layout: forward target: https://developers.google.com/mediapipe/framework/getting_started/install title: Installation parent: Getting Started nav_order: 6

Installation

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  1. TOC {:toc}

Attention: Thanks for your interest in MediaPipe! We have moved to https://developers.google.com/mediapipe as the primary developer documentation site for MediaPipe as of April 3, 2023.

Note: To interoperate with OpenCV, OpenCV 3.x to 4.1 are preferred. OpenCV 2.x currently works but interoperability support may be deprecated in the future.

Note: If you plan to use TensorFlow calculators and example apps, there is a known issue with gcc and g++ version 6.3 and 7.3. Please use other versions.

Note: To make Mediapipe work with TensorFlow, please set Python 3.7 as the default Python version and install the Python “six” library by running pip3 install --user six.

Installing on Debian and Ubuntu

  1. Install Bazelisk.

    Follow the official Bazel documentation to install Bazelisk.

  2. Checkout MediaPipe repository.

    $ cd $HOME
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/google/mediapipe.git

# Change directory into MediaPipe root directory
$ cd mediapipe

  3. Install OpenCV and FFmpeg.

    Option 1. Use package manager tool to install the pre-compiled OpenCV libraries. FFmpeg will be installed via libopencv-video-dev.

    OS | OpenCV ——————– | —— Debian 9 (stretch) | 2.4 Debian 10 (buster) | 3.2 Debian 11 (bullseye) | 4.5 Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | 2.4 Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | 3.2 Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | 4.2 Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | 4.2 Ubuntu 21.04 | 4.5

    $ sudo apt-get install -y \
    libopencv-core-dev \
    libopencv-highgui-dev \
    libopencv-calib3d-dev \
    libopencv-features2d-dev \
    libopencv-imgproc-dev \
    libopencv-video-dev

    Note. On Debian 11/Ubuntu 21.04 where OpenCV 4.5 is installed with libopencv-video-dev, libopencv-contrib-dev should also be installed.

    $ sudo apt-get install -y libopencv-contrib-dev

    MediaPipe’s opencv_linux.BUILD and WORKSPACE are already configured for OpenCV 2/3 and should work correctly on any architecture:

    # WORKSPACE
new_local_repository(
  name = "linux_opencv",
  build_file = "@//third_party:opencv_linux.BUILD",
  path = "/usr",
)

# opencv_linux.BUILD for OpenCV 2/3 installed from Debian package
cc_library(
  name = "opencv",
  linkopts = [
    "-l:libopencv_core.so",
    "-l:libopencv_calib3d.so",
    "-l:libopencv_features2d.so",
    "-l:libopencv_highgui.so",
    "-l:libopencv_imgcodecs.so",
    "-l:libopencv_imgproc.so",
    "-l:libopencv_video.so",
    "-l:libopencv_videoio.so",
  ],
)

    For OpenCV 4 you need to modify opencv_linux.BUILD taking into account current architecture:

    # WORKSPACE
new_local_repository(
  name = "linux_opencv",
  build_file = "@//third_party:opencv_linux.BUILD",
  path = "/usr",
)

# opencv_linux.BUILD for OpenCV 4 installed from Debian package
cc_library(
  name = "opencv",
  hdrs = glob([
    # Uncomment according to your multiarch value (gcc -print-multiarch):
    #  "include/aarch64-linux-gnu/opencv4/opencv2/cvconfig.h",
    #  "include/arm-linux-gnueabihf/opencv4/opencv2/cvconfig.h",
    #  "include/x86_64-linux-gnu/opencv4/opencv2/cvconfig.h",
    "include/opencv4/opencv2/**/*.h*",
  ]),
  includes = [
    # Uncomment according to your multiarch value (gcc -print-multiarch):
    #  "include/aarch64-linux-gnu/opencv4/",
    #  "include/arm-linux-gnueabihf/opencv4/",
    #  "include/x86_64-linux-gnu/opencv4/",
    "include/opencv4/",
  ],
  linkopts = [
    "-l:libopencv_core.so",
    "-l:libopencv_calib3d.so",
    "-l:libopencv_features2d.so",
    "-l:libopencv_highgui.so",
    "-l:libopencv_imgcodecs.so",
    "-l:libopencv_imgproc.so",
    "-l:libopencv_video.so",
    "-l:libopencv_videoio.so",
  ],
)

    Option 2. Run setup_opencv.sh to automatically build OpenCV from source and modify MediaPipe’s OpenCV config. This option will do all steps defined in Option 3 automatically.

    Option 3. Follow OpenCV’s documentation to manually build OpenCV from source code.

    You may need to modify WORKSPACE and opencv_linux.BUILD to point MediaPipe to your own OpenCV libraries. Assume OpenCV would be installed to /usr/local/ which is recommended by default.

    OpenCV 2/3 setup:

    # WORKSPACE
new_local_repository(
  name = "linux_opencv",
  build_file = "@//third_party:opencv_linux.BUILD",
  path = "/usr/local",
)

# opencv_linux.BUILD for OpenCV 2/3 installed to /usr/local
cc_library(
  name = "opencv",
  linkopts = [
    "-L/usr/local/lib",
    "-l:libopencv_core.so",
    "-l:libopencv_calib3d.so",
    "-l:libopencv_features2d.so",
    "-l:libopencv_highgui.so",
    "-l:libopencv_imgcodecs.so",
    "-l:libopencv_imgproc.so",
    "-l:libopencv_video.so",
    "-l:libopencv_videoio.so",
  ],
)

    OpenCV 4 setup:

    # WORKSPACE
new_local_repository(
  name = "linux_opencv",
  build_file = "@//third_party:opencv_linux.BUILD",
  path = "/usr/local",
)

# opencv_linux.BUILD for OpenCV 4 installed to /usr/local
cc_library(
  name = "opencv",
  hdrs = glob([
    "include/opencv4/opencv2/**/*.h*",
  ]),
  includes = [
    "include/opencv4/",
  ],
  linkopts = [
    "-L/usr/local/lib",
    "-l:libopencv_core.so",
    "-l:libopencv_calib3d.so",
    "-l:libopencv_features2d.so",
    "-l:libopencv_highgui.so",
    "-l:libopencv_imgcodecs.so",
    "-l:libopencv_imgproc.so",
    "-l:libopencv_video.so",
    "-l:libopencv_videoio.so",
  ],
)

    Current FFmpeg setup is defined in ffmpeg_linux.BUILD and should work for any architecture:

    # WORKSPACE
new_local_repository(
  name = "linux_ffmpeg",
  build_file = "@//third_party:ffmpeg_linux.BUILD",
  path = "/usr"
)

# ffmpeg_linux.BUILD for FFmpeg installed from Debian package
cc_library(
  name = "libffmpeg",
  linkopts = [
    "-l:libavcodec.so",
    "-l:libavformat.so",
    "-l:libavutil.so",
  ],
)

  4. For running desktop examples on Linux only (not on OS X) with GPU acceleration.

    # Requires a GPU with EGL driver support.
# Can use mesa GPU libraries for desktop, (or Nvidia/AMD equivalent).
sudo apt-get install mesa-common-dev libegl1-mesa-dev libgles2-mesa-dev

# To compile with GPU support, replace
--define MEDIAPIPE_DISABLE_GPU=1
# with
--copt -DMESA_EGL_NO_X11_HEADERS --copt -DEGL_NO_X11
# when building GPU examples.

  5. Run the Hello World! in C++ example.

    $ export GLOG_logtostderr=1

# if you are running on Linux desktop with CPU only
$ bazel run --define MEDIAPIPE_DISABLE_GPU=1 \
    mediapipe/examples/desktop/hello_world:hello_world

# If you are running on Linux desktop with GPU support enabled (via mesa drivers)
$ bazel run --copt -DMESA_EGL_NO_X11_HEADERS --copt -DEGL_NO_X11 \
    mediapipe/examples/desktop/hello_world:hello_world

# Should print:
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!

If you run into a build error, please read Troubleshooting to find the solutions of several common build issues.

Installing on CentOS

Disclaimer: Running MediaPipe on CentOS is experimental.

  1. Install Bazelisk.

    Follow the official Bazel documentation to install Bazelisk.

  2. Checkout MediaPipe repository.

    $ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/google/mediapipe.git

# Change directory into MediaPipe root directory
$ cd mediapipe

  3. Install OpenCV.

    Option 1. Use package manager tool to install the pre-compiled version.

    Note: yum installs OpenCV 2.4.5, which may have an opencv/gstreamer issue.

    $ sudo yum install opencv-devel

    Option 2. Build OpenCV from source code.

    Note: You may need to modify WORKSPACE, opencv_linux.BUILD and ffmpeg_linux.BUILD to point MediaPipe to your own OpenCV and FFmpeg libraries. For example if OpenCV and FFmpeg are both manually installed in “/usr/local/”, you will need to update: (1) the “linux_opencv” and “linux_ffmpeg” new_local_repository rules in WORKSPACE, (2) the “opencv” cc_library rule in opencv_linux.BUILD, and (3) the “libffmpeg” cc_library rule in ffmpeg_linux.BUILD. These 3 changes are shown below:

    new_local_repository(
    name = "linux_opencv",
    build_file = "@//third_party:opencv_linux.BUILD",
    path = "/usr/local",
)

new_local_repository(
    name = "linux_ffmpeg",
    build_file = "@//third_party:ffmpeg_linux.BUILD",
    path = "/usr/local",
)

cc_library(
    name = "opencv",
    srcs = glob(
        [
            "lib/libopencv_core.so",
            "lib/libopencv_highgui.so",
            "lib/libopencv_imgcodecs.so",
            "lib/libopencv_imgproc.so",
            "lib/libopencv_video.so",
            "lib/libopencv_videoio.so",
        ],
    ),
    hdrs = glob([
        # For OpenCV 3.x
        "include/opencv2/**/*.h*",
        # For OpenCV 4.x
        # "include/opencv4/opencv2/**/*.h*",
    ]),
    includes = [
        # For OpenCV 3.x
        "include/",
        # For OpenCV 4.x
        # "include/opencv4/",
    ],
    linkstatic = 1,
    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
)

cc_library(
    name = "libffmpeg",
    srcs = glob(
        [
            "lib/libav*.so",
        ],
    ),
    hdrs = glob(["include/libav*/*.h"]),
    includes = ["include"],
    linkopts = [
        "-lavcodec",
        "-lavformat",
        "-lavutil",
    ],
    linkstatic = 1,
    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
)

  4. Run the Hello World! in C++ example.

    $ export GLOG_logtostderr=1
# Need bazel flag 'MEDIAPIPE_DISABLE_GPU=1' if you are running on Linux desktop with CPU only
$ bazel run --define MEDIAPIPE_DISABLE_GPU=1 \
    mediapipe/examples/desktop/hello_world:hello_world

# Should print:
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!

If you run into a build error, please read Troubleshooting to find the solutions of several common build issues.

Installing on macOS

  1. Prework:

    • Install Homebrew.
    • Install Xcode and its Command Line Tools by xcode-select --install.

  2. Install Bazelisk.

    Follow the official Bazel documentation to install Bazelisk.

  3. Checkout MediaPipe repository.

    $ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/google/mediapipe.git

$ cd mediapipe

  4. Install OpenCV and FFmpeg.

    Option 1. Use HomeBrew package manager tool to install the pre-compiled OpenCV 3 libraries. FFmpeg will be installed via OpenCV.

    $ brew install opencv@3

# There is a known issue caused by the glog dependency. Uninstall glog.
$ brew uninstall --ignore-dependencies glog

    Option 2. Use MacPorts package manager tool to install the OpenCV libraries.

    $ port install opencv

    Note: when using MacPorts, please edit the WORKSPACE, opencv_macos.BUILD, and ffmpeg_macos.BUILD files like the following:

    new_local_repository(
    name = "macos_opencv",
    build_file = "@//third_party:opencv_macos.BUILD",
    path = "/opt",
)

new_local_repository(
    name = "macos_ffmpeg",
    build_file = "@//third_party:ffmpeg_macos.BUILD",
    path = "/opt",
)

cc_library(
    name = "opencv",
    srcs = glob(
        [
            "local/lib/libopencv_core.dylib",
            "local/lib/libopencv_highgui.dylib",
            "local/lib/libopencv_imgcodecs.dylib",
            "local/lib/libopencv_imgproc.dylib",
            "local/lib/libopencv_video.dylib",
            "local/lib/libopencv_videoio.dylib",
        ],
    ),
    hdrs = glob(["local/include/opencv2/**/*.h*"]),
    includes = ["local/include/"],
    linkstatic = 1,
    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
)

cc_library(
    name = "libffmpeg",
    srcs = glob(
        [
            "local/lib/libav*.dylib",
        ],
    ),
    hdrs = glob(["local/include/libav*/*.h"]),
    includes = ["local/include/"],
    linkopts = [
        "-lavcodec",
        "-lavformat",
        "-lavutil",
    ],
    linkstatic = 1,
    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
)

  5. Make sure that Python 3 and the Python “six” library are installed.

    $ brew install python
$ sudo ln -s -f /usr/local/bin/python3.7 /usr/local/bin/python
$ python --version
Python 3.7.4
$ pip3 install --user six

  6. Run the Hello World! in C++ example.

    $ export GLOG_logtostderr=1
# Need bazel flag 'MEDIAPIPE_DISABLE_GPU=1' as desktop GPU is currently not supported
$ bazel run --define MEDIAPIPE_DISABLE_GPU=1 \
    mediapipe/examples/desktop/hello_world:hello_world

# Should print:
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!

If you run into a build error, please read Troubleshooting to find the solutions of several common build issues.

Installing on Windows

Disclaimer: Running MediaPipe on Windows is experimental.

Note: building MediaPipe Android apps is still not possible on native Windows. Please do this in WSL instead and see the WSL setup instruction in the next section.

  1. Install MSYS2 and edit the %PATH% environment variable.

    If MSYS2 is installed to C:\msys64, add C:\msys64\usr\bin to your %PATH% environment variable.

  2. Install necessary packages.

    C:\> pacman -S git patch unzip

  3. Install Python and allow the executable to edit the %PATH% environment variable.

    Download Python Windows executable from https://www.python.org/downloads/windows/ and install.

  4. Install Visual C++ Build Tools 2019 and WinSDK

    Go to the VisualStudio website, download build tools, and install Microsoft Visual C++ 2019 Redistributable and Microsoft Build Tools 2019.

    Download the WinSDK from the official MicroSoft website and install.

  5. Install Bazel or Bazelisk and add the location of the Bazel executable to the %PATH% environment variable.

    Option 1. Follow the official Bazel documentation to install Bazel 6.1.1 or higher.

    Option 2. Follow the official Bazel documentation to install Bazelisk.

  6. Set Bazel variables. Learn more details about “Build on Windows” in the Bazel official documentation.

    # Please find the exact paths and version numbers from your local version.
C:\> set BAZEL_VS=C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\BuildTools
C:\> set BAZEL_VC=C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\BuildTools\VC
C:\> set BAZEL_VC_FULL_VERSION=<Your local VC version>
C:\> set BAZEL_WINSDK_FULL_VERSION=<Your local WinSDK version>

  7. Checkout MediaPipe repository.

    C:\Users\Username\mediapipe_repo> git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/google/mediapipe.git

# Change directory into MediaPipe root directory
C:\Users\Username\mediapipe_repo> cd mediapipe

  8. Install OpenCV.

    Download the Windows executable from https://opencv.org/releases/ and install. We currently use OpenCV 3.4.10. Remember to edit the WORKSPACE file if OpenCV is not installed at C:\opencv.

    new_local_repository(
    name = "windows_opencv",
    build_file = "@//third_party:opencv_windows.BUILD",
    path = "C:\\<path to opencv>\\build",
)

  9. Run the Hello World! in C++ example.

    Note: For building MediaPipe on Windows, please add --action_env PYTHON_BIN_PATH="C://path//to//python.exe" to the build command. Alternatively, you can follow issue 724 to fix the python configuration manually.

    C:\Users\Username\mediapipe_repo>bazel build -c opt --define MEDIAPIPE_DISABLE_GPU=1 --action_env PYTHON_BIN_PATH="C://python_36//python.exe" mediapipe/examples/desktop/hello_world

C:\Users\Username\mediapipe_repo>set GLOG_logtostderr=1

C:\Users\Username\mediapipe_repo>bazel-bin\mediapipe\examples\desktop\hello_world\hello_world.exe

# should print:
# I20200514 20:43:12.277598  1200 hello_world.cc:56] Hello World!
# I20200514 20:43:12.278597  1200 hello_world.cc:56] Hello World!
# I20200514 20:43:12.279618  1200 hello_world.cc:56] Hello World!
# I20200514 20:43:12.279618  1200 hello_world.cc:56] Hello World!
# I20200514 20:43:12.279618  1200 hello_world.cc:56] Hello World!
# I20200514 20:43:12.279618  1200 hello_world.cc:56] Hello World!
# I20200514 20:43:12.279618  1200 hello_world.cc:56] Hello World!
# I20200514 20:43:12.279618  1200 hello_world.cc:56] Hello World!
# I20200514 20:43:12.279618  1200 hello_world.cc:56] Hello World!
# I20200514 20:43:12.280613  1200 hello_world.cc:56] Hello World!

If you run into a build error, please read Troubleshooting to find the solutions of several common build issues.

Installing on Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

Note: The pre-built OpenCV packages don’t support cameras in WSL. Unless you compile OpenCV with FFMPEG and GStreamer in WSL, the live demos won’t work with any cameras. Alternatively, you use a video file as input.

  1. Follow the instruction to install Windows Subsystem for Linux (Ubuntu).

  2. Install Windows ADB and start the ADB server in Windows.

    Note: Windows’ and WSL’s adb versions must be the same version, e.g., if WSL has ADB 1.0.39, you need to download the corresponding Windows ADB from here.

  3. Launch WSL.

    Note: All the following steps will be executed in WSL. The Windows directory of the Linux Subsystem can be found in C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Local\Packages\CanonicalGroupLimited.UbuntuonWindows_SomeID\LocalState\rootfs\home

  4. Install the needed packages.

    username@DESKTOP-TMVLBJ1:~$ sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y build-essential git python zip adb openjdk-8-jdk

  5. Install Bazelisk.

    Follow the official Bazel documentation to install Bazelisk.

  6. Checkout MediaPipe repository.

    username@DESKTOP-TMVLBJ1:~$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/google/mediapipe.git

username@DESKTOP-TMVLBJ1:~$ cd mediapipe

  7. Install OpenCV and FFmpeg.

    Option 1. Use package manager tool to install the pre-compiled OpenCV libraries. FFmpeg will be installed via libopencv-video-dev.

    username@DESKTOP-TMVLBJ1:~/mediapipe$ sudo apt-get install libopencv-core-dev libopencv-highgui-dev \
                       libopencv-calib3d-dev libopencv-features2d-dev \
                       libopencv-imgproc-dev libopencv-video-dev

    Option 2. Run setup_opencv.sh to automatically build OpenCV from source and modify MediaPipe’s OpenCV config.

    Option 3. Follow OpenCV’s documentation to manually build OpenCV from source code.

    Note: You may need to modify WORKSPACE and opencv_linux.BUILD to point MediaPipe to your own OpenCV libraries, e.g., if OpenCV 4 is installed in “/usr/local/”, you need to update the “linux_opencv” new_local_repository rule in WORKSPACE and “opencv” cc_library rule in opencv_linux.BUILD like the following:

    new_local_repository(
    name = "linux_opencv",
    build_file = "@//third_party:opencv_linux.BUILD",
    path = "/usr/local",
)

cc_library(
    name = "opencv",
    srcs = glob(
        [
            "lib/libopencv_core.so",
            "lib/libopencv_highgui.so",
            "lib/libopencv_imgcodecs.so",
            "lib/libopencv_imgproc.so",
            "lib/libopencv_video.so",
            "lib/libopencv_videoio.so",
        ],
    ),
    hdrs = glob(["include/opencv4/**/*.h*"]),
    includes = ["include/opencv4/"],
    linkstatic = 1,
    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
)

  8. Run the Hello World! in C++ example.

    username@DESKTOP-TMVLBJ1:~/mediapipe$ export GLOG_logtostderr=1

# Need bazel flag 'MEDIAPIPE_DISABLE_GPU=1' as desktop GPU is currently not supported
username@DESKTOP-TMVLBJ1:~/mediapipe$ bazel run --define MEDIAPIPE_DISABLE_GPU=1 \
    mediapipe/examples/desktop/hello_world:hello_world

# Should print:
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!

If you run into a build error, please read Troubleshooting to find the solutions of several common build issues.

Installing using Docker

This will use a Docker image that will isolate mediapipe’s installation from the rest of the system.

  1. Install Docker on your host system.

  2. Build a docker image with tag “mediapipe”.

    $ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/google/mediapipe.git
$ cd mediapipe
$ docker build --tag=mediapipe .

# Should print:
# Sending build context to Docker daemon  147.8MB
# Step 1/9 : FROM ubuntu:latest
# latest: Pulling from library/ubuntu
# 6abc03819f3e: Pull complete
# 05731e63f211: Pull complete
# ........
# See http://bazel.build/docs/getting-started.html to start a new project!
# Removing intermediate container 82901b5e79fa
# ---> f5d5f402071b
# Step 9/9 : COPY . /mediapipe/
# ---> a95c212089c5
# Successfully built a95c212089c5
# Successfully tagged mediapipe:latest

  3. Run the Hello World! in C++ example.

    $ docker run -it --name mediapipe mediapipe:latest

root@bca08b91ff63:/mediapipe# GLOG_logtostderr=1 bazel run --define MEDIAPIPE_DISABLE_GPU=1 mediapipe/examples/desktop/hello_world

# Should print:
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!
# Hello World!

If you run into a build error, please read Troubleshooting to find the solutions of several common build issues.

  1. Build a MediaPipe Android example.

    $ docker run -it --name mediapipe mediapipe:latest

root@bca08b91ff63:/mediapipe# bash ./setup_android_sdk_and_ndk.sh

# Should print:
# Android NDK is now installed. Consider setting $ANDROID_NDK_HOME environment variable to be /root/Android/Sdk/ndk-bundle/android-ndk-r19c
# Set android_ndk_repository and android_sdk_repository in WORKSPACE
# Done

root@bca08b91ff63:/mediapipe# bazel build -c opt --config=android_arm64 mediapipe/examples/android/src/java/com/google/mediapipe/apps/objectdetectiongpu:objectdetectiongpu

# Should print:
# Target //mediapipe/examples/android/src/java/com/google/mediapipe/apps/objectdetectiongpu:objectdetectiongpu up-to-date:
# bazel-bin/mediapipe/examples/android/src/java/com/google/mediapipe/apps/objectdetectiongpu/objectdetectiongpu_deploy.jar
# bazel-bin/mediapipe/examples/android/src/java/com/google/mediapipe/apps/objectdetectiongpu/objectdetectiongpu_unsigned.apk
# bazel-bin/mediapipe/examples/android/src/java/com/google/mediapipe/apps/objectdetectiongpu/objectdetectiongpu.apk
# INFO: Elapsed time: 144.462s, Critical Path: 79.47s
# INFO: 1958 processes: 1 local, 1863 processwrapper-sandbox, 94 worker.
# INFO: Build completed successfully, 2028 total actions