If your Linux distribution does not have git-annex packaged up for you,
you can either build it [[fromsource]], or you can use a handy
prebuilt tarball of the most recent release.

This tarball should work on most Linux systems. It has basically no
dependencies and is self-contained.

* x86-32: [download tarball](https://downloads.kitenet.net/git-annex/linux/current/git-annex-standalone-i386.tar.gz)
* x86-64: [download tarball](https://downloads.kitenet.net/git-annex/linux/current/git-annex-standalone-amd64.tar.gz)
* x86-32, for ancient kernels: [download tarball](https://downloads.kitenet.net/git-annex/linux/current/git-annex-standalone-i386-ancient.tar.gz)
* arm: [download tarball](https://downloads.kitenet.net/git-annex/linux/current/git-annex-standalone-armel.tar.gz)
* arm64: [download tarball](https://downloads.kitenet.net/git-annex/linux/current/git-annex-standalone-arm64.tar.gz)

To use, just unpack the tarball, `cd git-annex.linux` and run `./runshell`
-- this sets up an environment where you can use `git annex`, as well
as everything else included in the bundle.

Alternatively, you can unpack the tarball, and add the directory to your
`PATH`, or symlink the programs in the directory to a directory in your
PATH. This lets you use `git annex`, without overriding your system's
own versions of git, etc.

The arm version can be installed on NAS devices and other embedded ARM
linux systems.

* [[tips/Synology_NAS_and_git_annex]]
* [[forum_thread|forum/new_linux_arm_tarball_build]]

The build for ancient kernels is for use with Linux kernel versions
such as 2.6.32. It will work on both 32 and 64 bit systems.

## autobuilds

An hourly autobuild is also available, thanks to Mesar Hameed and the University
of Bath CS department.

* x86-32: [download tarball](https://downloads.kitenet.net/git-annex/autobuild/i386/git-annex-standalone-i386.tar.gz) ([build logs](https://downloads.kitenet.net/git-annex/autobuild/i386/))
* x86-64: [download tarball](https://downloads.kitenet.net/git-annex/autobuild/amd64/git-annex-standalone-amd64.tar.gz) ([build logs](https://downloads.kitenet.net/git-annex/autobuild/amd64/))
* x86-32, for ancient kernels: [download tarball](https://downloads.kitenet.net/git-annex/autobuild/i386-ancient/git-annex-standalone-i386-ancient.tar.gz) ([build logs](https://downloads.kitenet.net/git-annex/autobuild/i386-ancient/))

The arm autobuilder runs daily (sun permitting), and is hosted by [[Joey]].

* arm: [download tarball](https://downloads.kitenet.net/git-annex/autobuild/armel/git-annex-standalone-armel.tar.gz) ([build logs](https://downloads.kitenet.net/git-annex/autobuild/armel/))

The arm64 autobuilder runs only intermittently. Better hosting needed.

* arm64: [download tarball](https://downloads.kitenet.net/git-annex/autobuild/armel/git-annex-standalone-arm64.tar.gz) ([build logs](https://downloads.kitenet.net/git-annex/autobuild/arm64/))

## building it yourself

This entails building git-annex from source, so you will first
need to get that working, see [[fromsource]] for some of the details.

In git-annex's source tree, run `make linuxstandalone`. This will build
git-annex from source, and then build the tarball bundle, into eg
`tmp/git-annex-standalone-amd64.tar.gz`

This build process is done on a Debian system, and it needs to use
`dpkg` to examine the host system.

## technical details

The way those tarballs work is described in [joeyh's blog](http://joeyh.name/blog/entry/completely_linux_distribution-independent_packaging/).