Forráskondenzáció

Forráskondenzáció, often translated as source condensation, is a phenomenon observed in some types of software development, particularly in relation to build systems and package management. It refers to the process where the source code of a dependency is not directly compiled or used by the project at build time, but rather a pre-compiled artifact or binary is fetched and linked instead. This is in contrast to a typical dependency where the source code is readily available and compiled as part of the project's build process.

The primary motivation behind forráskondenzáció is to improve build times and reduce complexity. By using pre-compiled binaries, projects can avoid the overhead of compiling potentially large and complex libraries from scratch. This can significantly speed up the build process, especially in large projects with many dependencies. It also simplifies the build environment, as developers don't need to ensure that all the necessary compilers and build tools for every dependency are installed and configured correctly.

However, forráskondenzáció also presents potential drawbacks. It can lead to a lack of transparency, as the exact source code being used is not readily visible or auditable within the project's own build. This can make debugging more challenging and raise concerns about security and reproducibility if the pre-compiled binaries are not obtained from trusted sources or if they deviate from the intended source code. Furthermore, if a bug is discovered in a dependency, fixing it might require obtaining a new pre-compiled binary or switching back to compiling from source, adding an extra step.