How to Build Your Own Semaphore
Replace Semaphore with a custom build. AI-driven CI/CD platform for the entire software delivery workflow
Build Difficulty: 5/5
Build a working replacement in a weekend with AI tools
Estimated Timeline
Based on 34 features at Weekend Project difficulty, expect about One weekend with AI-assisted development.
Recommended Tech Stack
Full-stack React framework with API routes and server components
PostgreSQL database, auth, and real-time subscriptions
Utility-first styling for rapid UI development
Key Features to Replicate
Top features across 8 categories. See all 34 features
Access Control(4 features)
Enterprise-level role management and comprehensive audit logging
Give deployment permissions to a restricted set of accounts
Customize permissions for each project or inherit them from the repository
Create custom groups for easier access management
Core CI/CD(4 features)
Automate code integration, building, and testing with fast feedback cycles
Automate delivery to staging or production environments with manual approval options
Support for monorepo architecture and workflows
Optimize for fast feedback by combining parallel jobs with sequential pipeline stages
Deployment(4 features)
Streamline deployment process with secure access management and deployment tracking
Define custom forms to parameterize CD pipelines
Consistent PR to Production with Promotions, Approvals, and environment level controls
Run CI/CD on your own infrastructure with self-hosted agents
Integration(4 features)
Native Docker support with caching mechanisms to accelerate pipelines
New feature for enhanced integration capabilities
Control CI/CD pipelines through REST API and command-line interface
Integrate with favorite access management service
Reporting(4 features)
Build custom reports at runtime using Markdown
Track performance, build frequency, and reliability of each pipeline over time
View all tests across all builds on a unified dashboard
View all tests across all builds on a unified dashboard
Performance(3 features)
Dynamically scale infrastructure to match demand
Burst to cloud resources when needed on Hybrid plan
Up to 2x faster builds on optimized bare-metal servers with visual workflow editor that cuts team-to-first-green by up to 60%
Quality Assurance(3 features)
Identify and analyze inconsistent tests and understand their impact on workflows
Set up additional jobs that are required to run prior to any workflow
Stable, reproducible test runs that pass more often on the first try, reducing re-runs
Developer Experience(2 features)
Tools and utilities for developers to streamline CI/CD workflows
Visual interface for designing CI/CD pipelines
Cost Calculator
Keep Paying Semaphore
Build It Yourself
Total Cost Comparison
DIY hosting estimate based on Vercel + Supabase free/pro tiers (~$20/mo). Build time estimated from 34 features at very easy complexity.