diff --git a/bare-base/action.yml b/bare-base/action.yml
index 687a269..b5effd9 100644
--- a/bare-base/action.yml
+++ b/bare-base/action.yml
@@ -15,6 +15,16 @@ inputs:
     description: Optional scope for scoped registries (e.g. @myorg)
   node-auth-token:
     description: npm auth token
+  source:
+    description: Compile Bare from source instead of installing the prebuilt runtime
+    default: false
+  ref:
+    description: The `holepunchto/bare` git ref (branch, tag, or SHA) to compile when building from source
+  flags:
+    description: Additional flags to pass to the build system when compiling from source
+  path:
+    description: The directory to check out and build the Bare source in when compiling from source
+    default: .bare
 
 runs:
   using: composite
@@ -27,3 +37,8 @@ runs:
         scope: ${{ inputs.scope }}
         node-auth-token: ${{ inputs.node-auth-token }}
     - uses: holepunchto/actions/setup-bare@v1
+      with:
+        source: ${{ inputs.source }}
+        ref: ${{ inputs.ref }}
+        flags: ${{ inputs.flags }}
+        path: ${{ inputs.path }}
diff --git a/compile-bare/action.yml b/compile-bare/action.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b0b9951
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compile-bare/action.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+name: Compile Bare
+description: Check out and compile Bare from source, installing it onto PATH
+
+inputs:
+  ref:
+    description: The `holepunchto/bare` git ref (branch, tag, or SHA) to compile
+  flags:
+    description: Additional flags to pass to the build system (e.g. `--sanitize address`)
+  path:
+    description: The directory to check out and build the Bare source in
+    default: .bare
+
+runs:
+  using: composite
+  steps:
+    - uses: holepunchto/actions/setup-llvm@v1
+    - uses: holepunchto/actions/setup-nasm@v1
+    - uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd # v6.0.2
+      with:
+        repository: holepunchto/bare
+        ref: ${{ inputs.ref }}
+        path: ${{ inputs.path }}
+        persist-credentials: false
+    - run: npm install --ignore-scripts
+      working-directory: ${{ inputs.path }}
+      shell: bash
+    - id: prefix
+      run: echo "path=$(npm prefix --global)" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+      shell: bash
+    - uses: holepunchto/actions/compile-prebuilds@v1
+      with:
+        flags: ${{ inputs.flags }}
+        path: ${{ inputs.path }}
+        prefix: ${{ steps.prefix.outputs.path }}
+    - run: cp "$PREFIX/bin/bare.exe" "$PREFIX/"
+      if: ${{ runner.os == 'Windows' }}
+      env:
+        PREFIX: ${{ steps.prefix.outputs.path }}
+      shell: bash
diff --git a/compile-prebuilds/action.yml b/compile-prebuilds/action.yml
index 5a7851f..d7026cf 100644
--- a/compile-prebuilds/action.yml
+++ b/compile-prebuilds/action.yml
@@ -4,10 +4,8 @@ description: Compile and optionally upload native prebuilds
 inputs:
   platform:
     description: The platform to compile for
-    required: true
   arch:
     description: The architecture to compile for
-    required: true
   flags:
     description: Additional flags to apply to the build system
   tags:
@@ -15,6 +13,9 @@ inputs:
   prefix:
     description: The prebuild prefix
     default: prebuilds
+  path:
+    description: The directory containing the source tree to compile
+    default: .
   upload:
     description: Upload the compiled prebuilds
     default: false
@@ -24,17 +25,20 @@ runs:
   steps:
     - run: npm install --global bare-make
       shell: bash
-    - run: bare-make generate --platform $PLATFORM --arch $ARCH $FLAGS
+    - run: bare-make generate ${PLATFORM:+--platform $PLATFORM} ${ARCH:+--arch $ARCH} $FLAGS
       env:
         PLATFORM: ${{ inputs.platform }}
         ARCH: ${{ inputs.arch }}
         FLAGS: ${{ inputs.flags }}
+      working-directory: ${{ inputs.path }}
       shell: bash
     - run: bare-make build
+      working-directory: ${{ inputs.path }}
       shell: bash
     - run: bare-make install --prefix $PREFIX
       env:
         PREFIX: ${{ inputs.prefix }}
+      working-directory: ${{ inputs.path }}
       shell: bash
     - uses: holepunchto/actions/upload-prebuilds@v1
       if: ${{ inputs.upload == 'true' }}
@@ -42,4 +46,4 @@ runs:
         platform: ${{ inputs.platform }}
         arch: ${{ inputs.arch }}
         tags: ${{ inputs.tags }}
-        prefix: ${{ inputs.prefix }}
+        prefix: ${{ format('{0}/{1}', inputs.path, inputs.prefix) }}
diff --git a/setup-bare/action.yml b/setup-bare/action.yml
index ec84d73..d3f1bab 100644
--- a/setup-bare/action.yml
+++ b/setup-bare/action.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,27 @@
 name: Setup Bare
-description: Install and configure Bare
+description: Install and configure Bare, optionally compiling a build from source
+
+inputs:
+  source:
+    description: Compile Bare from source instead of installing the prebuilt runtime
+    default: false
+  ref:
+    description: The `holepunchto/bare` git ref (branch, tag, or SHA) to compile when building from source
+  flags:
+    description: Additional flags to pass to the build system when compiling from source
+  path:
+    description: The directory to check out and build the Bare source in when compiling from source
+    default: .bare
 
 runs:
   using: composite
   steps:
     - run: npm install --global bare-runtime
+      if: ${{ inputs.source != 'true' }}
       shell: bash
+    - uses: holepunchto/actions/compile-bare@v1
+      if: ${{ inputs.source == 'true' }}
+      with:
+        ref: ${{ inputs.ref }}
+        flags: ${{ inputs.flags }}
+        path: ${{ inputs.path }}