⚙️ Local CI
Keep a long local CI build running to the last test
A full local CI run can take from minutes to hours of solid CPU work. AwakeMate keeps your Mac awake while it crunches, then lets it sleep once the suite is green.
Free 14-day trial · one-time $39.99 · no telemetry · macOS 13+
The workflow
You run the whole pipeline locally before pushing - compiling the project, then grinding through unit, integration and end-to-end suites back to back. It is heavy, CPU-bound work that pins the cores for a long stretch. You start it, step away, and want a clean pass-or-fail when you return.
What happens when the Mac sleeps
If macOS goes to idle sleep mid-run, the build and test processes freeze and do not auto-resume on wake, so the suite never reaches the end. A long job interrupted this way leaves you with no result - and any artefacts or caches being written when sleep hit can be left half-finished, forcing a full clean rebuild.
How AwakeMate keeps it alive
AwakeMate detects your build tools by process name - things like node, cargo, go, gradle or make - with Deep CLI detection on so script-based runners are recognised. Because a CI run is genuinely CPU-bound, this is a good fit for Sleep when tools go idle ON: the Mac stays awake while the suite hammers the cores, then sleeps shortly after the last test finishes.
- Add your build and test runners to AwakeMate's watched tools.
- Turn Sleep when tools go idle ON, since the run is CPU-bound.
- Start the CI run and let the Mac sleep once the suite finishes.
Tip: Watch the runner that pins the CPU (for example make or your test command) so AwakeMate tracks the real work, not a wrapper that exits early.
Tools in this workflow
Frequently asked
Why is idle-sleep ON a good fit here?
A local CI run actively uses the CPU the whole time, so AwakeMate can safely keep the Mac awake only while the cores are busy and let it sleep once the suite is done.
Will it sleep during a quiet test phase?
If a phase genuinely stops using the CPU for a while it could read as idle. For mostly CPU-bound suites this is rare; if your run has long network-bound waits, turn idle-sleep OFF.
Does it change my Mac's power settings?
No. AwakeMate uses the same power assertion as caffeinate to prevent idle sleep only, and never edits your saved energy settings.
Will this keep running with the lid closed, even on battery?
Yes. Turn on "Keep awake with the lid closed" in Settings - Options and approve the one-time helper; AwakeMate keeps the Mac awake with the lid shut while the run is active, and dims the built-in screen so it is not draining the battery under the lid. It works on most Apple Silicon Macs (Apple forces sleep on some, so close your lid once to confirm), and on battery too - though a long run drains faster, so keep it on power. See it in action.