Bazel (beɪzəl/) is a free and open-source software tool used for the automation of building and testing software.
Similar to build tools like Make, Apache Ant, and Apache Maven, Bazel builds software applications from source code using rules. Rules and macros are created in the Starlark language, a dialect of Python. There are built-in rules for building software written in Java, Kotlin, Scala, C, C++, Go, Python, Rust, JavaScript, Objective-C, and bash scripts. Bazel can produce software application packages suitable for deployment for the Android and iOS operating systems.
In 2006, Google started the development of a build tool called Blaze. The motivation was to have a build system that provides both speed and correctness in a large monorepo.
Bazel was created as an open-source port of Blaze, using its anagram as a name. Bazel was first released in March 2015 and entered beta by September 2015. Version 1.0 was released in October 2019.
What is Bazel?
Bazel by Bazel (developed by Google) is open-source Windows software in the system utilities category. It ranks 2nd by popularity among system utilities in this catalogue. It is written in Java.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides Portable installers for 64-bit and ARM64 Windows. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 9.3.0, released on October 7, 2026. The version history goes back to December 22, 2023: 27 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 9.7 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 523,549 times. The source code on GitHub (bazelbuild/bazel) has 25,973 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 5 of our languages. Similar programs include AutoHotkey, osquery and Gauge.
Project description on GitHub: “a fast, scalable, multi-language and extensible build system”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Portable: runs without installation
- Frequent updates (about 9.7 a year)
- Large user base
In short: Bazel is an open-source system utilitie tool for 64-bit and ARM64 PCs. It is actively maintained.
Is Bazel safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
64AFF24F986DF98291F4DA2795FD4B3E831C0AF3F74BD7AA8EB56C49CB28B1E3· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the bazelbuild/bazel repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 24, 2026.
- Security policy10
- Dependency update tool10
- No dangerous workflows10
- Actively maintained10
- Licence declared10
- Contributors from several organisations10
- Code review9
- Pinned dependencies9
- Signed releases8
- No known vulnerabilities2
- Restricted token permissions0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Static code analysis0
- No binaries in the repository0
- Fuzzing0
- Branch protection0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 27 versions ›27 versions over 3 years · about 9.7 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9.3.0Latest | October 7, 2026 | — | 64-bit PortableARM64 Portable |
| 9.2.0 | July 13, 2026 | — | 64-bit PortableARM64 Portable |
| 9.1.1 | June 3, 2026 | — | 64-bit PortableARM64 Portable |
| 9.1.0 | April 20, 2026 | — | 64-bit PortableARM64 Portable |
| 9.0.2 | April 9, 2026 | — | ARM64 Portable64-bit Portable |
| 9.0.1 | March 10, 2026 | — | ARM64 Portable64-bit Portable |
| 9.0.0 | January 20, 2026 | — | 64-bit PortableARM64 Portable |
| 8.7.0 | May 7, 2026 | — | 64-bit PortableARM64 Portable |
Release cycle and support
Version 9.3.0 belongs to the 9 (LTS) release line (long-term support), supported until December 31, 2028.
| Release line | Released | Support ends | Latest version | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 (LTS)LTS | January 20, 2026 | December 31, 2028 | 9.3.1 | Supported |
| 8 (LTS)LTS | December 9, 2024 | December 31, 2027 | 8.8.2 | Supported |
| 7 (LTS)LTS | December 11, 2023 | December 31, 2026 | 7.7.2 | Supported |
| 6 (LTS)LTS | December 19, 2022 | December 31, 2025 | 6.6.0 | End of life |
| 5 (LTS)LTS | January 19, 2022 | January 31, 2025 | 5.4.1 | End of life |
| 4 (LTS)LTS | January 21, 2021 | January 31, 2024 | 4.2.4 | End of life |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Bazel.Bazel -echoco install bazel -yProgram files (.exe): bazel.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Bazel
- Developer
- Google and Jakob Buchgraber
- Category
- System utilities
- Licence
- Apache-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/bazelbuild/bazel
- Written in
- Java
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 9.3.0
- Released
- October 7, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- December 22, 2023
- Versions listed
- 27
- Updates / year
- 9.7
- Chocolatey downloads
- 523,549
- GitHub stars
- 25,973
- GitHub forks
- 4,654
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- Bazel.Bazel
- Chocolatey package
- bazel
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Bazel free?
Yes. Bazel is open-source software under the Apache-2.0 licence.
Is Bazel safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Bazel with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does Bazel run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of Bazel?
The versions page lists all 27 versions with links to their official installer files, back to December 22, 2023.
Can I use Bazel without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to Bazel?
AutoHotkey, osquery, Gauge, LocalSend and Simplenote. The alternatives page compares them.
