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Build Queue - CI/CD Glossary Definition

A build queue holds CI jobs that are waiting for a free runner to execute them.

A build queue is the ordered backlog of jobs waiting for an available runner. Queue time (how long a job sits before it starts) is a key CI health metric distinct from run time.

Reading queue time

High queue time means demand exceeds runner capacity. Warm pools and autoscaling shrink it; concurrency limits and required checks can lengthen it.

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