macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install buildifierlocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew / rank 1427
Install buildifier with Homebrew, Nix
Format bazel BUILD files with a standard convention. Version 8.5.1 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-25. Also installable with nix: nix profile install nixpkgs#buildifier.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#buildifiernixpkgs 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 bottle metadata was recorded.
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 | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
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 generated2026-08-03
manager version8.5.1
manager updated2026-07-25
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:buildifier |
|---|---|
| Version | 8.5.1 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://github.com/bazelbuild/buildtools |
| Repository | https://github.com/bazelbuild/buildtools |
| Last updated | 2026-07-25T14:19:44-04:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
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
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.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- pkg.so package database
- pkgdb category and tag curation