Builder Setup Guide

Set up a builder server to compile Android apps. Required for app builds to work.

What is a Builder?

A builder server is a dedicated machine that compiles apps for your users. The builder is platform-agnostic and designed to support multiple platforms (Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, Mac) in the future. Currently, only Android is supported.

• Runs separately from your main Appy installation
• Can be on the same server (for testing) or a dedicated server (recommended for production)
• Two installation options: prebuilt binaries (quick start) or build from source (full control)
• Requires Java and Android SDK to compile Android apps
• Automatically fetches pending builds from your Appy installation

Builder Package Structure

The Builder/ folder contains two directories:

Builder/
├── src/                    # Full source code (build your own binary)
│   ├── app.go
│   ├── Makefile
│   ├── templates/
│   └── internal/
└── prebuilt/               # Ready-to-run binaries
    ├── appy-builder-linux  # Linux AMD64
    ├── appy-builder-arm64  # Linux ARM64
    ├── appy-builder-macos  # macOS ARM64
    ├── templates/
    └── storage/

Default Free Builder

Appy comes with a Default Free Builder hosted by Titan Systems. This builder is automatically configured during installation and requires no manual setup.

How It Works

• Automatic Authentication: The default builder uses your purchase code for authentication. No server key configuration is needed.
• Credit System: Each build deducts credits from your user's plan allocation. Plans define monthly build credits (e.g., 100 credits/month for Pro).
• Queue Management: Builds are queued and processed in order. The builder supports up to 5 concurrent builds.
• No Setup Required: The default builder is pre-configured and ready to use immediately after installation.

When to Use a Custom Builder

Consider setting up your own builder if:

• You need faster build times with dedicated resources
• You want full control over the build environment
• You're running a high-volume operation with many concurrent builds
• You need to customize the build process or templates

Server Requirements (Custom Builder)

The builder server needs the following specifications:

Option A: Use Prebuilt Binary

The fastest way to get started. Use the pre-compiled binaries included in the Builder/prebuilt/ folder.

scp -r Builder/prebuilt/* user@server:/opt/appy-builder/

chmod +x appy-builder-linux

Option B: Build from Source

Build your own binary from the full source code. Gives you complete control over the build process and allows customization.

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install golang-go -y

# Verify installation
go version

scp -r Builder/src/* user@server:/opt/appy-builder/

cd /opt/appy-builder

# Build for your platform
make build-linux    # Linux AMD64
make build-arm64    # Linux ARM64
make build-macos    # macOS ARM64

make setup

Build Commands Reference

Running the Builder

Once you have the binary ready (from Option A or B), run the builder:

./appy-builder-linux --key="your-secret-key" --site-url="https://your-appy-domain.com"

Available Flags

Running with PM2 (Background)

For production, use PM2 to run the builder in the background with automatic restarts.

pm2 start ./appy-builder-linux --name "appy-builder" -- --key="your-secret-key" --site-url="https://your-appy-domain.com"

pm2 startup

pm2 save

Useful PM2 Commands

Registering in Appy

Once the builder is running, you need to register it in the Appy admin panel.