dcr/docs/configuration/build-section.md

Build section

Schema

[build]
language = "c"
standard = "c11"
compiler = "clang"
kind = "bin"
# optional:
# inherit = true  # Inherit from base (default true)
# targets = ["linux", "macos"]  # Multiple targets to build
# target = "./dist"
# platform = "x86_64"
# cflags = ["-Wall"]
# ldflags = ["-lm"]
# exclude = ["src/vendor", "src/legacy/**"]
# include = ["src/legacy/boot/**"]
# roots = ["kernel", "drivers"]
# src_disable = true
# pkg_config = ["Qt6Core", "Qt6Widgets"]
# generated = ["src/ui/*.h"]
# expect = ["./target/{profile}/boot/*.bin"]
# clean = ["./target/{profile}/boot", "/tmp/image/*.img"]

Fields

• language (string or array, required): c, c++, cpp, cxx, or asm. Mixed languages can be specified as an array, for example ["c", "c++", "asm"].
• standard (string, required): language standard passed to compiler.
• compiler (string, required): compiler command (for example clang, gcc, cl).
• kind (string, required): bin, staticlib, or sharedlib.
• inherit (bool, optional): inherit settings from base [build] (default true). If false, only use target/profile specific settings.
• targets (string array, optional): list of targets to build simultaneously. Supports short names (linux, macos, windows).
• target (string, optional): custom output directory for final artifact.
• platform (string, optional): architecture hint for compiler (used for -march or /arch).
• cflags (string array, optional): extra compile flags.
• ldflags (string array, optional): extra link flags.
• exclude (string array, optional): paths or glob patterns to skip during source/header collection.
• include (string array, optional): allowlist paths or globs that override exclude.
• include directory entries (non-glob) are also passed to the compiler as -I include paths.
• roots (string array, optional): additional source roots to scan instead of src/.
• src_disable (bool, optional): disables default src/ root when true.
• pkg_config (string array, optional): packages used to append pkg-config --cflags/--libs.
• generated (string array, optional): generated files to delete when build steps rerun.
• expect (string array, optional): artifacts that must exist after build/post-steps.
• clean (string array, optional): additional paths removed by dcr clean and --clean.

Notes for exclude/include:

• Supports * and ** glob patterns.
• If include is set, it has priority over exclude.
• Use include to re-allow nested paths, for example exclude src/boot but allow src/boot/arch/**. When using glob patterns in exclude, DCR converts them internally, so exclude globs still work as expected.

Build steps

Build steps run shell commands before compilation. Post steps run after linking.

[[build.steps]]
name = "uic"
in = "src/ui/*.ui"
out = "src/ui/{stem}.h"
cmd = "{uic} {in} -o {out}"

[[build.post_steps]]
name = "image"
in = "target/{profile}/boot/*.bin"
out = "/tmp/image/os-{version}.img"
cmd = "dd if=/dev/zero of={out} bs=1M count=8"

Step notes:

• in supports glob patterns.
• If in expands to multiple files, out must include {stem}.
• Steps run only when inputs are newer than outputs.
• Variables: {in}, {out}, {stem}, {cflags}, {uic}, {moc}, {rcc}, {profile}, {version}, {version_major}, {version_minor}, {version_patch}, {version_suffix}, {version_suffix_dash}.

build.clean supports {profile} and version placeholders ({version}, {version_major}, ...).

Profile overrides

Profile tables inherit all values from [build]. Any field present in the profile table replaces the base value. Array fields (like cflags/ldflags) are appended to the base array.

Target tables override profile and base settings for specific targets. Full inheritance order:

1. [build.<target>.<profile>]
2. [build.<profile>.<target>]
3. [build.<target>]
4. [build.<profile>]
5. [build]

If custom cflags are set (non-empty), default compiler flags are disabled.

[build.debug]
cflags = ["-g3"]

[build.release]
cflags = ["-O3"]
ldflags = ["-s"]

# Target-specific overrides (applied after profile)
[build.linux]
compiler = "gcc"
cflags = ["-march=x86_64"]

[build.macos]
compiler = "clang"
cflags = ["-arch", "x86_64"]

# Full inheritance example
[build.linux.release]
cflags = ["-O3", "-march=native"]  # Overrides profile and base

[build.release.linux]
ldflags = ["-static"]  # Alternative order

[build.windows.debug]
compiler = "x86_64-w64-mingw32-gcc"
cflags = []  # Empty to disable defaults

[build.release]
inherit = false  # No inheritance, only explicit settings

Toolchain section

[toolchain]
cc = "clang"
cxx = "clang++"
as = "as"
ar = "ar"
ld = "ld"
uic = "uic"
moc = "moc"
rcc = "rcc"

Behavior notes

• Compiler backend is selected by compiler string (gcc, clang, cl, clang-cl).
• Empty or unknown compiler value falls back to clang-like build path.
• run is not allowed for library kinds (staticlib, sharedlib).