BUILDCOMMAND

BUILDCOMMAND is a term used to describe a directive, variable, or macro in some build systems and configuration files that specifies the exact command line to execute in order to build a target. It is not a universal standard; its syntax and behavior vary between tools.

Definition and usage

In many build configurations, BUILDCOMMAND stores the shell command that performs a build action, such as compiling a source file or linking objects. It often supports placeholders or substitutions for components like source files, object files, output names, include paths, and compiler or linker flags. Common placeholders include ${SRC}, ${OBJ}, ${OUT}, ${CFLAGS}, and ${INCLUDE}.

Typical patterns

BUILDCOMMAND can be defined per target or globally within a project. At runtime, the build system resolves the placeholders and executes the resulting command, typically via a shell or interpreter. Some implementations allow conditional execution, quoting rules, or escaping to improve safety and portability.

Examples

A Make-like example: BUILDCOMMAND = gcc -c ${SRC} -o ${OBJ}

A scripting DSL example: build: BUILDCOMMAND = "${CC} ${CFLAGS} -I${INCLUDE} -c ${SOURCE} -o ${OBJECT}"

Behavior and considerations

Using BUILDCOMMAND requires careful handling of input values to prevent issues such as shell injection or incorrect path handling. Cross-platform projects must account for differences in command shells, path separators, and quoting rules.

See also

Build system concepts, make, cmake, build script, compilation, linking.