buildinfo

buildinfo refers to information embedded within a software build that describes its origin, compilation, and configuration. This data is crucial for tracking, debugging, and understanding the lifecycle of a software product.

Typically, buildinfo includes details such as the version of the software, the source code revision from which it was built (e.g., a Git commit hash), the compiler and its version used for compilation, the operating system and architecture of the build environment, and the date and time of the build. It may also contain information about specific build flags or configurations that were applied.

The primary purpose of buildinfo is to provide a reproducible and auditable record of how a particular software artifact was created. This aids in identifying the exact version of code that corresponds to a reported bug, understanding the environment in which a specific build was produced, and ensuring consistency across different deployments.

Many build systems and continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines automatically generate and inject buildinfo into the compiled output. This information can often be accessed programmatically through APIs or by inspecting specific files or sections within the software artifact. Accessing and interpreting buildinfo is a common practice during software maintenance, quality assurance, and incident response.