# Command-line commands There are two different ways of invoking Meson. First, you can run it directly from the source tree with the command `/path/to/source/meson.py`. Meson may also be installed in which case the command is simply `meson`. In this manual we only use the latter format for simplicity. Meson is invoked using the following syntax: `meson [COMMAND] [COMMAND_OPTIONS]` This section describes all available commands and some of their Optional arguments. The most common workflow is to run [`setup`](#setup), followed by [`compile`](#compile), and then [`install`](#install). For the full list of all available options for a specific command use the following syntax: `meson COMMAND --help` ### configure ``` {{ cmd_help['configure']['usage'] }} ``` Changes options of a configured meson project. ``` {{ cmd_help['configure']['arguments'] }} ``` Most arguments are the same as in [`setup`](#setup). Note: reconfiguring project will not reset options to their default values (even if they were changed in `meson.build`). #### Examples: List all available options: ``` meson configure builddir ``` Change value of a single option: ``` meson configure builddir -Doption=new_value ``` ### compile *(since 0.54.0)* ``` {{ cmd_help['compile']['usage'] }} ``` Builds a default or a specified target of a configured meson project. ``` {{ cmd_help['compile']['arguments'] }} ``` `--verbose` argument is available since 0.55.0. #### Targets *(since 0.55.0)* `TARGET` has the following syntax `[PATH/]NAME[:TYPE]`, where: - `NAME`: name of the target from `meson.build` (e.g. `foo` from `executable('foo', ...)`). - `PATH`: path to the target relative to the root `meson.build` file. Note: relative path for a target specified in the root `meson.build` is `./`. - `TYPE`: type of the target. Can be one of the following: 'executable', 'static_library', 'shared_library', 'shared_module', 'custom', 'run', 'jar'. `PATH` and/or `TYPE` can be ommited if the resulting `TARGET` can be used to uniquely identify the target in `meson.build`. #### Backend specific arguments *(since 0.55.0)* `BACKEND-args` use the following syntax: If you only pass a single string, then it is considered to have all values separated by commas. Thus invoking the following command: ``` $ meson compile --ninja-args=-n,-d,explain ``` would add `-n`, `-d` and `explain` arguments to ninja invocation. If you need to have commas or spaces in your string values, then you need to pass the value with proper shell quoting like this: ``` $ meson compile "--ninja-args=['a,b', 'c d']" ``` #### Examples: Build the project: ``` meson compile -C builddir ``` Execute a dry run on ninja backend with additional debug info: ``` meson compile --ninja-args=-n,-d,explain ``` Build three targets: two targets that have the same `foo` name, but different type, and a `bar` target: ``` meson compile foo:shared_library foo:static_library bar ``` Produce a coverage html report (if available): ``` meson compile coverage-html ``` ### dist *(since 0.52.0)* ``` {{ cmd_help['dist']['usage'] }} ``` Generates a release archive from the current source tree. ``` {{ cmd_help['dist']['arguments'] }} ``` See [notes about creating releases](Creating-releases.md) for more info. #### Examples: Create a release archive: ``` meson dist -C builddir ``` ### init *(since 0.45.0)* ``` {{ cmd_help['init']['usage'] }} ``` Creates a basic set of build files based on a template. ``` {{ cmd_help['init']['arguments'] }} ``` #### Examples: Create a project in `sourcedir`: ``` meson init -C sourcedir ``` ### introspect ``` {{ cmd_help['introspect']['usage'] }} ``` Displays information about a configured meson project. ``` {{ cmd_help['introspect']['arguments'] }} ``` #### Examples: Display basic information about a configured project in `builddir`: ``` meson introspect builddir ``` ### install *(since 0.47.0)* ``` {{ cmd_help['install']['usage'] }} ``` Installs the project to the prefix specified in [`setup`](#setup). ``` {{ cmd_help['install']['arguments'] }} ``` See [the installation documentation](Installing.md) for more info. #### Examples: Install project to `prefix`: ``` meson install -C builddir ``` Install project to `$DESTDIR/prefix`: ``` DESTDIR=/path/to/staging/area meson install -C builddir ``` ### rewrite *(since 0.50.0)* ``` {{ cmd_help['rewrite']['usage'] }} ``` Modifies the meson project. ``` {{ cmd_help['rewrite']['arguments'] }} ``` See [the meson file rewriter documentation](Rewriter.md) for more info. ### setup ``` {{ cmd_help['setup']['usage'] }} ``` Configures a build directory for the meson project. This is the default meson command (invoked if there was no COMMAND supplied). ``` {{ cmd_help['setup']['arguments'] }} ``` See [meson introduction page](Running-Meson.md#configuring-the-build-directory) for more info. #### Examples: Configures `builddir` with default values: ``` meson setup builddir ``` ### subprojects *(since 0.49.0)* ``` {{ cmd_help['subprojects']['usage'] }} ``` Manages subprojects of the meson project. ``` {{ cmd_help['subprojects']['arguments'] }} ``` ### test ``` {{ cmd_help['test']['usage'] }} ``` Run tests for the configure meson project. ``` {{ cmd_help['test']['arguments'] }} ``` See [the unit test documentation](Unit-tests.md) for more info. #### Examples: Run tests for the project: ``` meson test -C builddir ``` Run only `specific_test_1` and `specific_test_2`: ``` meson test -C builddir specific_test_1 specific_test_2 ``` ### wrap ``` {{ cmd_help['wrap']['usage'] }} ``` An utility to manage WrapDB dependencies. ``` {{ cmd_help['wrap']['arguments'] }} ``` See [the WrapDB tool documentation](Using-wraptool.md) for more info.