Command line reference

Commands


`aquery`	Analyzes the given targets and queries the action graph.
`build`	Builds the specified targets.
`canonicalize-flags`	Canonicalizes a list of bazel options.
`clean`	Removes output files and optionally stops the server.
`coverage`	Generates code coverage report for specified test targets.
`cquery`	Loads, analyzes, and queries the specified targets w/ configurations.
`dump`	Dumps the internal state of the bazel server process.
`fetch`	Fetches external repositories that are prerequisites to the targets.
`help`	Prints help for commands, or the index.
`info`	Displays runtime info about the bazel server.
`license`	Prints the license of this software.
`mobile-install`	Installs targets to mobile devices.
`mod`	Queries the Bzlmod external dependency graph
`print_action`	Prints the command line args for compiling a file.
`query`	Executes a dependency graph query.
`run`	Runs the specified target.
`shutdown`	Stops the bazel server.
`test`	Builds and runs the specified test targets.
`vendor`	Fetches external repositories into a folder specified by the flag —vendor_dir.
`version`	Prints version information for bazel.

Startup Options

Options that appear before the command and are parsed by the client Remote caching and execution options Miscellaneous options, not otherwise categorized.

Options Common to all Commands

Options that appear before the command and are parsed by the client Options that control build execution Options that configure the toolchain used for action execution Options that let the user configure the intended output, affecting its value, as opposed to its existence Options that affect how strictly Bazel enforces valid build inputs (rule definitions, flag combinations, etc.) This option affects semantics of the Starlark language or the build API accessible to BUILD files, .bzl files, or WORKSPACE files. Options relating to Bzlmod output and semantics Options that trigger optimizations of the build time Options that affect the verbosity, format or location of logging Remote caching and execution options Miscellaneous options, not otherwise categorized.

Aquery Options

Inherits all options from build. Options relating to query output and semantics Options that control build execution Options that configure the toolchain used for action execution Options that control the output of the command Options that let the user configure the intended output, affecting its value, as opposed to its existence Options that affect how strictly Bazel enforces valid build inputs (rule definitions, flag combinations, etc.) Options that affect the signing outputs of a build This option affects semantics of the Starlark language or the build API accessible to BUILD files, .bzl files, or WORKSPACE files. Options that govern the behavior of the test environment or test runner Options that trigger optimizations of the build time Options that affect the verbosity, format or location of logging Options specifying or altering a generic input to a Bazel command that does not fall into other categories. Miscellaneous options, not otherwise categorized.

Build Options

Options that control build execution Options that control the output of the command Options that let the user configure the intended output, affecting its value, as opposed to its existence Options that affect how strictly Bazel enforces valid build inputs (rule definitions, flag combinations, etc.) This option affects semantics of the Starlark language or the build API accessible to BUILD files, .bzl files, or WORKSPACE files. Options that govern the behavior of the test environment or test runner Options that trigger optimizations of the build time Options that affect the verbosity, format or location of logging Options specifying or altering a generic input to a Bazel command that does not fall into other categories. Remote caching and execution options Miscellaneous options, not otherwise categorized. Options that control build execution Options that configure the toolchain used for action execution Options that control the output of the command Options that let the user configure the intended output, affecting its value, as opposed to its existence Options that affect how strictly Bazel enforces valid build inputs (rule definitions, flag combinations, etc.) Options that affect the signing outputs of a build This option affects semantics of the Starlark language or the build API accessible to BUILD files, .bzl files, or WORKSPACE files. Options that govern the behavior of the test environment or test runner Options that trigger optimizations of the build time Options that affect the verbosity, format or location of logging Options specifying or altering a generic input to a Bazel command that does not fall into other categories. Miscellaneous options, not otherwise categorized.

Canonicalize-flags Options

Inherits all options from build. Options that control the output of the command This option affects semantics of the Starlark language or the build API accessible to BUILD files, .bzl files, or WORKSPACE files. Options specifying or altering a generic input to a Bazel command that does not fall into other categories. Miscellaneous options, not otherwise categorized.

Clean Options

Inherits all options from build. Options that control the output of the command

Config Options

Coverage Options

Inherits all options from test.

Cquery Options

Inherits all options from test. Options relating to query output and semantics Options that control build execution Options that configure the toolchain used for action execution Options that control the output of the command Options that let the user configure the intended output, affecting its value, as opposed to its existence Options that affect how strictly Bazel enforces valid build inputs (rule definitions, flag combinations, etc.) Options that affect the signing outputs of a build This option affects semantics of the Starlark language or the build API accessible to BUILD files, .bzl files, or WORKSPACE files. Options that govern the behavior of the test environment or test runner Options that trigger optimizations of the build time Options that affect the verbosity, format or location of logging Options specifying or altering a generic input to a Bazel command that does not fall into other categories. Miscellaneous options, not otherwise categorized.

Dump Options

Options that control the output of the command

Fetch Options

Inherits all options from test. Options that control build execution This option affects semantics of the Starlark language or the build API accessible to BUILD files, .bzl files, or WORKSPACE files. Options relating to Bzlmod output and semantics Miscellaneous options, not otherwise categorized. Options that control build execution Options that configure the toolchain used for action execution Options that control the output of the command Options that let the user configure the intended output, affecting its value, as opposed to its existence Options that affect how strictly Bazel enforces valid build inputs (rule definitions, flag combinations, etc.) Options that affect the signing outputs of a build This option affects semantics of the Starlark language or the build API accessible to BUILD files, .bzl files, or WORKSPACE files. Options that govern the behavior of the test environment or test runner Options that trigger optimizations of the build time Options that affect the verbosity, format or location of logging Options specifying or altering a generic input to a Bazel command that does not fall into other categories. Miscellaneous options, not otherwise categorized.

Help Options

Options that affect the verbosity, format or location of logging

Info Options

Inherits all options from build. Options that let the user configure the intended output, affecting its value, as opposed to its existence Options that affect the verbosity, format or location of logging

License Options

Mobile-install Options

Inherits all options from build. Options that control build execution Options that configure the toolchain used for action execution Options that control the output of the command Options that let the user configure the intended output, affecting its value, as opposed to its existence Options that affect the verbosity, format or location of logging

Mod Options

Options that control build execution Options that configure the toolchain used for action execution Options that control the output of the command Options that let the user configure the intended output, affecting its value, as opposed to its existence Options that affect how strictly Bazel enforces valid build inputs (rule definitions, flag combinations, etc.) This option affects semantics of the Starlark language or the build API accessible to BUILD files, .bzl files, or WORKSPACE files. Options that govern the behavior of the test environment or test runner Options relating to the output and semantics of the mod subcommand Options that affect the verbosity, format or location of logging Options specifying or altering a generic input to a Bazel command that does not fall into other categories. Miscellaneous options, not otherwise categorized.

Print_action Options

Inherits all options from build. Miscellaneous options, not otherwise categorized.

Query Options

Options that control build execution Options that configure the toolchain used for action execution Options that control the output of the command Options that let the user configure the intended output, affecting its value, as opposed to its existence Options that affect how strictly Bazel enforces valid build inputs (rule definitions, flag combinations, etc.) This option affects semantics of the Starlark language or the build API accessible to BUILD files, .bzl files, or WORKSPACE files. Options that govern the behavior of the test environment or test runner Options relating to query output and semantics Options that affect the verbosity, format or location of logging Options specifying or altering a generic input to a Bazel command that does not fall into other categories. Miscellaneous options, not otherwise categorized.

Run Options

Inherits all options from build. Options that appear before the command and are parsed by the client Options that let the user configure the intended output, affecting its value, as opposed to its existence Options that affect the verbosity, format or location of logging

Shutdown Options

Options that control the output of the command

Test Options

Inherits all options from build. Options that affect the verbosity, format or location of logging

Vendor Options

Version Options

Options that let the user configure the intended output, affecting its value, as opposed to its existence

Option Effect Tags


`unknown`	This option has unknown, or undocumented, effect.
`no_op`	This option has literally no effect.
`loses_incremental_state`	Changing the value of this option can cause significant loss of incremental state, which slows builds. State could be lost due to a server restart or to invalidation of a large part of the dependency graph.
`changes_inputs`	This option actively changes the inputs that bazel considers for the build, such as filesystem restrictions, repository versions, or other options.
`affects_outputs`	This option affects bazel’s outputs. This tag is intentionally broad, can include transitive affects, and does not specify the type of output it affects.
`build_file_semantics`	This option affects the semantics of BUILD or .bzl files.
`bazel_internal_configuration`	This option affects settings of bazel-internal machinery. This tag does not, on its own, mean that build artifacts are affected.
`loading_and_analysis`	This option affects the loading and analysis of dependencies, and the building of the dependency graph.
`execution`	This option affects the execution phase, such as sandboxing or remote execution related options.
`host_machine_resource_optimizations`	This option triggers an optimization that may be machine specific and is not guaranteed to work on all machines. The optimization could include a tradeoff with other aspects of performance, such as memory or cpu cost.
`eagerness_to_exit`	This option changes how eagerly bazel will exit from a failure, where a choice between continuing despite the failure and ending the invocation exists.
`bazel_monitoring`	This option is used to monitor bazel’s behavior and performance.
`terminal_output`	This option affects bazel’s terminal output.
`action_command_lines`	This option changes the command line arguments of one or more build actions.
`test_runner`	This option changes the testrunner environment of the build.

Option Metadata Tags


`experimental`	This option triggers an experimental feature with no guarantees of functionality.
`incompatible_change`	This option triggers a breaking change. Use this option to test your migration readiness or get early access to the new feature
`deprecated`	This option is deprecated. It might be that the feature it affects is deprecated, or that another method of supplying the information is preferred.
`non_configurable`	This option cannot be changed in a transition or be used in a select() statement.
`fully_redacted_in_logs`	This option may contain sensitive credentials and should be redacted in logs.

Build encyclopedia

Query Language

Build Encyclopedia

Glossary

Flag cheatsheet

Skyframe

Command line reference

Commands

Startup Options

Options Common to all Commands

Aquery Options

Build Options

Canonicalize-flags Options

Clean Options

Config Options

Coverage Options

Cquery Options

Dump Options

Fetch Options

Help Options

Info Options

License Options

Mobile-install Options

Mod Options

Print_action Options

Query Options

Run Options

Shutdown Options

Test Options

Vendor Options

Version Options

Option Effect Tags

Option Metadata Tags

​Commands

​Startup Options

​Options Common to all Commands

​Aquery Options

​Build Options

​Canonicalize-flags Options

​Clean Options

​Config Options

​Coverage Options

​Cquery Options

​Dump Options

​Fetch Options

​Help Options

​Info Options

​License Options

​Mobile-install Options

​Mod Options

​Print_action Options

​Query Options

​Run Options

​Shutdown Options

​Test Options

​Vendor Options

​Version Options

​Option Effect Tags

​Option Metadata Tags

Commands

Startup Options

Options Common to all Commands

Aquery Options

Build Options

Canonicalize-flags Options

Clean Options

Config Options

Coverage Options

Cquery Options

Dump Options

Fetch Options

Help Options

Info Options

License Options

Mobile-install Options

Mod Options

Print_action Options

Query Options

Run Options

Shutdown Options

Test Options

Vendor Options

Version Options

Option Effect Tags

Option Metadata Tags