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bazel: Build automation

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Introduction to Bazel on Linux: Your Guide to Build Automation with Bash

As the complexity of software projects grows, the need for reliable and fast build systems becomes paramount. Bazel, initially developed by Google, is a free and open-source software build and test tool that scales to accommodate multi-language and multi-platform projects efficiently. It achieves this by managing dependencies and reusing build outputs using an advanced caching mechanism.

Bazel is known for its ability to create reproducible builds and provide a consistent environment for all its users. This guide will describe how to get started with Bazel on Linux, through the command line, using Bash, and will cover installation instructions for different package managers, including apt for Debian-based distributions, dnf for Fedora, and zypper for openSUSE.

What is Bazel?

Bazel is not just a build tool but a powerful multi-faceted system that simplifies the building, testing, and deployment of software. It supports several languages such as C++, Java, and Python, and it can be extended to support any other language using third-party plugins.

Key Features of Bazel:

  • Fast and Efficient: With advanced local and distributed caching, only necessary parts are rebuilt.

  • Reproducible Builds: Generates byte-for-byte identical outputs across different environments.

  • Scalability: Works well for both large monorepos and smaller projects.

  • Multi-Language Support: Handles projects with multiple languages seamlessly.

Installing Bazel on Linux

The installation process for Bazel varies slightly depending on your Linux distribution. Here's how to install Bazel on Debian-based distributions (like Ubuntu), Fedora, and openSUSE.

Installing Bazel on Ubuntu (Using apt):

  1. Install required packages:

    sudo apt update && sudo apt install apt-transport-https curl gnupg

  2. Add Bazel's official package source to your system:

    curl -fsSL https://bazel.build/bazel-release.pub.gpg | gpg --dearmor >bazel-archive-keyring.gpg
sudo mv bazel-archive-keyring.gpg /usr/share/keyrings
echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/bazel-archive-keyring.gpg] https://storage.googleapis.com/bazel-apt stable jdk1.8" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/bazel.list

  3. Update apt package lists and install Bazel:

    sudo apt update && sudo apt install bazel

Installing Bazel on Fedora (Using dnf):

  1. Import Bazel’s official GPG key: bash sudo dnf install dnf-plugins-core sudo dnf copr enable vbatts/bazel sudo dnf install bazel

Installing Bazel on openSUSE (Using zypper):

  1. Add the Bazel repository:

    sudo zypper addrepo https://copr.fedorainfracloud.org/coprs/vbatts/bazel/repo/opensuse-leap-15.2/vbatts-bazel-opensuse-leap-15.2.repo

  2. Install Bazel:

    sudo zypper refresh
sudo zypper install bazel

Basic Usage of Bazel

After installation, use the basic Bazel commands to start managing your project:

  • Build your project: bazel build //...

  • Test your project: bazel test //...

  • Clean your workspace: bazel clean

Conclusion

Bazel provides an excellent platform for managing complex builds and ensuring that the development process is not only quick but consistent across various environments. Whether you’re managing large codebases or require a reliable system for continuous integration, Bazel can significantly streamline the process.

Hopefully, this guide has provided all the necessary steps to get Bazel up and running in your Linux distribution. Experiment with Bazel and explore how its robust controls can improve your build and testing cycles. If performance and efficiency are what you seek in project builds, Bazel is certainly the way forward.

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