Rebuild

Rebuild is the act of constructing something again after it has been damaged, destroyed, or degraded, or of restoring something to a previous or improved state. It can also refer to processes that create a new version by rebuilding from components or source code, rather than repairing the existing object. The term is used across disciplines including construction, disaster recovery, technology, and policy.

In architecture and civil engineering, rebuilding involves demolishing unsafe structures or sections and erecting new ones, often in response to natural disasters, conflict, or urban renewal. It may aim to preserve historical elements while incorporating modern standards and resilience.

In disaster response and development, rebuilding encompasses planning, funding, and implementation to restore housing, infrastructure, services, and livelihoods, with attention to risk reduction and community participation to reduce vulnerability to future events.

In software engineering, a rebuild is the process of re-generating executable programs from source or configuration files, ensuring dependencies are up to date and builds are reproducible. Developers perform a clean rebuild to avoid artifacts from previous builds.

In other contexts, rebuilding can denote broader renewal of systems, institutions, or identities after disruption, including urban redevelopment or organizational reform.

Etymology: the word rebuild combines re- meaning again with build; its usage dates to the Middle English period and reflects a repeated act of construction.

See also: reconstruction, renovation, restoration, redevelopment, reengineering.