Case Study Shift

Customer story

Shift’s Chromium builds run 15x faster with EngFlow. Co-managed support ensures build issues are identified and resolved swiftly, saving at least one full-time equivalent in resources.

faster builds & tests (when cache is warm)

15x

execution time

From 5.5 hours down to under 37 minutes

About Shift

Shift is a browser that simplifies online experiences by consolidating all apps, accounts, emails, and tools into a single, intuitive window. It eliminates the need for multiple windows and constant account switching, empowering you to manage your digital life with ease and efficiency. Shift’s features include workspaces, app integrations, unified email management, and a customizable bookmarks system. It’s a power tool built to modernize your browser experience.

With an average of 5 builds when completing small features for chromium-based projects, EngFlow transforms weekly development targets into daily ones. Better returns than any index on the stock market.

Conrad Foucher

Director of Technology at Shift

Up to 15x Faster Build Times

The implementation of Remote Build Execution (RBE) with EngFlow dramatically reduced Shift’s build times. Improvements range from 2 – 8x faster across local and CI builds, and up to 15x faster when the cache is warm. This significant speedup completely resolved the developer frustration surrounding Chromium compilation.

The impact was immediate – local builds that once took almost 5.5 hours were slashed to just 37 minutes, while CI builds decreased from 22 minutes to a mere 5 minutes. Beyond the raw speed improvements, developers gained the ability to work on other tasks while builds ran remotely, boosting overall productivity. The scalability of EngFlow’s RBE cluster also allowed Shift to increase the number of parallel builds, eliminating a backlog of queued CI/CD builds that previously hindered progress.

Tailored, Co-Managed Model

Implementing EngFlow’s co-managed solution was highly beneficial for the team at Shift. The model freed up at least one full-time employee, as EngFlow efficiently manages the RBE cluster. The implementation process was smooth, supported by detailed documentation and thought-out implementation strategies.

EngFlow’s customer success team received high praise for their responsiveness, proactive check-ins, and follow-ups. During the setup and continued use of EngFlow’s remote build execution (RBE), the team’s knowledge proved invaluable for Shift to maximize the benefits of the platform.

The Co-managed model was a no-brainer for us. Engflow has done an excellent job managing the RBE cluster and not having to dedicate resources to this task has freed us up to focus on more important things to the team. This model has saved at a minimum one full time equivalent hire.

Conrad Foucher

Director of Technology at Shif

Accelerating Growth with EngFlow

The partnership between EngFlow and Shift browser is a step forward toward success and business growth for both companies. EngFlow helps the team at Shift reach their goals and significantly improves efficiency and productivity. With improvements in operations, Shift’s developer teams are happier, less stressed out about build times, and spend more time working on what they’re excited about.

Shift and EngFlow will continue collaborating, further streamlining development processes. By leveraging EngFlow’s cutting-edge build optimization technologies, Shift is well-positioned to continue innovating and delivering an exceptional browsing experience to its users. EngFlow is proud to help Shift set the stage for sustained growth and success in a competitive browser market.

EngFlow’s customer success team has been a joy to work with. They are prompt to check-in and follow up with any questions we have. Their wealth of knowledge has been a huge value for us when we initially set up RBE and throughout our continued use of the software and service.

Conrad Foucher

Director of Technology at Shif

Run build and test as production infrastructure

EngFlow does more than make builds faster. It improves the operating performance of the whole engineering organization. Talk to a build expert about your codebase.