Build Automation glossary

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Find definitions for common terms used in Unity Build Automation (UBA):

• General terms
• CI/CD and Cloud services terms
• Development and environment terms
• Script and back end terms
• Platforms and projects terms
• Version control terms

General terms

Artifacts

The output files that a build process generates, such as executable files, packages, and associated metadata.

Builder

A virtual machine that performs build operations in the cloud.

Builder OS

The operating system of a build machine, which determines platform compatibility for builds.

Build cache

A mechanism that stores build results and reuses unchanged components to speed up subsequent builds.

Build configuration

A collection of settings that define how a project builds, including target platform, build options, and other parameters.

Build job

A single build task with a specific configuration that runs on a builder.

Build logs

A record of events, errors, and outputs that a build process generates.

Build manifest

A file that contains metadata about a build, including dependencies, versions, and settings.

Build pipeline

A sequence of automated steps that process code from source to deployable artifacts.

Build target

A configuration that specifies the platform and settings for a build.

Build timeout

A limit on the duration of a build job before it automatically cancels.

Clean build

A build that starts from scratch without the use of cached dependencies or previous build data.

Concurrency cap

A limit on the maximum number of builds that can run simultaneously. If you exceed the concurrency cap, UBA queues any additional builds.

Consumption costs

The expenses associated with using build minutes and resources in Unity Build Automation.

CI/CD and Cloud services

CI/CD

Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery includes any practices that automate the building, testing, and deployment of applications.

Unity Build Automation (UBA)

Unity's cloud-based build service that enables you to build projects remotely, previously known as Unity Cloud Build.

Concurrent builds

The ability to run multiple build jobs simultaneously to improve build efficiency.

Deployment

The process when you publish a built project to a distribution platform or production environment.

Development and environment

Development build

A build with debugging features enabled, designed for testing rather than final distribution.

Dependency caching

A process where you store and reuse project dependencies to improve build performance.

Environment variables

Variables available in the build environment that can influence the build process or provide configuration information.

Incremental build

A build process that recompiles only changed parts of the project to speed up build times.

Library caching

A caching strategy that stores only the Unity Library folder to reduce build times for subsequent builds.

Machine specification

The hardware configuration of a builder, which affects build performance and expenses.

Pre/post-build scripts

Custom scripts that run before or after the build process to automate additional tasks.

Pre/post-export methods

Custom code methods that execute before or after the Unity Editor exports a project.

Workspace caching

A caching strategy that stores the entire project workspace to minimize build times for subsequent builds.

Script and back end terms

IL2CPP

Intermediate Language to C++ Unity's scripting back end that converts IL code to C++ for better performance and platform compatibility.

Scripting back end

The technology that runs scripts in the Unity Editor, such as Mono or IL2CPP.

Scripting define symbols

Custom compiler directives that enable conditional compilation in Unity scripts.

Stripping level

A setting that determines how much unused code you want to remove from a build to reduce size.

Platforms and projects terms

Addressables

A Unity system for managing and loading assets efficiently, which you can configure in Build Automation.

Player build

The final executable build of a Unity project that you can distribute to users.

Project ID

A unique identifier for a Unity project within Build Automation services.

Provisioning profile

A file you use iOS development that contains certificates, device identifiers, and app identifiers.

Signing certificate

A digital certificate you use to sign applications, which ensures they come from a trusted source.

Target platform

The platform (such as iOS, Android, Windows) that you create the build for.

Unity project

A collection of assets, scripts, and settings that make up a Unity application.

Unity version

The specific version of the Unity Editor that a build uses.

Version control terms

Version control

A system that tracks changes to files over time, which allows multiple developers to collaborate.

Branch

A separate line of development in a version control system.

Commit

A saved set of changes in version control.

Repository

A storage location for a project's versioned files and history.