ChucK : Install & Build

version: 1.5.x.x (numchucks)



While this page is specific to installing and building command-line interface (CLI) chuck and miniAudicle, a graphical integrated development environment (IDE) for Chuck, it is worth noting that ChucK can be used in many contexts (command-line, graphical IDE, on the web, within Unity, TouchDesigner, Pure Data, Max/MSP, and Unreal Engine, and even in embedded systems).

Installing ChucK + miniAudicle

On macOS and Windows, install ChucK through the respective installers found on the release page. This will install the chuck command line program and miniAudicle to your computer.

If you are planning to use miniAudicle and it installed without error, then you can skip the rest of this section. If you'd like to also use the command line version of ChucK, continue.

At this point, you should be able to invoke 'chuck' from either Terminal (in MacOS) or 'cmd' under windowsm, from any directory:

%> chuck
[chuck]: no input files... (try --help/-h)

(this is the correct output, since we didn't specify any chuck (.ck) files to run)

To test out the audio/vm, go to the examples/ directory (while the macOS and Windows installer install examples, it may be easier to also download the source, which includes the latest examples). Try running the .ck files. To stop a continuously running ChucK program, pressed ctrl-c:

# (run otf_05.ck - the .ck is optional)
%> chuck otf_05.ck

# (run any number of files in parallel)
%> chuck otf_01 otf_06

# (or...)
%> chuck otf_01 otf_02 otf_05

# (or run all whose name starts with 'otf')
%> chuck otf*

# (or fire up the mand-o-matic, in stk/ directory)
%> chuck stk/mand-o-matic.ck

You are ready to ChucK! If this is your first time programming in ChucK, you may want to look at the documentation and checkout various tutorials and play with the examples. Those working with command-line chuck may also find these helpful: command-line options and on-the-fly programming commands.

Thank you, go forth, and ChucK. Have a question? Want to hang out with others learning and working with ChucK? Join the community!



Building ChucK from source

ChucK is an open-source project. Those wishing to build chuck from the source for macOS, Linux, or Windows, follow the instructions on the ChucK github page. Similar instructions for building miniAudicle can be found on the miniAudicle github page. There is a community of developers contributing to ChucK, or integrating the ChucK compiler, VM, and synthesis engine as a component into other C++ based host programs. You are warmly invited to join the growing community of users and developers.

Happy ChucKing, all!
- Ge + Perry


chuck | soundlab | cs | music | ccrma