site/docs/install.md

---
layout: documentation
---

# Installing Bazel

## System Requirements

Supported platforms:

*   Ubuntu Linux
*   Mac OS X

Java:

*   Java JDK 7 or later

## Downloading Bazel

Clone the Bazel repo from GitHub:

```
$ cd $HOME
$ git clone https://github.com/google/bazel.git
```

## Building Bazel

### Building Bazel on Ubuntu

To build Bazel on Ubuntu:

#### 1. Install JDK 7:

**Ubuntu Utopic (14.10) and Trusty (14.04 LTS).** To install OpenJDK 7:

```
$ sudo apt-get install openjdk-7-jdk openjdk-7-source
```

#### 2. Install required packages:

```
$ sudo apt-get install pkg-config zip g++ zlib1g-dev
```

#### 3. Build Bazel:

```
$ cd bazel
$ ./compile.sh
```

If this fails to find a correct Java version, then try to
set the `JAVA_HOME` environment variable.

Find the Java `bin` directory using `readlink -f $(which javac)`
and use `javac -version` to verify that you have the right JDK version (1.7+).
Then set the `JAVA_HOME` environment variable to the `bin` directory
parent.

For example, if the path is `/usr/lib/jvm/jdk1.7.0/bin/javac`, set the
`JAVA_HOME` variable to `/usr/lib/jvm/jdk1.7.0`:

```
$ export JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/jdk1.7.0
```

You can also add this line to your `~/.bashrc` file.


### Building Bazel on OS X

To build Bazel on Mac OS X:

#### 1. Install JDK 7

JDK7 can be downloaded from
[Oracle's JDK Page](http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk7-downloads-1880260.html).
Look for "Mac OS X x64" under "Java SE Development Kit". This will download a
DMG image with an install wizard.

#### 2. Install XCode Command Line Tools

Xcode can be downloaded from the
[Apple Developer Site](https://developer.apple.com/xcode/downloads/), which will
redirect to the App Store.

For `objc_*` and `ios_*` rule support, you must have Xcode 6.1 or later with
iOS SDK 8.1 installed on your system.

Once XCode is installed you can trigger the license signature with the following command:

```
$ sudo gcc --version
```

#### 3. Install MacPorts or Homebrew for installing required packages.

While not required to compile Bazel, a package manager like MacPorts or Homebrew
is recommended to help install other dependencies like protobuffer support.

Homebrew can be installed via a 1-line script from [brew.sh](http://brew.sh/).

Macports is available from [macports.org](https://www.macports.org/install.php).

#### 4. Build Bazel

```
$ cd bazel
$ ./compile.sh
```

Then you can run Bazel:

```
$ ./output/bazel help
```

## Running Bazel

The Bazel executable is located at `output/bazel` in the Bazel home directory.
It's a good idea to add this path to your default paths, as follows:

```bash
$ export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/bazel/output"
```

You can also add this command to your `~/.bashrc` file.

### Getting bash completion

Bazel comes with a bash completion script. To install it:

1. Build it with Bazel: `bazel build //scripts:bazel-complete.bash`.
2. Copy the script `bazel-bin/scripts/bazel-complete.bash` to your
   completion folder (`/etc/bash_completion.d` directory under Ubuntu).
   If you don't have a completion folder, you can copy it wherever suits
   you and simply insert `source /path/to/bazel-complete.bash` in your
   `~/.bashrc` file (under OS X, put it in your `~/.bash_profile` file).

### Getting zsh completion

Bazel also comes with a zsh completion script. To install it:

1. Add this script to a directory on your $fpath:

    ```
    fpath[1,0]=~/.zsh/completion/
    mkdir -p ~/.zsh/completion/
    cp scripts/zsh_completion/_bazel ~/.zsh/completion
    ```

2. Optionally, add the following to your .zshrc.

    ```
    # This way the completion script does not have to parse Bazel's options
    # repeatedly.  The directory in cache-path must be created manually.
    zstyle ':completion:*' use-cache on
    zstyle ':completion:*' cache-path ~/.zsh/cache
    ```

For more information, see [Getting started](getting-started.html).