Pipelines are defined as code in a simple YAML file stored in your repository, letting teams version and share CI configuration alongside source. Each pipeline step runs in its own Docker container, providing isolated, reproducible build environments and minimizing conflicts between jobs.

Drone integrates with common source code management systems and supports many platforms and architectures, making it easy to connect repositories from GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket and others. It also provides an ecosystem of container-based plugins for common tasks like publishing artifacts, notifications, and cloud integrations.

The platform is designed for simplicity and scale: it can be installed from a single binary or Docker image, auto-provisions execution environments from public or custom images, and supports advanced customization such as access controls, secret management, and approval workflows. A hosted cloud offering is available for teams who prefer a managed experience.