Atlassian’s Bitbucket Pipelines is rolling out an upgraded cloud infrastructure featuring a new runtime that supports larger build capacities and improved compute scaling, set to deliver faster and more powerful CI/CD workflows without downtime.
- New runtime supports 4x and 8x build step sizes with CPU scaling
- Firewall rules may require IP allow-list updates to avoid disruptions
- 1x and 2x steps will migrate to new runtime in September with no downtime
What happened
Bitbucket Pipelines has launched an enhanced cloud runtime focused on performance and scalability. The update uses microVM and runc technology to allocate compute resources more efficiently, allowing the introduction of 4x and 8x build step sizes. Compared to the previous model where only memory scaled, users now benefit from increases in both CPU cores and memory for larger build steps, potentially accelerating build times significantly.
This transition begins with 4x and 8x steps and will extend to 1x and 2x steps by September. Atlassian is also changing how IP addresses are assigned to the nodes executing pipeline steps, recommending users adjust firewall allow-lists to include new IP addresses provided by Amazon Web Services. Despite these changes, there will be no downtime or service interruptions during migration.
Why it matters
The new runtime unlocks faster build speeds and supports more resource-intensive workloads, enabling teams to run larger builds and complex CI/CD processes efficiently. This boosts developer productivity and facilitates continuous innovation by reducing the time pipelines take to complete.
By scaling CPU alongside memory, Bitbucket addresses a common limitation in cloud build environments where CPU constraints slow down builds regardless of available memory. The option for dedicated node pools with limited IP ranges also caters to organizations with stringent security requirements, making the platform more adaptable to varied compliance scenarios.
What to watch next
Watch for the September migration of 1x and 2x steps to the new runtime, completing the full transition of Bitbucket Pipelines to this advanced environment. Teams relying on custom networking policies should proactively update their firewall rules using AWS IP address endpoints for the us-east-1 and us-west-2 regions to ensure seamless continuity.
Future updates leveraging this runtime may introduce multi-architecture builds, ARM support, and other capabilities enhancing the flexibility and power of Bitbucket’s CI/CD offerings. Keeping an eye on Atlassian’s announcements will help teams prepare for and capitalize on these progressive features.