> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.nodalmerge.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Build from source

> Build the Studio host and VS Code extension from source instead of installing the packaged release.

# Build from source

Most people should just [install the packaged extension](/studio/quickstart) from the
VS Code Marketplace — it bundles the Studio host, and everything it needs is pulled
from NuGet automatically. Build from source only if you're contributing to
`nodalmerge-studio` or need to run against unreleased changes.

## Prerequisites

* [.NET SDK 10.0](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download)
* [Node.js 22+](https://nodejs.org/) (for the VS Code extension)
* [VS Code 1.90+](https://code.visualstudio.com/)
* A sibling checkout of [nodalmerge](/) — Studio embeds the NodalMerge host and
  consumes it via local NuGet packages when building from source

## 1. Restore NodalMerge dependencies

From the `nodalmerge-studio` repo root, pack local NodalMerge NuGet artifacts from
the sibling repo:

```powershell theme={null}
pwsh -File .\scripts\restore-local-nodalmerge.ps1
```

## 2. Restore and build

```powershell theme={null}
dotnet restore NodalMerge.Studio.slnx --configfile NuGet.config
dotnet build NodalMerge.Studio.slnx
```

## 3. Build the VS Code extension

```powershell theme={null}
cd clients\vscode-extension
npm install
npm run compile
```

## 4. Start the Studio host

```powershell theme={null}
pwsh -File .\scripts\dev.ps1
```

Verify it's up:

```bash theme={null}
curl http://127.0.0.1:5080/health
curl http://127.0.0.1:5080/studio/health
```

## 5. Launch the extension

Press <kbd>F5</kbd> from the `clients/vscode-extension` directory to launch the
extension in a VS Code Extension Development Host, then continue from
[Quickstart step 2](/studio/quickstart#2-open-the-control-tower) (open the Control
Tower, configure a profile, run a goal).

## Source

* [github.com/bgstratt/nodalmerge-studio](https://github.com/bgstratt/nodalmerge-studio)