bazelbuildbazelbuild/bazel/AGENTS.md

bazel

AGENTS.md26k starsChanged 3 months agoApache-2.0View on GitHub

Welcome to the Bazel repository. This document provides essential context and workflows for working with the Bazel codebase. To build Bazel from source, use a pre-installed bazel or bazelisk binary. * Remote Execution: If you have access to a Remote Build Execution (RBE) cluster, use --config=remote to significantly speed up your builds: To test changes safely without interfering with your primary workspace, use a separate binary and output base: Note: Using a custom --output_base (e.g., /tmp/ob-dev) is crucial to avoid…

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Where files are headingNew AGENTS.md files have more rules about keeping secrets out of the code, and fewer about code style.
Of the AGENTS.md files we read, the 31,439 first seen in the last six months, against the older ones: the kind of rule that gained most share, and the kind that lost most. About files like this in general, not this one, and an estimate, since a kind is a pattern in the words.

The file

We split this AGENTS.md into the rules it gives an agent

3 rules. About 0 are common, 1 is distinctive, and 2 are very specific to this project.

≈0
Common · estimate
Many files like this have a rule of this kind.
≈1
Distinctive · estimate
This author's own choices. Worth a look.
2
Very specific
Tied to their project's names, files or tools. Probably skip.

Common
Distinctive
Very specific

Very specific:
Remote Execution: If you have access to a Remote Build Execution (RBE) cluster, use --config=remote to significantly speed up your builds:
line 15
Distinctive:
If you modify a file, find tests that transitively depend on it:
line 44
Very specific:
Starlark: Use buildifier for BUILD and .bzl files.
line 72

≈ “Common” is an estimate: at least 1 in 5 of the 40,246 AGENTS.md files we read have a rule of the same kind, not the same words. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.

Keep what fits and drop the rest. Your version, ready for your agents.

Files

AGENTS.md

Bazel Codebase Guide for Gemini

Welcome to the Bazel repository. This document provides essential context and workflows for working with the Bazel codebase.

🏗️ Building & Running Bazel

To build Bazel from source, use a pre-installed bazel or bazelisk binary.

Fast Iteration Build (Recommended): bazel build //src:bazel-dev
Standard Build: bazel build //src:bazel

⚡ Performance Tips

Remote Execution: If you have access to a Remote Build Execution (RBE) cluster, use --config=remote to significantly speed up your builds:
```
bazel build --config=remote //src:bazel-dev
```

🔄 Iterative Development Workflow

To test changes safely without interfering with your primary workspace, use a separate binary and output base:

Build and Copy:

bazel build //src:bazel-dev && cp bazel-bin/src/bazel-dev /tmp/bazel

Run commands:

/tmp/bazel --output_base=/tmp/ob-dev <command>

Note: Using a custom --output_base (e.g., /tmp/ob-dev) is crucial to avoid locking your main workspace server and ensures your development environment remains isolated.

🧪 Testing

Tests are located primarily in src/test.

Finding Relevant Tests

If you modify a file, find tests that transitively depend on it:

bazel query "rdeps(//src/test/..., path/to/file.java)"

Running Tests

Unit Tests: Typically java_test targets.
Integration Tests:
- Java-based: Subclasses of BuildIntegrationTestCase.
- Shell-based: Located in src/test/shell, using a bash test framework.

📜 Architecture & Codebase

Bazel uses a Client/Server architecture. The client (C++) is a lightweight wrapper that starts and communicates with a long-lived Java server.

Skyframe: The incremental evaluation framework. Most core logic is implemented as SkyFunctions evaluating SkyKeys into SkyValues.
Starlark: The configuration language used for BUILD and .bzl files.
Loading/Analysis/Execution: The three phases of a Bazel command.

For architectural details or introspection capabilities, see: docs/contribute/codebase.mdx

🧹 Linting & Formatting

Java: Follows Google Java Style.
Starlark: Use buildifier for BUILD and .bzl files.

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Your trail

Files you open will collect here, so you can find them again.

Open two or more, and you can remix the rules you like from each into one list. Kept in this browser only.

Now do this for your own.

Bring your CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md or skills. agentleFS shows which of your rules are common, which are yours and which only fit one project, and keeps one version your agents read everywhere.

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