Buildkite Cli

Buildkite CLI

The Buildkite CLI (bk) provides terminal access to builds, jobs, pipelines, secrets, artifacts, clusters, queues, and packages. Use it to trigger builds, tail logs, manage secrets, run a local agent, and automate CI/CD workflows without leaving the command line.

> Tip: This skill covers common commands and patterns. For complete flag details on any command, run bk --help. The CLI ships exhaustive examples in its own help output — prefer it as the source of truth for a specific flag.

Quick Start

# Install
brew install buildkite/buildkite/bk

# Authenticate (OAuth — opens a browser)
bk auth login

# Trigger a build on the current branch (pipeline auto-detected from the repo)
bk build create

# Watch the most recent build run
bk build watch

# Inspect a build and read a failed job's log
bk build view
bk job log 

Most build, job, artifact, and pipeline commands resolve the pipeline, branch, and most-recent build from the current git repository. Pass -p/--pipeline explicitly only when outside a repo or when targeting a different pipeline.

Installation

# Homebrew (macOS and Linux)
brew install buildkite/buildkite/bk

# Update an existing install (prints the right command for brew/mise installs)
bk update

For binary downloads and verification, see references/command-reference.md.

Authentication

bk auth login is the recommended method. It uses OAuth and stores the resulting token in the system keychain — no manual token creation required.

# OAuth login (opens a browser; grants all scopes your account allows)
bk auth login

# Login to a specific organization
bk auth login --org my-org

# Login with read-only access (scope group), plus write access to builds
bk auth login --scopes "read_only write_builds"

# Headless / remote machine (no browser)
bk auth login --device

# Non-interactive with an existing API token (CI/Docker)
bk auth login --org my-org --token "$BUILDKITE_API_TOKEN"

| Command | Description | |---------|-------------| | bk auth login | OAuth or token login; stores credentials in the keychain | | bk auth status | Show the current session (supports -o json) | | bk auth token | Print the stored token to stdout (e.g. for curl) | | bk auth switch [org] (alias bk auth use) | Switch the active organization | | bk auth logout | Remove stored credentials (--all for every org) |

On headless Linux hosts where no keychain is available, pin token storage to an in-memory store: bk config set credential_store shm, then bk auth login --device.

Token-based config (alternative)

bk configure stores a manually-created API token instead of using OAuth. Use it only when OAuth is unavailable.

bk configure --org my-org --token "$BUILDKITE_API_TOKEN"
bk configure add --org second-org --token "$OTHER_TOKEN"   # add another org

Create the token at Buildkite > avatar > Personal Settings > API Access Tokens with at least read_builds, write_builds, read_pipelines, and read_artifacts scopes.

Switching organizations

bk use my-other-org      # top-level alias for bk auth switch
bk auth switch           # interactive selection
bk organization list     # list configured orgs

CLI configuration

bk config manages persistent settings (default output format, pager, credential store). User config applies globally; --local writes a .bk.yaml in the current directory.

bk config list                          # show effective config
bk config set output_format json        # default all output to JSON
bk config set selected_org my-org --local

Builds

Create, view, list, cancel, retry, rebuild, watch, and download builds.

Create a build

# Build the current branch and commit (pipeline auto-detected from the repo)
bk build create

# Explicit pipeline, branch, and message
bk build create -p my-app -b feature/auth -m "Test auth changes"

# With environment variables and metadata
bk build create -e "DEPLOY_ENV=staging" -M "release=true"

# Open the new build in the browser
bk build create -w

| Flag | Short | Default | Description | |------|-------|---------|-------------| | --pipeline | -p | auto-detected | Pipeline slug, or {org}/{slug} | | --branch | -b | pipeline default branch | Git branch to build | | --commit | -c | HEAD | Git commit SHA | | --message | -m | commit message | Build message | | --author | -a | — | Build author ("Name ", email, name, or username) | | --env | -e | — | Environment variable KEY=VALUE (repeatable) | | --env-file | -f | — | Load environment variables from a file | | --metadata | -M | — | Build metadata KEY=VALUE (repeatable) | | --ignore-branch-filters | -i | false | Build even when branch filters would skip it | | --web | -w | false | Open the build in a browser after creating it |

View a build

bk build view (and most build commands) default to the most recent build on the current branch.

bk build view                  # most recent build on the current branch
bk build view 429              # a specific build number
bk build view -s failed,broken # only show failed/broken jobs
bk build view --mine           # most recent build by the current user
bk build view 429 -o json      # structured output

List builds

bk build list                                   # 50 most recent
bk build list --state failed --branch main      # filter by state and branch
bk build list --since 24h --duration ">20m"     # recent slow builds
bk build list --meta-data env=production -o json

Server-side filters (fast): --pipeline, --since, --until, --state, --branch, --creator, --commit, --meta-data. Client-side filters: --duration, --message. Valid states: running, scheduled, passed, failed, blocked, canceled, canceling, skipped, not_run. Pass --state and --branch as comma-separated lists. Use --limit N (default 50) or --no-limit to control paging. See references/command-reference.md for the full filter table.

Watch a build

Stream real-time progress. Blocks until the build completes or is canceled.

bk build watch                       # watch the most recent build
bk build watch 429 -p my-app         # watch a specific build
bk build watch --interval 5          # custom polling interval (seconds)

Cancel, retry, rebuild

bk build cancel 429 -p my-app   # only scheduled/running/failing builds
bk build rebuild 429            # rebuild a specific build (or most recent)

Download build resources

bk build download downloads a build's artifacts to the local filesystem.

bk build download 429 -p my-app
bk build download --mine          # most recent build by the current user

Trigger and follow

bk build create -p my-app -b main && bk build watch -p my-app

Jobs

Inspect and act on individual jobs. Jobs are addressed by UUID — bk job log no longer needs pipeline or build context (the -p/-b flags are deprecated and ignored).

View job logs

bk job log 0190046e-e199-453b-a302-a21a4d649d31
bk job log  --no-timestamps   # strip timestamp prefixes

List jobs

bk job list extracts jobs across recent builds, with server-side (--pipeline, --since, --until) and client-side (--queue, --state, --duration) filters.

bk job list --queue test-queue --state running
bk job list --duration ">10m" --order-by duration --no-limit

Retry, cancel, unblock, reprioritize

bk job retry            # each job UUID can be retried once
bk job cancel 
bk job unblock          # unblock a blocked step
bk job unblock  --data '{"release": "true"}'   # with block-step fields
bk job reprioritize  10 # raise scheduling priority

Debugging workflow

bk build list --state failed -p my-app   # find failed builds
bk build view 429 -p my-app -s failed    # identify the failed jobs
bk job log                      # read the failing log

Pipelines

Create, list, view, copy, validate, and convert pipeline configuration.

List and view

bk pipeline list                 # all pipelines (default 100)
bk pipeline list --name deploy   # filter by name (partial, case-insensitive)
bk pipeline view my-app          # pipeline details
bk pipeline view my-app -w       # open in browser

Create a pipeline

bk pipeline create "My App" -r "git@github.com:org/my-app.git" --cluster-name "Default"
bk pipeline create "My App" -r "git@github.com:org/my-app.git" --dry-run   # preview only

| Flag | Short | Default | Description | |------|-------|---------|-------------| | ` | — | — | Pipeline name (positional, required) | | --repository | -r | — | Git repository URL | | --description | -d | — | Pipeline description | | --cluster-uuid | — | — | Cluster UUID to assign the pipeline to | | --cluster-name | — | — | Cluster name (resolved to UUID) | | --create-webhook | -W | false | Create an SCM webhook (GitHub / GitHub Enterprise only) | | --dry-run | — | false` | Show what would be created without creating it |

> For pipeline YAML configuration, step types, and plugins, see the buildkite-pipelines skill.

Copy a pipeline

bk pipeline copy my-app --target "my-app-v2"             # within the org
bk pipeline copy my-app --target "other-org/my-app"      # across orgs (cluster reset)

Validate a pipeline

bk pipeline validate checks YAML against the pipeline schema locally (no API token needed). Defaults to .buildkite/pipeline.yaml or .yml.

bk pipeline validate
bk pipeline validate --file .buildkite/deploy.yml

Convert from another CI system

Convert GitHub Actions, Bitbucket, CircleCI, Jenkins, GitLab (beta), Harness (beta), or Bitrise (beta) config to Buildkite YAML. No login required.

bk pipeline convert -F .github/workflows/ci.yml          # vendor auto-detected
bk pipeline convert -F .gitlab-ci.yml --vendor gitlab    # specify when ambiguous
cat .circleci/config.yml | bk pipeline convert --vendor circleci

Output defaults to .buildkite/pipeline..yml (stdout when reading from stdin). Use -o/--output for a custom path.

> For converting pipelines from other CI systems in depth, see the buildkite-migration skill.

Secrets

Manage cluster-scoped secrets. All secret commands require --cluster-uuid.

# Create (omit --value to enter it via a masked prompt)
bk secret create --cluster-uuid  --key MY_SECRET --value "$TOKEN"

# List, view, update, delete
bk secret list --cluster-uuid 
bk secret get --cluster-uuid  --secret-id 
bk secret update --cluster-uuid  --secret-id  --update-value
bk secret delete --cluster-uuid  --secret-id 

Naming rules: keys may contain only letters, numbers, and underscores, and cannot begin with buildkite or bk (case-insensitive). Exception: BUILDKITE_API_TOKEN. Pass --description and an access --policy (YAML) on create or update.

> For using secrets inside pipeline YAML (secrets:) and job steps (buildkite-agent secret get), see the buildkite-pipelines and buildkite-agent-runtime skills.

Artifacts

List and download build artifacts. The command is bk artifacts (plural). Build number defaults to the most recent build on the current branch.

bk artifacts list                              # most recent build
bk artifacts list 429 -j             # a specific job in a build
bk artifacts download --build 429              # all artifacts for a build
bk artifacts download  --build 429

> There is no bk artifacts upload. Upload artifacts from within a job step with buildkite-agent artifact upload (see the buildkite-agent-runtime skill). For artifact_paths: in pipeline YAML, see the buildkite-pipelines skill.

Clusters and Queues

The CLI manages clusters, queues, and cluster maintainers directly:

bk cluster list
bk cluster create --name "Production"
bk queue list 
bk queue create  --key deploy
bk queue pause       # stop dispatching to a queue

Full CRUD exists for bk cluster, bk queue, and bk maintainer. See references/command-reference.md for the command list.

> For cluster/queue strategy, hosted agent shapes, agent tokens, and infrastructure provisioning, see the buildkite-agent-infrastructure skill.

Local Agent

bk agent run downloads the agent, creates a temporary cluster token, and runs an ephemeral buildkite-agent locally — useful for testing pipeline changes against your own machine. Everything is cleaned up on Ctrl+C.

bk agent run                      # latest agent on the Default cluster
bk agent run --queue deploy       # listen on a specific queue
bk agent install                  # install the binary + a starter config

bk agent list/view/pause/resume/stop manage registered agents in the org.

Preflight, Browse, and Other Commands

bk browse                 # open the current pipeline (filtered to the branch)
bk browse 429 -n          # print the build URL instead of opening it
bk init                   # scaffold a starter pipeline.yaml
bk package push  --file-path pkg.tar.gz
bk user invite alice@example.com bob@example.com
bk skill add buildkite-api   # install a Buildkite skill into the current agent

> For running a build against local uncommitted changes with bk preflight run, see the buildkite-preflight skill.

Raw API Access

Make direct REST or GraphQL calls with bk api:

bk api /pipelines/my-app/builds/429                    # REST GET (org inferred)
bk api -X POST /pipelines --data '{"name":"New","repository":"git@..."}'
bk api --file query.graphql                                      # GraphQL (file with a named operation)

> For comprehensive REST and GraphQL documentation (endpoints, mutations, pagination, webhooks), see the buildkite-api skill.

MCP Server Alternatives

When the Buildkite MCP server is available, prefer MCP tools for read operations — they handle auth, pagination, and parsing. Fall back to the CLI for actions MCP does not cover.

| CLI Command | MCP Tool | Notes | |-------------|----------|-------| | bk build create | create_build | MCP handles auth automatically | | bk build view / list | get_build / list_builds | Same filters; structured output | | bk job log | read_logs, tail_logs | MCP supports streaming | | bk pipeline list / view / create | list_pipelines, get_pipeline, create_pipeline | | | bk artifacts list / download | list_artifacts_for_build, get_artifact | | | bk cluster list | list_clusters | | | bk auth status | current_user, access_token | | | bk build watch / download | — | CLI only | | bk job retry / cancel / unblock | — | CLI only | | bk secret *, bk package push, bk agent run | — | CLI only | | bk api | — | Use MCP tools for reads; CLI for custom calls |

Common Mistakes

| Mistake | What happens | Fix | |---------|-------------|-----| | Running bk commands before authenticating | Commands fail with authentication errors | Run bk auth login (or bk configure with a token) first | | Running bk auth login in Docker/CI expecting a browser | Hangs — no browser or keychain available | Use bk auth login --org my-org --token "$TOKEN", or --device for headless | | Passing -p/-b to bk job log | Flags are deprecated and ignored — job UUIDs are self-contained | Pass only the job UUID | | Retrying a job UUID that was already retried | API returns 422 — each UUID retries once | Use the new job UUID returned by the first retry | | Creating secrets with keys starting with buildkite/bk | Creation fails — reserved prefix | Choose another name (exception: BUILDKITE_API_TOKEN) | | Passing secret values literally in --value | Values persist in shell history and pro

…

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: buildkite
• Source: buildkite/skills
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.