Integrating the Vega SDK into CI Pipelines

This page describes how to integrate the Vega SDK into Continuous Integration (CI) pipelines, including automated installation processes and configuration requirements.

A build host is the machine (virtual or physical) that builds your Vega app as part of a CI pipeline. The Vega SDK provides an installation command on the installation instructions page that can run non-interactively, avoiding user input to facilitate automated SDK installation on a build host.

Prerequisites

Before integrating the Vega SDK into your CI pipeline, make sure that your build environment meets the following requirements. Pay particular attention to selecting the correct platform for your build host, as choosing the wrong platform can lead to installation or runtime errors.

System requirements

Host configurations

• Operating system
  • Ubuntu 20.04, 22.04, or 24.04
    • x86_64
  • Mac OS X
    • arm64 (M-series) or x86_64 (Intel)

Installation process

The Vega SDK installation process needs special consideration when implementing it in a CI environment. Unlike developer workstations where interactive installation is common, CI environments require a fully automated approach. The following sections guide you through this process.

Basic installation

1. Edit the installation command to disable installer prompts that can interrupt an automated installation.

   export NONINTERACTIVE=true
   

2. Configure the desired installation flags.

   # Skip VVD installation.
   export SKIP_VVD_INSTALL=true
   
   # Install a specific SDK version.
   export VEGA_SDK_VERSION=0.21.5245
   
   # Download and run the installer script.
   curl -fsSL https://sdk-installer.vega.labcollab.net/get_vvm.sh | bash
   

For additional configuration options, see the following sections.

Environment variable configuration

Use the following environment variables to control the installer script.

Docker integration

Docker provides a consistent and isolated environment for building applications with the Vega SDK. The following example demonstrates how to create a build environment that includes all necessary dependencies and configurations. This approach can be adapted for various CI solutions that support container-based builds.

Example Dockerfile

FROM --platform=linux/amd64 ubuntu:22.04

SHELL ["/bin/bash", "-c"]

ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive

# Install cURL and utilities to fetch the installer.
RUN apt-get update && \
    apt-get install -y curl tar jq ca-certificates --no-install-recommends && \
    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*

# Install Vega SDK.
ENV NONINTERACTIVE=true

ARG VEGA_SDK_VERSION=0.21.5245
ARG SKIP_VVD_INSTALL=true

ENV VEGA_SDK_VERSION=${VEGA_SDK_VERSION}
ENV SKIP_VVD_INSTALL=${SKIP_VVD_INSTALL}

RUN curl -fsSL https://sdk-installer.vega.labcollab.net/get_vvm.sh | bash

ENV PATH="/root/vega/bin:${PATH}"

# Verify the vega command is available.
RUN vega -v

# React Native apps require Node.js and npm.
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y nodejs npm --no-install-recommends && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*

# Set the global npm config path and bind mount your npmrc config to this location.
ENV NPM_CONFIG_GLOBALCONFIG="/etc/npmrc"

# Verify node and npm commands are available.
RUN node -v && npm -v

ENTRYPOINT [ "/bin/bash", "-c" ]

To build the Docker image, run the following command. Find the SDK version you need on the SDK installation page, and make sure you select the platform for your CI build host, not your development machine.

docker build . --tag vega-sdk \
  --build-arg VEGA_SDK_VERSION=0.21.5245 \
  --build-arg SKIP_VVD_INSTALL=true

Best practices

Version control

• Always specify exact SDK versions in your CI configuration using VEGA_SDK_VERSION.
• Use version pinning for stability and reproducible builds.
• Document version updates in your repository changelog.

Performance optimization

• Set SKIP_VVD_INSTALL=true when device emulation isn't needed—it significantly reduces installation size.
• Use caching strategies for downloaded artifacts.
• Consider multi-stage Docker builds to keep final image sizes small.

Security

• Always use HTTPS download URLs.
• Implement proper access controls for private npm registries.
• Regularly audit your CI/CD pipeline configuration.

Troubleshooting

Installation failures

• Verify network connectivity to SDK repositories.
• Ensure sufficient disk space for the SDK installation.
• Check that environment variables are set correctly.
• Confirm you selected the correct platform for your build host on the installation page.

Build errors

• Verify SDK version compatibility with your app.
• Check for missing dependencies in your build environment.
• Review build logs for specific error messages.
• Confirm the correct platform was selected during installation.

For more information, see Manage Your SDK Versions.

Last updated: Mar 16, 2026