Building engine from source

NOTE - This is supposed to be an updated version of the Legacy equivalent, and the plan is to split it into three pages: Dedicated Server for Windows Dedicated Server for Linux Building the Engine ...

Updated over 4 years ago

NOTE - This is supposed to be an updated version of the Legacy equivalent, and the plan is to split it into three pages:

  • Dedicated Server for Windows
  • Dedicated Server for Linux
  • Building the Engine from source

Download the source code from GitHub

To build the engine from source go to

Note: to see the content of the link above you need first to create a GitHub account and associate it to your Epic Games account, then accept the invite of Epic Games on GitHub. You will then need to click the link and login to your account.

Next select the engine version branch you want and click the green clone/download button.

File:Select engine.png

There are several options but i always prefer to just download as zip file, extract and unzip the zip file to a location of your choice.

Setup source unreal engine

Open up the previously extracted folder and find a file called Setup.bat

Double click this file and it will open up a console window and begin installing unreal dependencies

Note if you receive any errors when trying to open the .bat file then just right click instead and select run as administrator

File:Setup.png

now find a file called GenerateProjectFiles.bat

double click this file or again right click and run as administrator

once it is done you will then have a visual studios solution project file in your folder

File:Solution.png

2.a Setup source unreal engine To use Visual studio 2017

If you are using visual studio 2017. Instead of clicking on the GenerateProjectFiles.bat as shown above. Open up a CMD prompt window. Navigate to the folder where source built unreal files are by using the cd (change directory) command. Once inside the correct directory you need to run the following command. "GenerateProjectFiles.bat -2017"

this will then generate visual studio 2017 project files instead. full info can be found here _______________________________________________________________________________________________

now open this solution file and it will open visual studios and begin loading the source code.

note the first time you open the solution it normally takes a long time to parse all the header files . make sure you let it completely finish until it says ready at the bottom before you continue.

next go up to where it says develop next to where it says win64 and in the drop down menu select DEVELOPMENT EDITOR

File:Editor.png

next go to the solution explorer and right click the ue4 and select build

File:Build.png

note depending on your system this can again take quite a long time to complete

once complete you then need to right click on ue4 again in the solution explorer and go to "set as start up project"

File:Build.png

finally go up to where it says local windows debugger and click the little green play button

File:Debugger.png

you may get a warning pop up like this

File:Warning2.png

just click yes and the editor will begin to open.

note again the first time it may take a while to open and can appear to be stuck on a certain percentage as if its frozen. just be patient and it will open.

File:Shaders.png

it will compile all the shaders as well which can take a while the first time.

What i do now is right click and add to task bar so that next time you can just open the engine directly rather than having to open visual studio and do it that way.

Congratulations - you should have now successfully setup a source built version of unreal engine