Build Cache Node replacement: questions and answers
+Short answers about the end of the free Build Cache Node and about FosterStack Cache.
+ +What is happening to the Develocity Build Cache Node?
+Gradle Inc. says the free standalone Build Cache Node "will no longer be distributed, supported or available after December 31, 2026." Read the vendor's official notice. We have a short page on what that means.
+ +Do I have to move my cached data?
+No. A build cache only holds results your build can always rebuild. Start the new server empty and your first builds fill it. If the cache is down or empty, builds are slower, not wrong.
+ +What is FosterStack Cache?
+A self-hosted remote build cache. It is one static binary or one container image, MIT licensed. It speaks Gradle's own HttpBuildCache protocol, and also the remote mode of Apache's Maven Build Cache Extension.
Does it work with Gradle?
+Yes. Gradle talks to it with its normal remote build cache setting, so moving from the old node is mostly a URL change. Our CI builds a real multi-module Gradle project against it on every change and checks that a second build gets real cache hits. See the setup page.
+ +Does it work with Maven?
+The Maven side is built, but its acceptance testing is still in progress, so treat it as newer than the Gradle side. The Maven client is Apache's Build Cache Extension, not ours.
+ +Is it free?
+Yes. Everything you can download today is the free MIT core, including eviction, size limits and metrics. Paid tiers are described for the future but are not built or sold yet.
+ +Is it ready for production?
+It is early. Nobody runs it in a real build pipeline yet except us. A cache fails safe, since a missing cache means slower builds, but decide for yourself with that in mind. The README lists what has shipped and what has not.
+ +Who can write to the cache?
+Anyone holding the password. The server has one password and one permission level today. Turn on Basic Auth anywhere untrusted people could reach the port, and share the password only with CI and developers you trust to change your code. Telling Gradle not to upload is a client choice, not a server rule.
+ +Does it have a web page like the old node?
+No settings page, on purpose. You configure it with flags and environment variables. A read-only status page shows version, size, entries and hit counts, and metrics are available for Prometheus. To empty the cache, remove its volume and start again.
+ +How do I check a release is the real one?
+Container images are signed and releases carry build provenance, a software bill of materials and vulnerability statements. The commands are under "Verifying a release" in RELEASING.md. No account is needed for the signature check.
+ +Does the server send anything out?
+No. The server sends no telemetry and needs no connection to FosterStack. It can run on a network with no route to the internet; see the disconnected network guide.
+ +Can I run it on Kubernetes?
+Yes, with plain manifests in the Kubernetes guide. There is no Helm chart yet.
+ +Does it work with Jenkins and other CI?
+It is a plain web server, so any runner that can reach it can use it. See Jenkins and CI build cache.
+ +Where do I report a problem or ask for something?
+Open an issue on GitHub. There is no signup, form or mailing list. That is also where the roadmap gets argued with.
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