# Build Instructions (macOS)

Follow the guidelines below for building Electron on macOS.

## Prerequisites

* macOS >= 10.8
* [Xcode](https://developer.apple.com/technologies/tools/) >= 7.3.1
* [node.js](http://nodejs.org) (external)

If you are using the Python downloaded by Homebrew, you also need to install
the following Python modules:

* [pyobjc](https://pythonhosted.org/pyobjc/install.html)

## macOS SDK

If you're simply developing Electron and don't plan to redistribute your
custom Electron build, you may skip this section.

For certain features (e.g. pinch-zoom) to work properly, you must target the
macOS 10.10 SDK.

Official Electron builds are built with Xcode 7.3.1, which does not contain
the 10.10 SDK by default. To obtain it, first download and mount the
[Xcode 6.4](http://developer.apple.com/devcenter/download.action?path=/Developer_Tools/Xcode_6.4/Xcode_6.4.dmg)
DMG.

Then, assuming that the Xcode 6.4 DMG has been mounted at `/Volumes/Xcode` and
that your Xcode 7.3.1 install is at `/Applications/Xcode.app`, run:

```bash
cp -r /Volumes/Xcode/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.9.sdk /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/
```

## Getting the Code

```bash
$ git clone https://github.com/electron/electron
```

## Bootstrapping

The bootstrap script will download all necessary build dependencies and create
the build project files. Notice that we're using [ninja](https://ninja-build.org/)
to build Electron so there is no Xcode project generated.

```bash
$ cd electron
$ ./script/bootstrap.py -v
```

## Building

Build both `Release` and `Debug` targets:

```bash
$ ./script/build.py
```

You can also only build the `Debug` target:

```bash
$ ./script/build.py -c D
```

After building is done, you can find `Electron.app` under `out/D`.

## 32bit Support

Electron can only be built for a 64bit target on macOS and there is no plan to
support 32bit macOS in the future.

## Cleaning

To clean the build files:

```bash
$ npm run clean
```

## Tests

See [Build System Overview: Tests](build-system-overview.md#tests)