How to Set Up Automated Builds for Unreal Engine Projects
Prerequisites
Before setting up automated builds, you'll need:
- An Unreal Engine 5.x project (UE 5.0 through 5.5 supported, including custom engine forks)
- Your project in a Git or Perforce repository
- A Buildpixel account (sign up free)
Step 1: Create Your Buildpixel Account
Head to Buildpixel and create your account. The free tier gives you one project with basic build targets — perfect for getting started. No credit card required.
Step 2: Connect Your Source Control
Buildpixel supports both Git and Perforce repositories natively. From your dashboard:
1. Click "Add Project"
2. Select your source control provider
3. Authenticate and select your repository
4. Choose your main branch (typically main or develop)
Buildpixel will analyze your repository structure and detect your .uproject file automatically.
Step 3: Configure Build Settings
Target Platform
Select your build target platform. The free tier supports basic targets; Pro unlocks all platforms including Win64, Linux, Mac, Android, iOS, and console targets.
Build Configuration
Choose between:
- Development: Fast iteration builds with debug symbols
- Shipping: Optimized production builds, fully cooked and packaged
Build Triggers
Configure when builds should run:
- On every push: Maximum CI coverage — every commit is validated
- On merge to main: Builds only when code reaches your main branch
- Scheduled: Daily or weekly builds at a specific time
- Manual/Webhook: Trigger builds via the dashboard, CLI, or API webhooks
Step 4: Understanding Distributed Builds
When a build is triggered, here's what happens behind the scenes:
1. Source sync: Buildpixel pulls the latest code from your repository
2. Dependency analysis: Unreal Horde analyzes your project's dependency graph
3. Task distribution: Build tasks are split across hundreds of cloud servers:
- C++ compilation tasks distributed across dedicated compile nodes
- Shader compilation parallelized across GPU-equipped servers
- Content cooking distributed based on asset type and dependencies
4. Caching check: Content-addressable caching skips any task whose inputs haven't changed
5. Assembly: Results are collected, linked, and packaged into your final build
6. Artifact delivery: Your build is available for download via the dashboard, CLI, or CDN
The entire process — from trigger to downloadable artifact — typically completes in under 20 minutes for a full Shipping build.
Step 5: Review Build Results
Each build provides:
- Build log: Full compilation output with error highlighting
- Timing breakdown: See which stages took the longest
- Artifact links: Direct download for your packaged build
- Cache hit rate: Understand how much work was saved by caching
Advanced Configuration
CLI Integration
Install the Buildpixel CLI for scripting and automation:
# Trigger a build from the command line buildpixel build trigger --project my-game --config Shipping
Webhooks & API
Integrate Buildpixel with your existing tools:
- Slack notifications on build success/failure
- Perforce shelved changelist builds
- Custom pipelines via our REST API
Team Collaboration (Pro)
- Role-based access control
- Shared build dashboards
- Build notifications per team member
- Audit logs for compliance
Common Issues & Solutions
"Compilation failed with exit code 6"
This usually means a C++ compilation error. Check the build log for the specific file and line number — Buildpixel highlights errors with direct links to your source.
"Content cook timed out"
Large projects with many assets may need extended cook timeouts. Contact support to adjust your project's timeout settings.
"Cache miss on all targets"
First builds always have 0% cache hits. Subsequent builds will see dramatically improved cache rates. If cache misses persist, ensure your project structure follows UE conventions.
Next Steps
Once your automated builds are running, consider:
- Setting up branch-specific build configs (Development for feature branches, Shipping for main)
- Enabling build notifications for your team
- Using build artifacts with StreamPixel for instant game streaming to QA
View pricing plans or get in touch to learn more about the technology powering your builds.