blimp/docs/build.md

[TOC]

# Checkout
If you want to build the Android client then you will need to follow
instructions [here](https://www.chromium.org/developers/how-tos/android-build-instructions)
to sync Android related code as well.

# Using GN
Blimp only supports building using [GN](../../tools/gn/README.md). A quick
overview over how to use GN can be found in the GN
[quick start guide](../../tools/gn/docs/quick_start.md).

## Building

There are two different build configurations depending on what you want to
build, either the client or the engine.

Regardless of which you build, it is helpful to setup the following
environment variable in your shell to get a better view of how the build is
progressing:

```bash
export NINJA_STATUS="[%r %f/%s/%u/%t] "
```

It will give you a count for the following values:
`[RUNNING FINISHED/STARTED/NOT_STARTED/TOTAL]`. See the
[ninja manual](https://ninja-build.org/manual.html#_environment_variables)
for a full list of template values.

### Android client

Create an out-directory and set the GN args:

```bash
mkdir -p out-android/Debug
echo "import(\"//build/args/blimp_client.gn\")" > out-android/Debug/args.gn
gn gen out-android/Debug
```

To build:

```bash
ninja -C out-android/Debug blimp
```

This will also generate an incremental APK, which you can install with this
command:

```bash
out-android/Debug/bin/install_blimp_apk_incremental
```

During development, it might be beneficial to put these two commands together
like this:

```bash
ninja -C out-android/Debug blimp && \
    out-android/Debug/bin/install_blimp_apk_incremental
```

To add your own build preferences:

```bash
gn args out-android/Debug
```

For example, you can build `x86` APK by adding `target_cpu = "x86"` to the `gn
args`.


### Engine

Create another out-directory and set the GN args:

```bash
mkdir -p out-linux/Debug
echo "import(\"//build/args/blimp_engine.gn\")" > out-linux/Debug/args.gn
gn gen out-linux/Debug
```

To build:

```bash
ninja -C out-linux/Debug blimp
```

To add your own build preferences

```bash
gn args out-linux/Debug
```

## Adding new build arguments

Adding new build arguments should be fairly rare. Arguments first need to be
[declared](../../tools/gn/docs/quick_start.md#Add-a-new-build-argument).

They can then be used to change how the binary is built or passed through to
code as a
[defines](../../tools/gn/docs/reference.md#defines_C-preprocessor-defines).

Finally the Blimp argument templates should be updated to reflect the
(non-default for Chrome) behavior desired by Blimp (see below).

## Updating bulid arguments in templates

Build argument templates exist for the client and engine at
[`build/args/blimp_client.gn`](../../build/args/blimp_client.gn) and
[`build/args/blimp_engine.gn`](../../build/args/blimp_engine.gn).

These can be updated as in the same manner as your personal `args.gn` files
to override default argument values.