To install and run Urbit please follow the instructions at urbit.org/docs/using/install. Packages and source tarballs are available there. You'll be on the live network in a few minutes.

If you're doing development on Urbit, keep reading.

vere, the Urbit virtual machine, depends on the following:

• C compiler (gcc or clang)
• GNU Make
• GMP
• CMake
• libuv 1.x
• OpenSSL
• libsigsegv
• libcurl
• curses implementation (ncurses on Linux distributions, OS curses otherwise)
• Ragel
• re2c

Most of these dependencies are unfortunate; we aim to drastically shrink the list in upcoming versions. vere proper makes use of GMP, OpenSSL, libcurl, and libsigsegv. The multiple build tools are a result of bundled libraries, slated for future unbundling or removal wherever possible.

Our Makefile should handle the build smoothly on all supported platforms. It's just a simple Makefile, written by hand for GNU Make, and the most complicated parts of its internal machinery have to do with the varied build systems of the bundled libraries.

Useful targets are the default all, clean, and distclean. The last may not produce an entirely clean distribution directory, and runs a bundled library's configure script; git clean may be a better option.

The vere binary is produced in bin/urbit.

If you have any questions, problems, patches, or proposals for patches, please feel free to get in touch in whatever way is most convenient:

• Post to /urbit-meta on Urbit :talk. (You can do this via urbit.org/stream without a running Urbit).
• Post to urbit.org/fora.
• Email us directly questions@urbit.org.