Installation of ROOT from source
================================

Contents:
=========

   1.    Getting the source
   2.    Getting ready to build
   3.    Choosing the installation method
   3.1.  Location independent build
   3.2.  Fixed location build
   4.    Installation Location
   5.    Where to get more information
   6.    Where to get help

1. Getting the source:
======================

To install ROOT from source you first have to get the source code.

You can clone the source code from our GitHub repository:

     git clone https://github.com/root-project/root.git

The release specific tag can be obtained using for example:

     cd root
     git checkout v6-22-00


2. Getting ready to build:
==========================

ROOT requires CMake to be built.
You may want to build ROOT with features (such as HistFactory) that depend on third-party libraries (such as libxml2).
Make sure you meet all demands for additional
features before trying to enable them (see below).

The prerequisites needed for the different platforms are documented at

  https://root.cern/install/dependencies


3. Choosing the installation method:
====================================

There are two main methods of installing ROOT from source.
  - 'location independent' is advised for a personal installation of ROOT
  - 'fixed location' for a system wide installation.

Both methods will install ROOT in the location specified as the `CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX` cmake variable at configuration time (`/usr/local` by default).
The 'fixed location' requires in addition to set the 'gnuinstall' cmake option at configuration time, with `-Dgnuinstall=ON`.


3.1. Location independent build:
------------------------------

You want to install in a generic directory, depending on environment
variables ROOTSYS, LD_LIBRARY_PATH, and PATH.

   1) Get the sources of the latest ROOT (see above)

   2) Type the build commands:
        mkdir <builddir>
        cd <builddir>
        cmake ../root
        cmake --build . [ -- -j<N> ] [ or simply "make -j<N>" on Unix systems ] 

   3) Add bin/ to PATH and lib/ to LD_LIBRARY_PATH. For the sh shell family do:
        . bin/thisroot.sh

      and for the csh shell family do:
        source bin/thisroot.csh

   4) try running root:
        root

3.2. Fixed location build:
---------------------------

You want to install ROOT in a fixed location, not depending on
ROOTSYS. Typically you want to do this when installing in a location
like `/usr/local/bin' or even `/usr/bin'. This allows you, and all
others on your system, to run ROOT without having to setup ROOTSYS and
special PATH and LD_LIBRARY_PATH variables.

It's _strongly_ recommended to enable version numbers in sonames (if
possible) using this method (see 'soversion' option below). Also,
using the 'rpath' option to "cmake" you can set the load
path to the ROOT libraries on the applications. However, this is not
recommended if you have some other way (like /etc/ld.so.conf) of
making the dynamic loader aware of where you installed the ROOT
libraries.

   1) Get the sources of latest ROOT (see above)

   2) Now type the build commands:
        mkdir <builddir>
        cd <builddir>
        cmake ../root -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=<prefix> -Dgnuinstall=ON 
        cmake --build .                  [ or simply "make -j<N>" on Unix systems ]
        cmake --build . --target install [ or simply "make install" on Unix systems ]

   3) Update the ldconfig cache by doing:
        ldconfig

   4) try running root:
        root

4. Installation Location:
=========================

By default, the system will be installed depending on the ROOTSYS
environment variable. In that case the whole package will live under
the directory ROOTSYS points to.

Using the fixed location mode (section 3.2), the default 'CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX'
path is '/usr/local', which will result in the ROOT files to be
installed in '/usr/local/bin', `/usr/local/lib', etc. You can specify
an installation prefix other than `/usr/local' by giving `cmake'
the option `-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/opt/root-6.22'. Using a version-specific install prefix is recommended in case mulitple versions of ROOT will be installed in the system at the same time.


5. Where to get more information:
=================================

For more detailed information about building ROOT from source, please check https://root.cern/install/build_from_source.

A list of build options is available at https://root.cern/install/build_from_source/#all-build-options.


6. Where to get help:
=====================

To get help provide feedback, please contact us by opening a new topic at https://root-forum.cern.ch.