Anka Build is macOS native virtualization platform from Veertu. It’s a complete platform to implement and manage macOS VMs on a large scale for iOS CI. Anka Build includes lightweight Anka client, which is the native hypervisor to run macOS VMs on Mac hardware, the Controller, which is used to on-demand provision and manage macOS VMs and the Registry, which is used to store and distribute macOS VM templates for CI.
While Anka Build manages macOS VMs on a large scale for CI, all Anka Build modules by themselves are very lightweight, easy to deploy and manage.
Anka Client
Anka client is a very lightweight mac application. Unlike, other server virtualization solutions for mac hardware, Anka Build doesn’t strip away the core macOS. Anka Build runs as another mac application on the mac hardware and enables the creation and running of macOS VMs. Anka Build macOS VMs are very responsive and perform at near native speed. These Anka VMs are used as on-demand build and test environments for iOS/macOS CI.
Anka Controller
Anka Controller module is packaged as a docker container. The Controller provides a single interface through its REST APIs to on-demand provision macOS VMs, requested by CI jobs. Think of it as central management for your Anka Build Cloud.
Anka Registry
Anka Registry module is used to store and distribute different versions of macOS VMs. Anka Registry is also packaged in a Docker container. A iOS/macOS CI job can request X quantity of N type of macOS VM. When Controller receives this request, it pulls N macOS VM (version tag) from the registry and spins up X quantity of these VMs using Anka Client on your Anka nodes. Anka Controller also maintains a queue of all incoming requests from the CI system and manages them.
Anka Node
Anka node is one or many Mac hardware on which you want to run your iOS CI jobs. You install Anka Build client on each of your Anka Build Nodes and then connect the nodes to the Anka Controller.
Connecting Anka Build to your CI system
While Anka Build platform consists of multiple modules, you only need to integrate your CI system to Anka Build Controller in order to start using Anka Build for executing iOS CI jobs. Anka Build Controller exposes REST APIs, through which you can integrate your existing CI system.
For Jenkins based CI implementation, there is a Jenkins plugin available, which can be used to very easily set up integration with Anka Build iOS cloud infrastructure.
