How to Build and Install Souffle on Linux

Soufflé is a powerful Datalog engine designed for scalable static analysis and declarative logic programming. It is widely used for program analysis, security analysis, and other domains requiring high-performance logical inference. This guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of building Soufflé from source on a Linux-based system.

Prerequisites

Before building Soufflé, ensure that your system meets the necessary dependencies and requirements.

System Requirements

• A Linux system (Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, or similar)
• At least 2GB of RAM (more recommended for large analyses)
• Sufficient disk space (~1GB recommended)

Dependencies

Install the required dependencies using your system’s package manager:

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y \
    build-essential cmake clang llvm libncurses5-dev \
    libffi-dev libgmp-dev zlib1g-dev liblzma-dev \
    libsqlite3-dev libtinfo-dev flex bison

Fedora:

sudo dnf install -y \
    gcc-c++ cmake clang llvm ncurses-devel \
    libffi-devel gmp-devel zlib-devel \
    xz-devel sqlite-devel flex bison

Cloning the Repository

Clone the Soufflé source code from its GitHub repository:

git clone https://github.com/souffle-lang/souffle.git
cd souffle

Building Soufflé

Once you have the source code, follow these steps to compile and install Soufflé.

Step 1: Configure the Build

Use CMake to configure the build process:

cmake ..

Step 2: Make configuration options (Optional)

You can enable specific features using additional flags:

• -DSOUFFLE_DOMAIN_64BIT=ON – Enable 64-bit domain (useful for large datasets)
• -DSOUFFLE_PROFILE=ON – Enable profiling support
• -DSOUFFLE_SQL=ON – Enable SQLite support

You can find all available options by exploring the source code in souffle/CMakeLists.txt. The table below highlights the most relevant options.

To specify build options, use the following command:

cmake -S . -B build -D<option>=<value>

Alternatively, you can launch CMake’s terminal GUI for interactive configuration:

cmake build

For example:

cmake .. -DSOUFFLE_DOMAIN_64BIT=ON -DSOUFFLE_PROFILE=ON

Step 3: Compile the Source Code

Compile Soufflé using:

make -j$(nproc)

This will build Soufflé in parallel using the maximum available CPU cores.

Step 4: Install Soufflé

To install Soufflé on your system, specify the installation directory using the -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=<install-dir> option. The executable, scripts, and header files will be placed in <install-dir>. Be sure to use an absolute path for <install-dir>.

Run the following commands to install Soufflé:

cd souffle
cmake -S . -B build -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=<install-dir>
cmake --build build --target install

After installation, add Soufflé to your system’s PATH so that the commands souffle and souffleprof are available:

export PATH=$PATH:<install-dir>/bin

Verifying the Installation

Check if Soufflé is installed correctly:

souffle --version

If you see output similar to:

Souffle: Version 2.3.1

Soufflé has been successfully built and installed.

Running a Simple Datalog Program

Let’s test Soufflé with a simple example.

Create a file example.dl:

.decl edge(x: symbol, y: symbol)
.decl path(x: symbol, y: symbol)

input edge
output path

path(x, y) :- edge(x, y).
path(x, z) :- edge(x, y), path(y, z).

Create an input file edge.facts:

e1 e2
e2 e3
e3 e4

Run Soufflé:

souffle example.dl

This will generate an output file path.csv containing the inferred paths.

Conclusion

Building the Soufflé Datalog engine is straightforward with proper dependencies and tools. Once installed, it can be used for a wide range of logic programming and static analysis tasks. With its high-performance implementation, Soufflé is a great choice for anyone looking to perform large-scale declarative analysis efficiently.

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Anastasios Antoniadis

Editor-in-Chief at Beyond Tech Now

Anastasios Antoniadis is the Editor in Chief of Beyond Tech Now, where he leads a diverse team of writers and analysts delivering industry-breaking news, hands-on product reviews, and thoughtful commentary on emerging technologies. With over a decade of experience in digital media, John has a proven track record of shaping editorial vision and driving engagement through high-quality, reader-focused content. He is particularly passionate about the intersection of AI, cybersecurity, and consumer electronics—striving to make complex tech topics accessible to a global audience. When he’s not collaborating with writers or liaising with tech leaders, Anastasios can be found experimenting with the latest gadgets or sharing insights at tech conferences around the world.

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