Are you looking for an efficient way to install BLT on your system? You’ve come to the right place! BLT (Build and Launch Tool) is an essential tool for developers who are working with Drupal. It simplifies the process of building and launching Drupal sites by providing a streamlined workflow. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of installing BLT on your system, step-by-step. Let’s get started!

Prerequisites for Installing BLT

Before you install BLT, you need to ensure that your system meets the minimum requirements. Here are the prerequisites for installing BLT:

1. Operating System

BLT requires a Unix-based operating system such as macOS or Linux. Windows users can use a virtual machine to install BLT.

2. Command Line Interface (CLI)

BLT is a command-line tool, so you need to have a CLI installed on your system. If you’re using macOS or Linux, you can use the default Terminal application. If you’re using Windows, you can use Git Bash or Cygwin.

3. Composer

Composer is a dependency manager for PHP that BLT uses to manage its dependencies. You need to have Composer installed on your system before you can install BLT.

4. Drush

Drush is a command-line utility for Drupal that BLT uses to perform various tasks. You need to have Drush installed on your system before you install BLT.

Installing BLT

Now that you have met the prerequisites, you can proceed to install BLT. Here are the steps:

1. Install Composer

The first step is to install Composer. You can download Composer from the official website or use your CLI to install it.

2. Install Drush

The next step is to install Drush. You can install Drush using Composer by running the following command in your CLI:

composer global require drush/drush

3. Install BLT

Once you have installed Drush, you can proceed to install BLT. Run the following command in your CLI:

composer create-project --no-interaction acquia/blt-project MY_PROJECT_NAME

Replace MY_PROJECT_NAME with the name of your project. This command will create a new BLT project in the directory where you ran the command.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed BLT on your system. In the next section, we’ll show you how to configure BLT.

Configuring BLT

After installing BLT, you need to configure it to work with your Drupal project. Here’s how to configure BLT:

1. Configure BLT Settings

Navigate to your BLT project directory and open the blt/blt.yml file. This file contains the BLT settings that you can modify to match your project’s requirements. Some of the settings you can modify include the Drupal version, database credentials, and web server configuration.

2. Configure Your Drupal Project

BLT requires a Drupal project to work with. You can create a new Drupal project or use an existing one. If you’re creating a new project, run the following command in your CLI:

composer create-project drupal-composer/drupal-project:8.x-dev MY_DRUPAL_PROJECT --no-interaction

Replace MY_DRUPAL_PROJECT with the name of your project. This command will create a new Drupal project in the directory where you ran the command.

3. Initialize Your BLT Project

Once you have configured your BLT settings and Drupal project, you need to initialize your BLT project. Run the following command in your CLI:

blt init

This command will initialize your BLT project and create the necessary files and directories.

4. Configure Your Git Repository

BLT is designed to work with Git, so you need to configure your Git repository. Run the following command in your CLI:

blt setup

This command will configure your Git repository and set up the necessary Git hooks.

Congratulations! You have successfully configured BLT to work with your Drupal project. In the next section, we’ll show you how to use BLT to build and launch your Drupal site.

Building and Launching Your Drupal Site with BLT

BLT provides a streamlined workflow for building and launching Drupal sites. Here’s how to use BLT to build and launch your Drupal site:

1. Build Your Site

To build your Drupal site, run the following command in your CLI:

blt setup:build

This command will download the necessary dependencies, install Drupal, and configure your site.

2. Launch Your Site

To launch your Drupal site, run the following command in your CLI:

blt drupal:launch

This command will launch your Drupal site and make it available on your local web server.

3. Update Your Site

To update your Drupal site, run the following command in your CLI:

blt drupal:update

This command will update your Drupal site to the latest version and install any necessary updates.

Congratulations! You have successfully built and launched your Drupal site with BLT. BLT makes it easy to build and launch Drupal sites, so you can focus on developing your site’s functionality and design.

Configuring BLT

After installing BLT, the next step is to configure it. Here are the steps:

1. Configure Drupal

BLT requires a Drupal site to work with. You can either create a new Drupal site or use an existing site. If you’re creating a new site, you can use BLT to create a new Drupal site by running the following command:

blt recipes:project:init

2. Configure BLT

Once you have a Drupal site, you need to configure BLT to work with it. You can do this by running the following command:

blt init

This command will prompt you to enter some information about your site, such as the site name, database name, and database username and password.

3. Configure Environment

Now that you have configured BLT, you need to configure the environment. BLT comes with three default environments: local, dev, and prod. You can configure each environment by modifying the corresponding YAML file in the blt/ directory.

Using BLT

Now that you have installed and configured BLT, you can start using it. Here are some common tasks you can perform with BLT:

1. Building the Site

You can build the site by running the following command:

blt setup

This command will install the required dependencies, build the site, and import the configuration.

2. Launching the Site

You can launch the site by running the following command:

blt drupal:launch

This command will start the local server and open the site in your default browser.

3. Deploying the Site

You can deploy the site to a remote server by running the following command:

blt deploy

This command will deploy the site to the specified environment.

Congratulations! You now know how to install, configure, and use BLT. With BLT, you can streamline your workflow and build and launch Drupal sites more efficiently.