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Bazel Overview: How to Install, Pros & Cons, Price

November 14, 2024

Explore Bazel for firmware development: installation, supported devices, pros and cons, FAQs, and pricing. Is it free? Find out in this comprehensive guide.

What is Bazel

  What is Bazel?  

  • Bazel is an open-source build and test tool that originated from Google. It is designed to manage and scale large codebases across multiple repositories and languages, often supporting complex software projects with immense scale and diverse computing environments.
    •  
  • While Bazel is commonly used by software developers across various domains, firmware engineers often leverage its capabilities to manage the build processes for hardware-related software projects efficiently.
  Core Features of Bazel  
  • Bazel utilizes a high-level build language that enables engineers to define build rules in a way that abstracts complexity and maintains simplicity across processes.
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  • Supports a wide range of programming languages and platforms, making it highly versatile for different development needs, including firmware engineering.
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  • Bazel's caching and parallel execution features significantly optimize build times by preventing unnecessary recompilations and executing tasks concurrently.
  Advantages for Firmware Engineering  
  • Consistency: Bazel ensures consistent builds through hermetic builds, which isolate the build environment from external changes, thus providing repeatable and reliable results.
    •  
  • Modularity: By using Bazel, firmware engineers can handle complex builds by organizing projects into reusable modules, thereby improving code maintainability and collaboration across teams.
 

What is Bazel Used for

  Introduction to Bazel  

  • Bazel is a powerful build tool originally developed by Google. It is widely used for building and testing software, supporting multiple languages and platforms.
    •  
  • Its design focuses on creating build systems that scale efficiently to large code repositories and teams.
  Uses of Bazel by Firmware Engineers  
  • Firmware engineers utilize Bazel primarily for its ability to manage complex builds and dependencies in embedded systems.
    •  
  • It allows developers to compile source code into firmware that can be executed on different hardware platforms, ensuring consistency and reliability across builds.
    •  
  • Bazel's parallel execution and correctness make it suited for the resource constraints common in firmware development environments.
    •  
  • The tool also helps in cross-compilation workflows necessary for firmware, harnessing Bazel's ability to target different processor architectures and ecosystems with ease.
  Bazel's Continuing Relevance  
  • Bazel remains a contemporary tool in the software industry, continuing to be used extensively not just in firmware, but across various fields, thanks to its adaptability and efficiency.
    •  
  • The active development and community around Bazel contribute to its modernization and relevance in tackling modern software challenges, including containerization and CI/CD pipelines.
    •  
  • Moreover, its adoption by large tech companies outside of Google signifies its robustness and capability to handle diverse and complex software development processes.
 

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Is Bazel Free

  Is Bazel Free?  

  • Bazel is an open-source build and test tool, which means it is available for free to use.
  Is it Free for Commercial Use?  
  • Yes, Bazel is free for commercial use as well, under the Apache License 2.0.
 

What Devices Support Bazel

  Overview of Devices Supporting Bazel  

  • Bazel primarily supports devices that run on Unix-like operating systems, including Linux and macOS. These are the most robust environments for its functioning.
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  • Most Linux distributions, including popular ones like Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, and Fedora, provide a compatible ecosystem for Bazel, given the availability of necessary development libraries and toolchains.
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  • macOS is another environment where Bazel can be effectively used, benefiting from Unix underpinnings and tools compatibility.
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  • Though Windows support exists, it requires an additional layer for compatibility. Bazel provides native Windows binaries, and users can leverage the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) for a more seamless experience.
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  • Developers can use Bazel on ARM-based systems, such as Raspberry Pi, though this often requires additional configuration and resources tailored to embedded or resource-constrained environments.
    •  
  Support for Containers, Cloud, and CI/CD  
  • Bazel can be incorporated into Docker containers to streamline workflows and enable consistent builds across different environments.
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  • Major cloud services, including Google Cloud Platform and AWS, can run Bazel efficiently, benefiting from build and test scalability across distributed infrastructure.
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  • CI/CD services like Jenkins, GitLab CI, and GitHub Actions provide mechanisms to integrate Bazel for automated build and test processes, enhancing engineering efficiency.
    •  
  Community and Custom Platforms  
  • An active community often expands Bazel's reach, creating modules and workarounds to handle use on less common or customized operating systems.
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  • While Bazel is not natively supported on all configurations, dedicated plugins and scripts can fill the gaps for those using bespoke or highly specialized firmware development environments.
    •  
 

Pros and Cons of Bazel

High Scalability 

  • Bazel supports large codebases and handles dependencies efficiently, making it a suitable choice for projects that scale across many developers and systems. Compared to other build tools like Make or Ninja, Bazel's ability to parallelize builds and only rebuild parts of the code that have changed is advantageous.

Cross-Platform Builds 

  • Bazel provides consistent builds across different platforms, which is essential for firmware engineers targeting multiple environments. While tools like CMake may also support cross-platform builds, Bazel often does this more efficiently by abstracting platform-specific details and focusing on rules for the build language.

Extensibility 

  • Bazel's extensible architecture allows users to define custom build rules and macros that can cater to specific project needs. This feature is particularly useful compared to traditional tools like GNU Make, which might require more manual configuration and scripting to achieve similar levels of customization.

Complexity of Configuration 

  • Bazel's build configuration can be complex and difficult to learn, especially for newcomers. Compared to other tools like CMake, Bazel often requires a deeper understanding of its Starlark language and the specific build environment setup.

Resource Intensive 

  • The tool can be resource-intensive, particularly in projects with large auto-generated files or extensive use of third-party libraries. This can lead to longer initial build times compared to simpler tools like Ninja, which might be more efficient with straightforward builds or smaller codebases.

Limited IDE Support 

  • While Bazel integrates with several popular Integrated Development Environments (IDEs), support is often less seamless than for more widely-used standards like Make or CMake. This can be a drawback for developers who rely heavily on IDE features for debugging and project management.

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How to Install Bazel

  Prerequisites  

  • Ensure your system has at least Java Development Kit (JDK) version 8 or higher installed, as Bazel requires Java to run.
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  • Make sure you have Python installed, which is often needed for some build configurations and scripts. Check the version requirements for your specific project.
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  • It’s recommended to have Git installed to clone repositories if you plan to work with codebases managed in GitHub or similar platforms.
  Downloading Bazel  
  • Visit the official Bazel website at bazel.build to find the latest release of Bazel.
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  • Download the appropriate binary installer for your operating system (Linux, macOS, or Windows).
  Installing on Linux  
  • Open a terminal and navigate to the directory where the Bazel installer was downloaded.
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  • Make the installer executable by running: chmod +x bazel--installer-linux-x86\_64.sh
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  • Execute the installer with: ./bazel--installer-linux-x86\_64.sh --user
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  • Add Bazel to your PATH by modifying your ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc file with: export PATH="$PATH:$HOME/bin"
  Installing on macOS  
  • If you don’t have Homebrew installed, you can install it using: /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
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  • Install Bazel via Homebrew with: brew install bazel
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  • Verify the installation by running: bazel --version in your terminal.
  Installing on Windows  
  • Download the Bazel binary installer for Windows.
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  • Run the installer and follow the instructions provided in the installation wizard.
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  • Optionally, add the Bazel installation directory to your Path environment variable for easy access via command line.
  Verifying the Installation  
  • Open a terminal or command prompt.
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  • Type bazel --version to check if Bazel is installed and running correctly. You should see the version number if it's installed properly.
  Additional Configuration  
  • If your project requires specific Bazel configurations, consider setting up a .bazelrc file at the root of your project directory for custom settings.
    •  
  • Utilize Bazel's extensive documentation and tutorials available on docs.bazel.build to get the most out of the tool.
 

Bazel FAQ

How does Bazel handle cross-compilation for embedded systems and ensure reliable firmware builds?

  Cross-Compilation with Bazel  

  • Create a platform-specific .bazelrc file to configure cross-compilation settings, specifying the toolchain for the target embedded system.
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  • Define custom toolchains using Bazel's CROSSTOOL file to support various targets. Utilize select() to manage build configurations for different platforms.
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Ensuring Reliable Builds  
  • Use Bazel's sandboxed execution to ensure builds are hermetic, thus reducing the risk of environment-related failures.
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  • Leverage Bazel's remote caching and execution, speeding up builds by avoiding redundant compilation tasks.
 

What is the learning curve for integrating Bazel into an existing firmware development workflow, and are there any best practices or resources available for easing this transition?

  Understanding the Integration Curve  

  • Familiarize with Bazel's build systems, dependencies, and configurations.
  • Evaluate the existing build structure and adapt it to Bazel's conventions.
  Best Practices  
  • Refactor the project incrementally rather than all at once.
  • Leverage Bazel's extensive documentation and community forums.
  Useful Resources  
  • Explore Bazel's official documentation and tutorial guides.
  • Utilize sample projects and open-source repositories as references.
 

How does Bazel manage dependencies and caching to optimize build times for large-scale firmware projects?

  Dependency Management and Caching  

  • Bazel employs a dependency graph allowing it to understand relationships and only rebuild what's necessary, minimizing redundant tasks.
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  • It uses a build cache that uniquely hashes build inputs and artifacts. Cache hits reuse outputs from previous builds, ensuring optimal rebuild times.
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  • External dependencies are managed using WORKSPACE files, ensuring consistent and repeatable fetches of libraries.
    •  
  • Remote caching and execution enable distributed builds, further decreasing local build times by leveraging remote resources.
 

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