macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install buildkitdlocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew / rank 8947
Install buildkitd with Homebrew
Concurrent, cache-efficient, and Dockerfile-agnostic builder toolkit (Daemon). Version 0.32.1 via Homebrew; verified 2026-08-03.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Concurrent, cache-efficient, and Dockerfile-agnostic builder toolkit (Daemon)
Project links
Commands and aliases
- buildkitd
history
Project history and usage
`buildkitd` is the daemon side of BuildKit: the long-running service that executes BuildKit build graphs, manages workers and cache, and exposes the API used by `buildctl`, Docker Buildx, and other clients.
Project history
The daemon exists because BuildKit was designed as a reusable backend rather than a monolithic CLI operation. The 2017 Moby proposal described BuildKit as a long-running service optimized for parallel execution, complex projects, and multiple builds at the same time.
In the BuildKit repository, `buildkitd` is documented as the daemon paired with the `buildctl` client. It supports OCI and containerd worker backends, rootless operation, systemd socket activation, TCP exposure, Kubernetes/containerized deployments, and daemon configuration through `buildkitd.toml`.
Adoption history
`buildkitd` adoption followed BuildKit adoption: once Docker Buildx and then Docker Engine 23.0 made BuildKit the default build engine, the daemon became the infrastructure component behind many local, remote, and CI builder setups.
The daemon is especially visible outside Docker Desktop and Docker Engine defaults, where users run BuildKit directly on Linux hosts, in Kubernetes, in containers, or from macOS through a Linux VM such as Lima.
How it is used
Users start `buildkitd` as root or rootless, point clients at its Unix socket or TCP endpoint, and tune behavior with `/etc/buildkit/buildkitd.toml` or `~/.config/buildkit/buildkitd.toml`. It manages worker backends, garbage collection, cache storage, network settings, entitlements, and registry configuration.
Package-manager users care about `buildkitd` when they need a real BuildKit service instead of only the `buildctl` client, for example to run local CI builders, expose a remote build farm endpoint, or experiment with non-Docker workers.
Why package nerds care
`buildkitd` is the boring but important half of BuildKit packaging: without the daemon, `buildctl` is just a client. Splitting the Homebrew formula surface between BuildKit tools and the daemon reflects the practical difference between a portable CLI and a Linux-oriented build service.
For people who package container tooling, `buildkitd` is a case study in shipping a service-oriented build engine whose useful configuration is mostly runtime paths, sockets, workers, and cache policy rather than project-local config files.
Timeline
- 2017: BuildKit proposal describes a long-running build service.
- 2017: Public `moby/buildkit` repository is created.
- 2023: Docker Engine 23.0 makes Buildx and BuildKit the default Docker build path.
- 2026: `buildkitd.toml` remains the documented daemon configuration surface.
Related projects
- `buildkitd` is part of BuildKit and is used with `buildctl`, Docker Buildx, Moby/Docker, containerd, runc/crun, Lima, Kubernetes, and OCI image tooling.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: orange
formula declares a Homebrew service.
Risk classifier
orange risk · medium confidence · infrastructure
Why
- formula declares a Homebrew service
Signals
- metadata:service
Install behavior
- No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
local files
Configuration and credential file locations
These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.
Configuration files
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- Unix
/etc/buildkit/buildkitd.toml~/.config/buildkit/buildkitd.toml
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
buildkitd | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-08-03
manager version0.32.1
manager updated2026-08-03
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:buildkitd |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.32.1 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://github.com/moby/buildkit |
| Repository | https://github.com/moby/buildkit |
| Last updated | 2026-08-03T15:09:10Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation