preparecompile

Preparecompile is a term used in software build systems to denote the preparatory stage that runs before the actual compilation of source code. It describes activities that set up the environment and prerequisites for a reliable build.

The goal is to ensure reproducibility and correctness by resolving dependencies, generating required artifacts, configuring compilers and flags, and establishing consistent paths and environment variables.

Typical tasks include dependency analysis and locking, code generation from templates or interface definitions (for example, protocol buffers or IDLs), preprocessing steps, scanning for toolchain availability, and generating auxiliary inputs such as a compile commands database or compilation database.

In incremental and distributed builds, preparecompile can reuse cached results or run on a separate worker before the actual compile commands, reducing redundant work and improving build throughput.

The exact implementation varies by build system. Some environments expose an explicit prepare step or preflight script, while others fold preparation into configuration or generation phases. Practitioners use preparecompile to catch issues early, such as missing dependencies or mismatched toolchains, and to standardize builds across machines.

See also: build system, configure script, compilation, code generation.