Building Chromium from Source (Windows)

Jan 9,2017 Fabio Rocha

Chromium, the open-source project behind Google Chrome, offers developers a robust platform to experiment with web technologies and browse the internet with enhanced security and performance. Building Chromium from source on Windows can be a rewarding experience, allowing developers to customize and contribute to one of the most widely used browsers. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps required to compile Chromium from its source code on a Windows machine, ensuring you have the tools and knowledge needed to embark on this technical journey.

Setting Up Your Development Environment 🔗

Before diving into the Chromium build process, it’s crucial to establish a conducive development environment on your Windows system. This setup involves installing specific software and tools that enable the compilation and management of the Chromium source code.

Install Visual Studio: Chromium requires Visual Studio to compile on Windows. Download and install the latest version of Visual Studio, ensuring you include the ‘Desktop development with C++’ workload.
Python: Chromium’s build process relies heavily on Python scripts. Make sure to install Python 3 and add it to your system’s PATH.
Git: You will need Git to clone the Chromium repository. Install Git for Windows and configure your Git account.

Fetching the Chromium Source Code 🔗

Once your environment is ready, the next step is to obtain the Chromium source code, which involves using depot_tools—a collection of tools required for the Chromium build process.

Depot Tools Setup: First, clone the depot_tools repository. Open a command prompt and execute:

git clone https://chromium.googlesource.com/chromium/tools/depot_tools.git

Add depot_tools to your PATH:

set PATH=%PATH%;C:\path\to\depot_tools

Fetch Chromium: Navigate to the directory where you want to download Chromium, then run:

fetch --nohooks chromium

This command will download the source code while disabling hooks, which are scripts that run automatically during the download process.

Configuring the Build 🔗

After fetching the source code, the next step is to configure your build settings, which involves selecting build targets and setting up the build environment.

Run GYP: Chromium uses GN (Generate Ninja) for project generation. Navigate to the Chromium source directory and execute:

gn gen out/Default

This command creates a build directory named ‘out/Default’ where GN will store build files.
Customize Build Arguments: Modify the GN arguments by running:

gn args out/Default

In the editor that opens, customize your build arguments as needed. For instance, set the build type to ‘Debug’ or ‘Release’ by adjusting the is_debug argument.

Building Chromium 🔗

With the configuration in place, you are now ready to build Chromium. This process can be resource-intensive and time-consuming, depending on your system specifications.

Compile the Source Code: Use the following command to start the build:

ninja -C out/Default chrome

This command instructs Ninja to compile the Chromium target and store the output in the ‘out/Default’ directory.

Handling Build Errors: During the build process, you may encounter errors. Consult the official documentation for troubleshooting tips.

Testing Your Build 🔗

After successfully compiling Chromium, it’s essential to test the build to ensure it functions as expected. You can run the built browser and perform various tests to verify its stability and performance.

Launching Chromium: Execute the following command to start Chromium:

out\Default\chrome.exe

Running Automated Tests: Chromium includes a suite of automated tests. Run these tests using:

ninja -C out/Default test

Review the test results to identify any issues that need addressing.

Contributing to Chromium 🔗

Once you have built and tested Chromium, consider contributing back to the project. Contributions can range from bug fixes and feature implementations to documentation improvements.

Understand Contribution Guidelines: Familiarize yourself with Chromium’s contribution guidelines to ensure your submissions meet project standards.
Submit Your Changes: Use Git to commit your changes and create a pull request for review by the Chromium team.

Conclusion 🔗

Building Chromium from source on Windows is a complex but rewarding process, offering insights into browser development and open-source collaboration. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can successfully compile, test, and contribute to this influential project.

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