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Configuring the BuildBuddy CLI

You can save BuildBuddy CLI options in a .bbrc file. It uses the same section and named-config syntax as a .bazelrc, but it configures bb rather than Bazel.

For example, this .bbrc enables streamed logs for every bb run and uses Linux runners for bb remote:

.bbrc
run --stream_run_logs
remote --os=linux
# Runs: bb run --stream_run_logs //app
bb run //app

# Runs: bb remote --os=linux test //...
bb remote test //...

Only BuildBuddy CLI flags are allowed in .bbrc. Keep regular Bazel options in .bazelrc.

The startup section applies before any command. For example, this .bbrc enables verbose logging for all bb commands:

.bbrc
startup --verbose

File locations​

The CLI reads .bbrc files in this order:

  1. .bbrc in the workspace root
  2. .bbrc in your home directory (~/.bbrc)
  3. Files passed using --bbrc, in command-line order

Later settings take precedence when an option can only have one value.

You can load another file using the same import and try-import directives supported by .bazelrc files. For example, a checked-in workspace .bbrc can optionally load a workspace-local user.bbrc:

.bbrc
try-import %workspace%/user.bbrc

Named configs​

Mirroring .bazelrc syntax, add :<name> to a section to define a named config. Select it with --bb_config=<name>:

.bbrc
remote:linux --os=linux
remote:linux --arch=amd64
remote:ci --bb_config=linux
remote:ci --skip_auto_checkout=true
remote:custom-image --container_image=docker://ubuntu:latest
bb remote --bb_config=linux test //...
bb remote --bb_config=ci test //...

Multiple named configs are expanded in the order they appear. Mirroring bazelrc policy, named configs are not supported for the startup section.

--bb_config is separate from Bazel's --config: use --bb_config for .bbrc settings and --config for .bazelrc settings.

Selecting rc files​

Pass one or more --bbrc startup options to load additional files:

bb --bbrc=/path/to/team.bbrc remote test //...

--ignore_all_bb_rc_files ignores all .bbrc files.