# Install buildifier with Homebrew, Nix Format bazel BUILD files with a standard convention. Version 8.5.1 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:buildifier ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install buildifier ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#buildifier ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: buildifier from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:buildifier - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 8.5.1 - **Source summary:** Format bazel BUILD files with a standard convention - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** Apache-2.0 - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - buildifier (cli) - buildifier (alias) ## Build dependencies - go ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 8.5.1 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/bazelbuild/buildtools - Upstream latest detected: v8.5.1 (current) - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. ## 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 - - - source_facts.package-manager ## Security Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## 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:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Nix - buildifier: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: buildifier from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Text processing packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/text-processing-tools/) - Matched text, document, or structured-data processing metadata. - [Developer build packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/developer-build-tools/) - Matched build, compiler, generator, or developer workflow metadata. - [go](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/go/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [buildozer](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/buildozer/) - Shares the same upstream source repository. - [beautysh](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/beautysh/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, formatter, formatters. - [cljfmt](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cljfmt/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, formatter, formatters. - [dfmt](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dfmt/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, formatter, formatters. - [dockerfmt](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dockerfmt/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, formatter, formatters. - [fnlfmt](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fnlfmt/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, formatter, formatters. - [fourmolu](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fourmolu/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, formatter, formatters. - [fprettify](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fprettify/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, formatter, formatters. - [fracturedjson](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fracturedjson/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, formatter, formatters. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/buildifier.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/buildifier.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph