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Installation Guide

Automated Installation

Execute the following command in your terminal to install Blade automatically:

curl https://blade-build.github.io/install.sh | bash

Installation Process: - Source Download: Blade is cloned to ~/.cache/blade-build - Symbolic Link Creation: A symbolic link is created at ~/bin/blade - Command Availability: The blade command becomes available system-wide

Manual Installation

Installation Method

Execute the installation script to install Blade under ~/bin:

Installation Characteristics: - Symbolic Link Installation: Uses symbolic links for flexible updates - Source Preservation: Original checkout directory must remain intact - Backend Dependency: Requires Ninja as the build backend

Python Version Support

Supported Python Versions: - Python 3.10+: Required minimum version (tested on 3.10 through 3.14)

Older versions (Python 2.7 and Python 3.x prior to 3.10) are no longer supported by Blade v3. For legacy environments, use the v2 LTS branch.

Post-Installation Verification

Command Execution Test

Verify installation by running Blade without arguments:

$ blade
usage: blade [-h] [--version] {build,run,test,clean,query,dump} ...
blade: error: too few arguments
Blade(error): Failure

PATH Configuration

If the command is not found, ensure ~/bin is in your PATH environment variable:

Add the following line to ~/.profile:

export PATH=~/bin:$PATH

Activation: Relogin or restart your terminal session to apply changes

System Requirements

Required Dependencies

  • Ninja Build System: Required for backend build operations
  • Python Interpreter: Python 3.10 or newer
  • Development Tools: Standard C/C++ toolchain (GCC/Clang)

Optional Dependencies

  • ccache: For build acceleration through caching
  • argcomplete: Enhanced command-line completion support

Editor Integration

Install the official Blade VS Code extension (source) for a targets explorer, build/run/test, BUILD-file language features, and clangd-based C/C++ IntelliSense.

See Editor Support for details, including how to get C/C++ IntelliSense via clangd in other editors such as Vim and Emacs.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

  • Command Not Found: Verify PATH configuration and symbolic link creation
  • Permission Errors: Ensure ~/bin directory has appropriate permissions
  • Python Version Conflicts: Confirm compatible Python version availability

Support Resources

  • Documentation: Refer to Blade documentation for detailed troubleshooting
  • Community Support: Access GitHub issues for community assistance
  • Version Compatibility: Check version-specific requirements before installation