Frequently Asked Questions

You can install IncludeBuild by cloning the repository and running the build script:

git clone https://github.com/korzewarrior/includebuild.git
cd includebuild
./build.sh

This will compile the library and make it available for use in your projects.

No. IncludeBuild is header-only, which means you just need to include it in your code. There's no need to compile or build IncludeBuild itself.

Yes. Since IncludeBuild is just a C header file, it works with any IDE that supports C/C++ development. Simply include the header in your project and compile your build script like any other C program.

Create a file called build.c with the following content:

#include "build.h"

int main() {
    ib_workspace_t ws = ib_create_workspace();
    ib_add_source_file(ws, "main.c");
    ib_set_output(ws, "my_program");
    ib_build(ws);
    ib_destroy_workspace(ws);
    return 0;
}

Compile and run it:

gcc -o build build.c
./build

You can add them individually:

ib_add_source_file(ws, "file1.c");
ib_add_source_file(ws, "file2.c");
ib_add_source_file(ws, "file3.c");

Or add all files in a directory:

ib_add_source_directory(ws, "src", true); // true for recursive

Use the library functions:

// Add a library search directory
ib_add_library_dir(ws, "/usr/local/lib");

// Link against libraries
ib_add_library(ws, "m");       // Math library
ib_add_library(ws, "pthread"); // Pthread library

Use the flag functions:

// Compiler flags
ib_add_compiler_flag(ws, "-Wall");
ib_add_compiler_flag(ws, "-O2");

// Linker flags
ib_add_linker_flag(ws, "-static");

Yes, you can specify which compiler to use:

ib_set_compiler_executable(ws, "clang");
ib_set_linker_executable(ws, "clang");

IncludeBuild analyzes your source files, constructs the appropriate compiler and linker commands, and executes them to build your project. It handles dependency analysis, incremental builds, and command generation automatically.

By default, IncludeBuild has the following limits:

• Maximum source files: 500
• Maximum include directories: 50
• Maximum library directories: 20

You can override these limits by defining macros before including the header:

#define IB_MAX_SOURCE_FILES 1000
#define IB_MAX_INCLUDE_DIRS 100
#define IB_MAX_LIBRARY_DIRS 50
#include "build.h"

Yes. IncludeBuild checks file timestamps and only rebuilds files that have changed or depend on files that have changed.

Use the clean function:

ib_clean(ws);

IncludeBuild is designed to work on Linux, macOS, and Windows. The core functionality should work across all these platforms, but some platform-specific features may vary.

Make sure your compiler is correctly installed and that the standard include paths are set up properly. On some systems, you may need to install development packages (e.g., build-essential on Debian/Ubuntu).

Always check the return value of ib_build() and use ib_get_last_error() to get detailed error information:

if (!ib_build(ws)) {
    printf("Build failed: %s\n", ib_get_last_error(ws));
    ib_destroy_workspace(ws);
    return 1;
}

Yes, you can increase the log level:

ib_set_log_level(ws, IB_LOG_DEBUG);

Ensure the compiler is in your PATH, or specify the full path to the compiler:

ib_set_compiler_executable(ws, "/path/to/gcc");

Open an issue on our GitHub repository with a detailed description of the bug, including steps to reproduce, expected behavior, and actual behavior.

Yes! IncludeBuild is open source and we welcome contributions. You can find the repository at:

https://github.com/korzewarrior/includebuild

Please read our contribution guidelines before submitting a pull request.

• Check the User Guide and API Reference
• Look through the examples
• Join our Discord community
• Open an issue on our GitHub repository