---
layout: documentation
title: External Dependencies
---

# Working with external dependencies

External dependencies can be specified in the `WORKSPACE` file of the
[workspace directory](build-ref.html#workspace). This `WORKSPACE` file
uses the same syntax as BUILD files, but allows a different set of
rules. The full list of rules are in the Build Encyclopedia's
[Workspace Rules](be/workspace.html).

External dependencies are all downloaded and symlinked under a directory named
`external`. You can see this directory by running:

```
ls $(bazel info output_base)/external
```

Note that running `bazel clean` will not actually delete the external
directory. To remove all external artifacts, use `bazel clean --expunge`.

## Supported types of external dependencies

A few basic types of external dependencies can be used:

- [Dependencies on other Bazel projects](#bazel-projects)
- [Dependencies on non-Bazel projects](#non-bazel-projects)
- [Dependencies on external packages](#external-packages)

<a name="bazel-projects"></a>
### Depending on other Bazel projects

If you want to use targets from a second Bazel project, you can
use
[`local_repository`](http://docs.bazel.build/be/workspace.html#local_repository),
[`git_repository`](https://docs.bazel.build/be/workspace.html#git_repository)
or [`http_archive`](http://docs.bazel.build/be/workspace.html#http_archive)
to symlink it from the local filesystem, reference a git repository or download
it (respectively).

For example, suppose you are working on a project, `my-project/`, and you want
to depend on targets from your coworker's project, `coworkers-project/`. Both
projects use Bazel, so you can add your coworker's project as an external
dependency and then use any targets your coworker has defined from your own
BUILD files. You would add the following to `my_project/WORKSPACE`:

```python
local_repository(
    name = "coworkers-project",
    path = "/path/to/coworkers-project",
)
```

If your coworker has a target `//foo:bar`, your project can refer to it as
`@coworkers-project//foo:bar`.

<a name="non-bazel-projects"></a>
### Depending on non-Bazel projects

Rules prefixed with `new_` (e.g.,
[`new_local_repository`](http://docs.bazel.build/be/workspace.html#new_local_repository),
[`new_git_repository`](https://docs.bazel.build/be/workspace.html#new_git_repository)
and [`new_http_archive`](http://docs.bazel.build/be/workspace.html#new_http_archive)
) allow you to create targets from projects that do not use Bazel.

For example, suppose you are working on a project, `my-project/`, and you want
to depend on your coworker's project, `coworkers-project/`. Your coworker's
project uses `make` to build, but you'd like to depend on one of the .so files
it generates. To do so, add the following to `my_project/WORKSPACE`:

```python
new_local_repository(
    name = "coworkers-project",
    path = "/path/to/coworkers-project",
    build_file = "coworker.BUILD",
)
```

`build_file` specifies a BUILD file to overlay on the existing project, for
example:

```python
java_library(
    name = "some-lib",
    srcs = glob(["**"]),
    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
)
```

You can then depend on `@coworkers-project//:some-lib` from your project's BUILD
files.

<a name="external-packages"></a>
### Depending on external packages

#### Maven repositories

Use the rule [`maven_jar`](https://docs.bazel.build/be/workspace.html#maven_jar)
(and optionally the rule [`maven_server`](https://docs.bazel.build/be/workspace.html#maven_server))
to download a jar from a Maven repository and make it available as a Java
dependency.

## Fetching dependencies

By default, external dependencies are fetched as needed during `bazel build`. If
you would like to disable this behavior or prefetch dependencies, use
[`bazel fetch`](http://docs.bazel.build/bazel-user-manual.html#fetch).

## Using Proxies

Bazel will pick up proxy addresses from the `HTTPS_PROXY` and `HTTP_PROXY`
environment variables and use these to download HTTP/HTTPS files (if specified).

<a name="transitive-dependencies"></a>
## Transitive dependencies

Bazel only reads dependencies listed in your `WORKSPACE` file. If your project
(`A`) depends on another project (`B`) which list a dependency on a third
project (`C`) in its `WORKSPACE` file, you'll have to add both `B`
and `C` to your project's `WORKSPACE` file. This requirement can balloon the
`WORKSPACE` file size, but hopefully limits the chances of having one library
include `C` at version 1.0 and another include `C` at 2.0.

Large `WORKSPACE` files can be generated using the tool `generate_workspace`.
For details, see
[Generate external dependencies from Maven projects](generate-workspace.md).

## Caching of external dependencies

Bazel caches external dependencies and re-downloads or updates them when
the `WORKSPACE` file changes.