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Cressida

Manual installation

This route builds Cressida from source using your distribution's development packages. It does not require Nix, Guix or just.

1. Check your desktop

Use a Linux Wayland session with working EGL/OpenGL ES drivers. Install a default browser and xdg-open. A desktop Secret Service provider is recommended for remembering your sign-in. See runtime integration for the remaining desktop services.

2. Get the source

Download a source archive from the Cressida repository or a published release. Extract it with your archive manager and open a terminal in the extracted source directory. The directory should contain meson.build, src/ and assets/.

For a release archive, compare its checksum with the published SHA256SUMS before extracting it. Use a matching source revision for the executable, renderer and assets.

3. Install build dependencies

Install Meson 1.1 or newer, Ninja, pkg-config/pkgconf, a C compiler and a C++23 compiler with a compatible standard library. Install Wayland's scanner and protocol files, then the development libraries in Building from source.

Package names differ by distribution. Pay particular attention to:

  • libcurl 8.16 or newer, built with HTTPS and secure WebSockets (wss).
  • stb headers including stb_image_resize2.h and stb_image_write.h.
  • libzstd, libmpv, FFmpeg, rlottie, librsvg, WebP and JPEG XL development files.
  • toml++, MD4C, nlohmann JSON and the font/text libraries.

Meson reports missing requirements during configuration. It does not download them for you.

4. Configure a user-local installation

This installs under your own account without writing to /usr:

Terminal window
meson setup build-release --prefix="$HOME/.local" --buildtype=release -Dcpp_std=c++23

For an existing build directory, change its prefix with:

Terminal window
meson configure build-release --prefix="$HOME/.local"

5. Build and install

Terminal window
meson compile -C build-release -j 4 cressida
meson install -C build-release --no-rebuild

The installation includes the executable, renderer library, complete assets, desktop launcher, icon and notices. Copying just the executable is insufficient.

6. Launch Cressida

Terminal window
"$HOME/.local/bin/cressida" --version
"$HOME/.local/bin/cressida" --demo

Close the offline preview, then run without --demo to sign in. Ensure $HOME/.local/bin is on your desktop session's PATH if you want to run cressida directly. Most desktops also search $HOME/.local/share for the installed launcher and icon; you may need to refresh your application menu or sign in to your desktop again.

System-wide installation

For a new system-wide build, use --prefix=/usr/local during Meson setup instead. Build as your normal user. Installing into that prefix may require administrator privileges, which Meson's install step can request. Distribution packagers should use their normal prefix and a staged install.

Update or uninstall

To update, obtain newer source and repeat the build/install steps with the same prefix. Keep the renderer and assets from that build together.

Keep the original build directory for its installation manifest. To remove that installation:

Terminal window
ninja -C build-release uninstall

Uninstalling the application does not remove your user state or saved keyring entry. Sign out first if you want to remove the remembered login. See Files and data for user-owned files.