Compiling Unreal Engine 5 on Linux (Ubuntu)

This guide has been verified on Ubuntu 24.04. Tested as part of the GearBlood game development process.

1. Get the Source Code

First, connect your GitHub account to Epic Games:

git clone --depth=1 https://github.com/EpicGames/UnrealEngine.git -b release

2. Install Dependencies

Run this in your terminal:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y \
  clang mono-devel cmake ninja-build python3 python-is-python3 build-essential \
  libvulkan-dev libxcb-xinput-dev libgtk-3-dev libxrandr-dev libxinerama-dev \
  libxi-dev libsdl2-dev libssl-dev libicu-dev libxml2-dev libxcursor-dev \
  libxcb-icccm4-dev libxcb-image0-dev libxcb-keysyms1-dev \
  libxcb-render-util0-dev libxcb-xkb-dev libxkbcommon-dev libxkbcommon-x11-dev

3. Prepare the Project

cd UnrealEngine
./Setup.sh
./GenerateProjectFiles.sh

4. Compile

Run:

make

This step takes 30–120 minutes depending on your system. Warnings about plugins can usually be ignored.

5. Launch the Editor

cd Engine/Binaries/Linux
./UnrealEditor

6. Notes and Tips

After OS or driver updates, it's good to re-run.make
If the build crashes, reboot to clear memory and swap.
make can safely be repeated – progress is saved.

7. What to Expect

Fully working Unreal Editor on Linux
Support for C++ and Blueprint projects
Compatibility with Mari, Blender, and other Linux-friendly tools