Bazel for (Human) Software Engineers

"Have you been forced to use Bazel without really understanding why?"

"Do your builds feel like a black box of magic and mystery?"

"Are you tired of copying WORKSPACE snippets from Stack Overflow?"

You're not alone. Many developers find themselves in the same situation - using Bazel because they have to, not because they want to. But here's the thing: Bazel is actually awesome when it clicks.

Why This Guide Exists ​

This isn't another technical manual. It's a guide written by developers, for developers, to help you:

• 🎯 Actually understand why Bazel exists and what problems it solves
• 🔨 Build confidently without relying on copy-paste from ancient Stack Overflow posts
• 🌍 Connect the dots between your code, your builds, and your deployment environments
• 🚀 Master modern Bazel with Bzlmod and leave legacy WORKSPACE files behind

What Makes This Guide Different? ​

1. Human First: We explain concepts in plain language, with real-world analogies
2. Modern Practices: Focus on current Bazel features and best practices
3. Practical Examples: Real-world scenarios you'll actually encounter
4. Bottom-Up Learning: Start with the basics and build up to advanced concepts

Getting Started ​

Ready to make Bazel work for you? Start with these core concepts:

• Core Concepts: Understand the building blocks
• Build vs Runtime: Master the key distinction
• Dependencies and Actions: Control your build process
• Hermetic Environment: Connect all the pieces

Or jump straight to our Getting Started Guide if you're eager to get your hands dirty.

Remember: Bazel is a tool meant to serve you, not the other way around. Let's make it work for humans.