Re: [Caml-list] One build system to rule them all?

[Simon Cruanes <simon.cruanes.2007@m4x.org>]

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I'd suggest oasis, based on my limited experience (I don't compile C
bindings nor to js_of_ocaml, but I write libraries, sub-libraries, and
programs that use ocamlfind).

Le Wed, 10 Sep 2014, Yotam Barnoy a écrit :
> It appears to me that every couple of months we hear of someone
> implementing yet another build system in ocaml. Given the success of opam,
> I think it's clear that sometimes a monolithic solution, behind which the
> entire community can organize, is the best solution -- especially for
> infrastructure. Looking at haskell, having cabal as the main build system
> has really helped them advance in terms of supporting other platforms (such
> as windows), and since all community efforts in this realm are focused on
> cabal, they can improve it rapidly.
> 
> a. Is there any build system we can organize behind to crown as the
> official build system?

I like oasis a lot, especially the fact that every information related
to a project is written down in a single file. It can generate
documentation, libraries, executables, ocamlfind-related files (META...),
configure/Makefile, and run tests. Even if oasis isn't blessed as the
canonical build system, its project description should be a good model
for the winner.

> b. What are the use-cases missing from specific build systems, that have
> driven people to use other build systems?
> c. To pick one possible candidate, if ocamlbuild were spun out of the
> compiler, could it be enhanced to cover all the main use-cases so (almost)
> everyone would be happy with it?

In the case of oasis, it already relies on ocamlbuild, so both could be
merged somehow (and the redundancies, hopefully, removed)...

> It's just such a shame to see the ocaml community re-inventing the wheel
> over and over again, each time with some limitation so that the next person
> needs to do the same thing yet again.

My 2 ¢

-- 
Simon

full disclosure: I don't have any interest in promoting oasis, nor have
I been paid (sadly) to do so ;)

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