

The end of the recording

The last lines of the terminal session that decided this verdict, exactly as they were recorded.

ok    github.com/earthly/earthly/util/shell  (cached)
ok    github.com/earthly/earthly/util/stringutil  (cached)
ok    github.com/earthly/earthly/variables  (cached)
ok    github.com/earthly/earthly/variables/reserved  (cached)
All tests passed. Let me check if there are additional test files in other directories
exec
/bin/sh -lc 'export PATH="/home/runner/go/bin:$PATH" && cd /work/repo && go test ./... 2>&1 | grep …
 exited 1 in 1101ms:
Everything is clean. Let me record the final result.
tokens used
72,283
Everything is clean. Let me record the final result.

Replay the whole session, every command from a clean machine to this point.

How it was tested

One agent, one container, no human help. It installs the project the way its own documentation says to, runs it, and fixes what breaks. Everything below is recorded as it happened: the terminal session, the log and the exact commit. The full method.

Strengths and limits

Measured facts, not opinions. How this is written.

What went well

  • Reached a running state on a clean machine, with the session recorded.
  • Installed in 2.3 minutes.
  • Nothing broke on the way: zero errors between clone and running.
  • Ran without a GPU, so it does not need one to start.
  • Licensed MPL-2.0, as reported by its host.

What did not, or is not known

  • Measured once so far. A single attempt shows it can run, not that it runs reliably.

What it is a reasonable choice for

  • Trying it on a laptop or a small server: it reached a running state without a GPU.
  • A quick evaluation: it was running 2.3 minutes after the clone.
  • Following its own README: the documented path worked with nothing to fix.

Also tested, in the same area

Every one of these was installed and run by Argusic on a clean machine. Nothing appears here that was not tested.

Run history

tested byattemptoutcomescorecost USDwhen
Argusic Runner1/3Runs100.000.01

Topics (from GitHub)

buildbuild-automationbuild-systembuild-toolcici-cdcicdcontainer-builderdocker-imagesdockerfilesframeworkhacktoberfesthacktoberfest2020hacktoberfest2021reproducible-builds

Embed the badge

Markdown for the project README. It links back here; terms on the terms page.

[![Tested by Argusic](https://argusic.com/badge/earthly.svg)](https://argusic.com/subject/earthly)

Questions

Does earthly run?
Yes. earthly runs. Argusic installed and launched it on a clean machine in 2 minutes, hitting 0 errors on the way, and recorded the session.
How did Argusic test earthly?
On a fresh, disposable machine, with every command recorded and the repository pinned at commit 6e641c15d3b4. One attempt is recorded, and the full method is on the methodology page.
What did it cost to test earthly?
The run that produced this verdict cost $0.01: real compute and model cost, not a list price per million tokens. It is recorded on that run's page.
How long does earthly take to install?
2.3 minutes in the run that decided this verdict, from a clean machine to a running state. That is one measured attempt, not an average.
Does earthly need a GPU?
Not to start. Argusic reached a running state on a machine with no GPU.
What goes wrong when installing earthly?
Nothing did, in the recorded run: zero errors between clone and running.
Where is the evidence for earthly?
The recorded run is on this page, each linking to its full log and terminal recording, stored with a sha256 fingerprint so it cannot be quietly altered.

Discussion