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Stout is the commercial control plane for Lager, the open-source runtime for hardware test automation. Lager drives the hardware. It controls power supplies, serial ports, debug probes, and the test scripts that use them. Stout manages the people and the boxes around that hardware. It controls who can use each box. It keeps each box secure and up to date. It gives your team one dashboard for the whole fleet.

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When you need Stout

You can use Lager on its own. If you can run lager python test.py against a box from your computer, Lager already works for you. Stout helps when one of these statements is true:
  • You have more boxes than you can track by hand. Stout shows each box, its health, and its Lager version on one page.
  • Several people share the same hardware. A box lock shows who uses a box at the moment. Members can use only the boxes that an owner or admin assigns to them.
  • You must control who can reach a box. Stout guards each box and locks down its SSH, so people without access cannot use it.
  • The same test must run the same way every time. Factory runs a scripted suite of pass and fail steps for operators and QA.
  • You need a record of changes. The audit log records box locks, changes to box access, and changes to variables and single sign-on.

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What Stout adds

Fleet management

Add boxes and install Stout on them from the dashboard. Keep Lager and Stout up to date. Put boxes into groups, and save the nets of a box as a template.

Access and security

Assign each box to the people who can use it. Stout guards each box, locks down its SSH, and supports single sign-on through OIDC.

Hands-on and automated testing

Use Workbench to control the instruments on a box and to run the tests in your repository. Use Factory to run a scripted suite of pass and fail steps for production and QA.

Shared configuration

Store the variables and secrets that your tests need once, for the whole organization. Stout delivers them to the tests that run on your boxes.
Stout can also turn on CI Metrics for an organization on request. CI Metrics shows which merges your CI checked on real hardware.

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What Stout is not

Stout does not fork Lager. It does not put Lager features behind a paywall, and it does not ship patched versions of Lager. A new instrument driver, a new net type, or a new CLI command belongs in Lager. Stout manages the organization around the hardware. You can always use Lager on its own. Stout adds to Lager. It does not replace Lager.

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Next steps

Quickstart

Add a box, install Stout on it, and control an instrument from your browser.

Get an account

Accept an invitation, sign in, and prepare your account.