How to Set Up Gazebo: A Practical Guide

# Add Gazebo Sim repository
sudo apt-get install software-properties-common
sudo sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64] http://packages.osrfoundation.org/gazebo/ubuntu-stable $(lsb_release -cs) main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/gazebo-stable.list'

# Add GPG key
wget http://packages.osrfoundation.org/gazebo.key -O - | sudo apt-key add -

# Install Gazebo Sim Fortress (LTS)
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ignition-fortress

gz sim --version

Gazebo Sim Fortress 7.0.0

# Clone and build (Linux/macOS)
git clone --recursive https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sim.git
mkdir gz-sim/build && cd gz-sim/build
cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
make -j$(nproc)
sudo make install

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<sdf version="1.9">
  <world name="default">
    <!-- Ground plane -->
    <include>
      <uri>model://ground_plane</uri>
    </include>

    <!-- Light -->
    <light name="sun" type="directional">
      <pose>0 0 10 0 0 0</pose>
      <cast_shadows>true</cast_shadows>
    </light>

    <!-- Spawn a robot later via CLI -->
  </world>
</sdf>

gz sim -v 4 -r world.sdf

gz sim -v 4 -r empty.sdf -m robot.urdf

gz model --spawn-file robot_sensor.sdf

<model name="lidar">
  <include>
    <uri>model://hokuyo</uri>
    <pose>0.2 0 0.1 0 0 0</pose>
  </include>
</model>

<sensor name="noisy_lidar" type="gpu_lidar">
  <pose>0.2 0 0.1 0 0 0</pose>
  <visualize>true</visualize>
  <update_rate>30.0</update_rate>
  <noise>
    <type>gaussian</type>
    <mean>0.0</mean>
    <stddev>0.01</stddev> <!-- 1cm noise -->
  </noise>
</sensor>

sudo apt-get install ros-<distro>-ros-gz-bridge

ros2 launch ros_gz_bridge server_bridge.xml

<launch>
  <node pkg="ros_gz_bridge" exec="parameter_bridge" name="parameter_bridge">
    <remap from="/clock" to="/clock"/>
    <param name="qos_overrides" value="/tf"/>
  </node>
  <node pkg="ros_gz_bridge" exec="create" name="create">
    <remap from="/cmd_vel" to="/diff_drive_controller/cmd_vel_unstamped"/>
  </node>
</launch>

ros2 topic echo /model/turtlebot3_burger/odom

my_plugin/
├── CMakeLists.txt
├── plugin.cc
└── package.xml

#include <gz/sim/System.hh>
#include <gz/transport/Node.hh>

class MyController : public gz::sim::System
{
public:
  MyController() : System() {}
  ~MyController() override {}

  void Init() override {
    this->node = std::make_unique<gz::transport::Node>();
    this->pub = this->node->Advertise<gz::msgs::Boolean>("~/cmd", 10);
  }

  void Reset() override {}

  void PreUpdate(const gz::sim::UpdateInfo &_info, const gz::sim::Entity &_entity) override {
    auto msg = std::make_shared<gz::msgs::Boolean>();
    msg->set_data(true);
    this->pub->Publish(msg);
  }

private:
  std::unique_ptr<gz::transport::Node> node;
  gz::transport::Publisher pub;
};

GZ_REGISTER_SYSTEM(MyController)

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.10)
project(my_plugin)

find_package(gz-sim REQUIRED)
find_package(gz-transport REQUIRED)

add_library(my_plugin SHARED plugin.cc)
target_link_libraries(my_plugin PRIVATE gz-sim gz-transport)

mkdir build && cd build
cmake .. && make
gz sim -v 4 -r world.sdf --plugin libmy_plugin.so

<world name="default">
  <physics name="default_physics">
    <max_step_size>0.001</max_step_size>
    <real_time_factor>1</real_time_factor>
    <real_time_update_rate>1000</real_time_update_rate>
  </physics>
  <environment>
    <wind>
      <speed>2.0</speed> <!-- m/s -->
      <direction>0 0 1</direction> <!-- X Y Z -->
    </wind>
  </environment>
</world>

<model name="floor">
  <static>true</static>
  <link name="link">
    <collision name="collision">
      <surface>
        <friction>
          <ode>
            <mu>0.1</mu> <!-- Coefficient of friction -->
            <mu2>0.01</mu2>
          </ode>
        </friction>
      </surface>
    </collision>
  </link>
</model>

gz sim -v 4 -r world.sdf --headless

jobs:
  test:
    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
      - name: Install Gazebo Sim
        run: |
          sudo apt-get update
          sudo apt-get install ignition-fortress
      - name: Run Simulation
        run: |
          gz sim -v 4 -r world.sdf --headless --api-key dummy_key
          # Run ROS 2 tests here