> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/emoose/xenia/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Build Setup

> Initial setup and overview of the Xenia build system

## Overview

Xenia uses a custom Python-based build script (`xenia-build.py`) that wraps premake5 and the native build tools for your platform. The build system supports Windows, Linux (experimental), and macOS (experimental).

<Note>
  You must have a **64-bit machine** for building and running Xenia. Always run your system updater before building and ensure you have the latest drivers.
</Note>

## Prerequisites

### Common Requirements

* 64-bit operating system and CPU
* [Git](https://git-scm.com/downloads)
* [Python 3.9+ (64-bit)](https://www.python.org/downloads/)
  * Ensure Python is added to your PATH
* CMake 3.10+ (or C++ CMake tools)

### Platform-Specific Requirements

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Windows" icon="windows" href="/building/windows">
    Visual Studio 2022, Windows 11 SDK, Python 3.9+
  </Card>

  <Card title="Linux" icon="linux" href="/building/linux">
    Clang 19, development libraries, Vulkan drivers (experimental)
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Quick Start

<Steps>
  <Step title="Clone the Repository">
    ```bash theme={null}
    git clone https://github.com/xenia-canary/xenia-canary.git
    cd xenia-canary
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Run Initial Setup">
    The `xb setup` command will initialize git submodules and run premake:

    ```bash theme={null}
    xb setup
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Build the Project">
    Build in debug mode (default):

    ```bash theme={null}
    xb build
    ```

    Or build in release mode:

    ```bash theme={null}
    xb build --config=release
    ```
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Build System Architecture

The Xenia build system consists of:

1. **xenia-build.py** (`xb` wrapper) - Main build script that orchestrates the build process
2. **premake5.lua** - Build configuration that generates platform-specific project files
3. **Platform Build Tools**:
   * Windows: MSBuild (Visual Studio)
   * Linux: CMake + Ninja
   * macOS: Xcode

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="xb Build Script" icon="terminal" href="/building/xb-script">
    Learn about all available xb commands
  </Card>

  <Card title="Windows Build" icon="windows" href="/building/windows">
    Detailed Windows build instructions
  </Card>

  <Card title="Linux Build" icon="linux" href="/building/linux">
    Linux build instructions (experimental)
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Python not found error">
    Ensure Python 3.9+ 64-bit is installed and added to your PATH. You can verify by running:

    ```bash theme={null}
    python --version
    ```

    The version should be 3.9 or higher and show 64-bit.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Git submodule errors">
    If you encounter submodule errors, try manually updating:

    ```bash theme={null}
    git submodule update --init --depth=1 -j <cpu_count>
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Build fails after updating">
    After pulling latest changes, always run premake again:

    ```bash theme={null}
    xb premake
    ```

    Or use the pull command which does this automatically:

    ```bash theme={null}
    xb pull
    ```
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>