# Linux

Ubuntu LTS 12.04 64-bit is the recommended platform.

## Requirements

  * OS with 64-bit or 32-bit architecture
  * C++ toolchain
  * [Git](http://git-scm.com/)
  * [Node.js](http://nodejs.org/download/) v0.10.x
  * [npm](http://www.npmjs.org/) v1.4.x (bundled with Node.js)
    * `npm -v` to check the version.
    * `npm config set python /usr/bin/python2 -g` to ensure that gyp uses python2.
      * You might need to run this command as `sudo`, depending on how you have set up [npm](https://github.com/joyent/node/wiki/Installing-Node.js-via-package-manager#ubuntu-mint-elementary-os).
  * development headers for [GNOME Keyring](https://wiki.gnome.org/Projects/GnomeKeyring)

### Ubuntu / Debian

* `sudo apt-get install build-essential git libgnome-keyring-dev`
* Instructions for  [Node.js](https://github.com/joyent/node/wiki/Installing-Node.js-via-package-manager#ubuntu-mint-elementary-os).

### Fedora

* `sudo yum --assumeyes install make gcc gcc-c++ glibc-devel git-core libgnome-keyring-devel`
* Instructions for [Node.js](https://github.com/joyent/node/wiki/Installing-Node.js-via-package-manager#fedora).

### Arch

* `sudo pacman -S base-devel git nodejs libgnome-keyring`
* `export PYTHON=/usr/bin/python2` before building Atom.

## Instructions

If you have problems with permissions don't forget to prefix with `sudo`

From the cloned repository directory:

 1. Build:

    ```sh
    $ script/build
    ```
    This will create the atom application at `$TMPDIR/atom-build/Atom`.
 2. Install the `atom` and `apm` commands to `/usr/local/bin` by executing:

    ```sh
    $ sudo script/grunt install
    ```
 3. *Optionally*, you may generate a `.deb` package at `$TMPDIR/atom-build`:

    ```sh
    $ script/grunt mkdeb
    ```

Use the newly installed atom by restarting any running atom instances.

## Advanced Options

### Custom install directory

```sh
sudo script/grunt install --install-dir /install/atom/here
```

### Custom build directory

```sh
script/build --build-dir /build/atom/here
```

## Troubleshooting

### Exception: "TypeError: Unable to watch path"

If you get following error with a big traceback right after Atom starts:

  ```
  TypeError: Unable to watch path
  ```

you have to increase number of watched files by inotify.  For testing if
this is the reason for this error you can issue

  ```sh
  sudo sysctl fs.inotify.max_user_watches=32768
  ```

and restart Atom.  If Atom now works fine, you can make this setting permanent:

  ```sh
  echo 32768 | sudo tee -a /proc/sys/fs/inotify/max_user_watches
  ```

See also https://github.com/atom/atom/issues/2082.

### /usr/bin/env: node: No such file or directory

If you get this notice when attempting to `script/build`, you either do not
have Node.js installed, or node isn't identified as Node.js on your machine.
If it's the latter, entering `sudo ln -s /usr/bin/nodejs /usr/bin/node` into
your terminal may fix the issue.

#### You can also use Alternatives

On some variants (mostly Debian based distros) it's preferable for you to use
Alternatives so that changes to the binary paths can be fixed or altered easily:

```sh
sudo update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/node node /usr/bin/nodejs 1 --slave /usr/bin/js js /usr/bin/nodejs
```

### Linux build error reports in atom/atom
* Use [this search](https://github.com/atom/atom/search?q=label%3Abuild-error+label%3Alinux&type=Issues)
  to get a list of reports about build errors on Linux.