What it does
Screwdriver is a build platform for Continuous Delivery. Its YAML configuration defines jobs, commands, and workflow ordering, while source-control events trigger runs. Operators can use supported source services and execution engines, then run the platform on infrastructure they control.
Keep the workflow in the repository
A project starts with a screwdriver.yaml file beside its code. Define jobs and their commands there, then use workflow rules such as requires to control ordering. Source-control events can trigger different paths for pull requests, commits, tags, or releases, so a repository can run tests before merge and continue into build or deployment jobs afterward. The official quickstart walks through configuring and building a sample project.
Operators own the control plane
Screwdriver describes a pluggable model for source services and execution engines and documents how to configure its API, UI, store, queues, and build clusters. That flexibility is useful when the team needs control over its CI environment, but the documented production path includes operating the platform's services and cluster. The CD Foundation's Q1 2026 project update lists separate API, UI, Store, Queue-Service, Launcher, and Build Cluster Worker versions, which illustrates that an installation consists of several versioned services. The official site calls Screwdriver free and the repository carries Yahoo's BSD-style license. Pricing or current availability for any hosted service was not established.
Strengths
- Pipeline configuration is stored as code in the project repository.
- Workflow triggers can distinguish pull requests, commits, tags, and releases.
- The platform supports pluggable source services and execution engines.
- The official site documents a REST API for platform integration.
Watch out for
- The documented production deployment requires the team to configure and operate the platform and its build cluster.
Best for
- Teams operating their own continuous-delivery infrastructure
- Repositories that need pipeline definitions versioned beside application code
- Organizations that need to choose among supported execution engines
Sources
- screwdriver.cd (Oct 26, 2026)
- What is Screwdriver? - Screwdriver Guide (Oct 26, 2026)
- Quickstart - Screwdriver Guide (Oct 26, 2026)
- Workflow - Screwdriver Guide (Oct 26, 2026)
- Yahoo Inc. License (Oct 26, 2026)
- Screwdriver Update (Oct 26, 2026)