install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install buildifier

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#buildifier

nixpkgs package indexes · buildifier · source: raw.githubusercontent.com

overview

Package summary

Format bazel BUILD files with a standard convention

Project links

Commands and aliases

buildifier

history

Project history and usage

Buildifier is the Bazel ecosystem's standard formatter and linter for BUILD, WORKSPACE, MODULE.bazel, `.bzl`, and other Starlark-related files.

Project history

Buildifier is part of the bazelbuild/buildtools repository, which collects developer tools for working with Google's Bazel build tool. The repository also includes related tools such as Buildozer and unused_deps.

Its role is deliberately analogous to source-code formatters such as clang-format: it gives Bazel and Starlark files a standard convention and can also report or fix lint warnings.

Adoption history

Buildifier became common wherever Bazel is used seriously because BUILD and `.bzl` files are code-like inputs that benefit from deterministic formatting in review and CI. The tool is packaged by Homebrew and Nix according to the input and can also be installed with Go or run through Bazel rules.

Its adoption is tied directly to Bazel's adoption: monorepos and polyglot builds that standardize on Bazel often add Buildifier to presubmit checks so build metadata stays consistent.

How it is used

Basic usage is `buildifier path/to/file`; recursive formatting uses `buildifier -r path/to/dir`. The README documents file-type detection for BUILD, WORKSPACE, `.bzl`, MODULE, and default Starlark files, with `--type` overrides for stdin or unusual filenames.

The integrated linter runs with `--lint=warn` or `--lint=fix`, and machine-readable diagnostics are available with JSON output in check mode.

Why package nerds care

Buildifier is significant because it formats package/build metadata rather than application source. For Bazel users, BUILD files are the package graph, so a stable formatter lowers merge noise and makes automated rewrites safer.

It also sits beside Buildozer: Buildifier normalizes and checks files, while Buildozer edits them programmatically, together forming a small maintenance toolkit for large Bazel workspaces.

Timeline

2010s: Buildifier developed inside the Bazel buildtools repository as Bazel's Starlark formatting tool.
2020s: buildtools releases continued through major versions and Buildifier gained broader linting and JSON diagnostic workflows.
2020s: Installation paths included Go module installation, Bazel rules, Homebrew, and Nix packages.

Related projects

Bazel is the build system whose BUILD, WORKSPACE, MODULE.bazel, and Starlark files Buildifier formats.
Buildozer is the companion buildtools utility for command-line edits to Bazel files.
unused_deps is another buildtools utility for Java dependency cleanup.

Sources

https://github.com/bazelbuild/buildtools
https://github.com/bazelbuild/buildtools/blob/main/buildifier/README.md
source_facts.package-manager

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`buildifier`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version8.5.1

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv8.5.1

https://github.com/bazelbuild/buildtools

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:buildifier
Version	8.5.1
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/buildifier
Homepage	https://github.com/bazelbuild/buildtools
Repository	https://github.com/bazelbuild/buildtools
Upstream docs	https://github.com/bazelbuild/buildtools/blob/main/buildifier/README.md
License	Apache-2.0
Source archive	https://github.com/bazelbuild/buildtools/archive/refs/tags/v8.5.1.tar.gz
Build dependencies	go
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	buildifier
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Head Version	HEAD
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	head stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

buildifier

nix profile install nixpkgs#buildifier

normalized package name match
Matched by: Buildifier

nixpkgs package indexes · raw.githubusercontent.com · nixpkgs package indexes: buildifier from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/buildifier.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install buildifier with Homebrew, Nix