Building sandbox
Build Vital.sandbox from source, extend its functionality, or contribute to the project
Essentials
If you plan to build from source, extend existing functionality, or contribute to Vital.sandbox, this guide walks you through compiling and running the project locally.
Before starting, ensure your development environment is properly configured. Vital.sandbox is written in C++17, requiring a compatible compiler and all necessary dependencies.
Requirements
- A C++17-compatible compiler (MSVC on Windows, GCC or Clang on Linux)
- All project dependencies installed and configured
- The repository cloned locally
Builds
Command
| Platform | Command |
|---|---|
| Windows | build --[client/server/all] --[debug/release] |
| Linux | bash build.sh --[client/server/all] --[debug/release] |
Arguments
| Argument | Option | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Target | --client | Builds the client |
--server | Builds the server | |
--all | Builds both client and server | |
| Configuration | --debug | Includes debug symbols and logging; suitable for development |
--release | Optimized for production use |
Optional Flags
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
--skip-export | Skips the Godot project export step |
--rebuild-godot | Forces a full rebuild of godot-cpp (only needed after updating the submodule) |
--verbose | Streams full compiler output live as the build progresses |
Artifacts
After a successful build, output files are generated under .dist/[Configuration]/[Target]:
| Target | Output Directory |
|---|---|
--client | .dist/[debug|release]/client |
--server | .dist/[debug|release]/server |
--all | Both of the above |
Each output directory is self-contained and includes all required runtime components.
Debugging
Vital.sandbox supports native debugging on Windows via Visual Studio. Debug symbols are generated automatically for --debug builds and can be loaded at runtime using the steps below.
Attaching Visual Studio to a Running Process
- In Visual Studio, open Debug → Attach to Process
- Select the target executable and click Attach
Loading Debug Symbols
Once attached, load the PDB files for the extension module:
- Open Debug → Windows → Modules
- Right-click the
vital.sdkentry in the module list - Select Load Symbols and navigate to the appropriate build directory
| Target | PDB Directory |
|---|---|
--client | .dist/debug/client |
--server | .dist/debug/server |
Contributions
Building from source also enables you to contribute to the project. Whether you are implementing new features, improving existing systems, or fixing issues, contributions are encouraged.
Guidelines
- Maintain modularity — Keep changes self-contained and avoid unnecessary coupling
- Validate in debug — Test changes using a
debugbuild before producing areleasebuild - Follow existing patterns — Review current modules to ensure consistency in structure and style
Once your changes are ready, open a pull request in the official ov-studio repository for review.