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Prerequisites

Before installing Talon, ensure you have the following:
Most Linux distributions come with the necessary libraries. You may need to install:
  • X11 development libraries (for window management)
  • Standard C/C++ development tools
Ubuntu/Debian:
sudo apt-get install libx11-dev
Fedora/RHEL:
sudo dnf install libX11-devel
Arch Linux:
sudo pacman -S libx11
No additional prerequisites required. Talon executables for Windows are self-contained.
If you plan to build from source, you’ll need the Zig compiler and development tools.
To build for web, you’ll need:
  • Docker (for Emscripten builds)
  • A modern web browser for testing

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Download Talon

1

Visit the Releases Page

Go to the Talon Releases page on GitHub.
2

Choose Your Platform

Download the appropriate release for your operating system:
  • Linux: talon-linux-x64 or talon-linux-arm64
  • Windows: talon-windows-x64.exe
Always download the latest stable release for the best experience and latest features.
3

Make It Executable (Linux only)

After downloading, make the Talon binary executable:
chmod +x talon-linux-x64
4

Add to PATH (Optional)

For easier access, add Talon to your system PATH:Linux/macOS:
# Move to a directory in your PATH
sudo mv talon-linux-x64 /usr/local/bin/talon

# Or add to ~/.bashrc or ~/.zshrc
export PATH="$PATH:/path/to/talon"
Windows:
  1. Right-click on This PC and select Properties
  2. Click Advanced system settings
  3. Click Environment Variables
  4. Under System variables, find Path and click Edit
  5. Add the directory containing talon.exe

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Verify Installation

Verify that Talon is installed correctly: 
talon --version
You should see version information displayed.
If you get a “command not found” error, ensure that:
  • The Talon binary is executable (Linux)
  • The directory containing Talon is in your PATH
  • You’ve opened a new terminal window after modifying PATH

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Building from Source

If you prefer to build Talon from source, you’ll need:

Zig Compiler

Talon is built with Zig. Download from ziglang.org.

Git

Clone the repository with Git.

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Build Steps

1

Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/jossephus/talon.git
cd talon
2

Build with Zig

zig build
The compiled binary will be in zig-out/bin/talon.
3

Run Talon

./zig-out/bin/talon
For development builds with debug symbols, use:
zig build -Doptimize=Debug

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Docker Setup (For Building Executables)

If you plan to build distributable executables or WASM builds, install Docker:
Follow the Docker installation guide for Linux.After installation, add your user to the docker group:
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
Log out and back in for the changes to take effect.

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Next Steps

Now that Talon is installed, you’re ready to create your first game!

Quickstart Guide

Follow our quickstart guide to create a simple game in minutes.

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Troubleshooting

If you get errors about missing .so files, install the required development libraries:
# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt-get install libx11-dev libxrandr-dev libxinerama-dev libxcursor-dev libxi-dev

# Fedora
sudo dnf install libX11-devel libXrandr-devel libXinerama-devel libXcursor-devel libXi-devel
Some antivirus software may flag the Talon executable. Add an exception for Talon in your antivirus settings if this occurs.
On Linux, ensure the binary has execute permissions:
chmod +x talon
Need more help? Visit the GitHub Issues page to report problems or ask questions.

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