To clone and compile the submodules, do execute the following: ./init-repository ./qtrepotools/bin/qt5_tool -p ./configure make If you are a Nokia developer, you should add the -nokia-developer argument: ./init-repository -nokia-developer ./qtrepotools/bin/qt5_tool -p ./configure -nokia-developer make Checkout qt5_tool --help for more interesting features, like -s to switch to the staging repo of a module. In order to install the grafts, run git submodule foreach '../qtrepotools/bin/git-qt-grafts ' Note: Currently the repo is in a state, where it does not always build, especially tests, examples, and demos. Unfortunately make -k also does not help. A workaround is to configure with -nomake tests -nomake examples -nomake demos.