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The precompiled Basilisk package on PyPI is sufficient for most users. Build from source when you need to:
  • Create custom C++ modules — the PyPI wheels do not support linking external C++ modules. Building from source is the only way to integrate your own modules into a Basilisk simulation.
  • Enable optional subsystems — opNav (OpenCV-based visual navigation) and mujoco physics are disabled in the standard wheel and must be toggled on at build time.
  • Debug or modify Basilisk internals — access to the full source tree, IDE project files, and C/C++ debug symbols.
  • Contribute to the repository — all development work requires a local source build.
If none of the above apply to you, install Basilisk with pip install bsk and skip this section entirely.

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Prerequisites

All platforms require the following tools before you run the build. The versions listed here are the ranges validated by the Basilisk CI pipeline.
ToolVersion rangeNotes
Python3.9 – 3.14Python 3.8 is deprecated and will be removed April 2026. Use a 64-bit installer.
CMake3.26 – 4.0Installed automatically via pip from requirements_dev.txt.
Conan2.0.5 – 2.23.0Package manager used to fetch and compile C++ dependencies. Installed via pip.
SWIG4.2.1 – 4.3.1Generates Python bindings for C/C++ modules. Installed via pip.
C++ compilerPlatform-dependentXcode on macOS, GCC on Linux, Visual Studio 17 2022 on Windows.
CMake, Conan, and SWIG are all installed automatically when you run: 
pip install -r requirements_dev.txt
You do not need to install them separately.

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Python runtime dependencies

The following packages are installed automatically when you build Basilisk: 
pandas>=2.0.3,<=2.3.3
matplotlib>=3.7.5,<=3.10.7
numpy>=1.24.4,<2.4.0
colorama==0.4.6
tqdm==4.67.1
pillow>=10.4.0,<=12.0.0
requests>=2.32.3,<=2.32.5
bokeh>=3.1.1,<=3.8.1
protobuf>=5.29.4,<=6.33.1
pooch>=1.7.0,<1.9
sgp4==2.23

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How the build works

The entry point for every build is conanfile.py in the Basilisk root directory. Running it:
  1. Fetches and compiles C++ dependencies with Conan (protobuf, ZeroMQ, OpenCV if requested, etc.).
  2. Generates an IDE project or makefile for your platform inside the dist3/ folder.
  3. Compiles the project unless you pass --buildProject False.
python3 conanfile.py
See the platform-specific guides below for the exact steps on your operating system.

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Platform guides

macOS

Xcode, Homebrew, and Apple Silicon instructions.

Linux

Debian/Ubuntu and Fedora setup.

Windows

Visual Studio 2022 and PowerShell setup.

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Other topics

Custom modules

Build external C++ modules alongside Basilisk.

Containers

Pull and run the official Docker image.

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