5 nitc - compiles Nit programs.
10 nitc [*options*] FILE...
15 nitc is the current official Nit compiler.
16 It takes the main module of a Nit program as argument and produces an executable file.
18 By default, the generated executables are produced in the current directory.
19 (see `--dir` for details.)
21 Internally, nitc rely on the presence of a C compiler. Usually gcc (but nitc was successfully tested with clang).
22 A compilation directory is therefore created and (re-)used.
23 By default, the compilation directory is named `nit_compile` and is removed after the compilation.
24 (see `--compile-dir` for details.)
26 Currently, because Nit is still in heavy development, the compilation directory is not cleaned after the compilation.
28 By default, the compilation process tries to have a good trade-off between the compilation time and the performance of produced executables.
29 To produce more optimized executables, the current best option is `--semi-global`.
31 To improve the compilation time and simplify the compilation of multiple programs, more than one file can be given.
32 Each one will be compiled into a distinct executable.
34 $ nitc prog1.nit prog2.nit
36 To combine files into a single program, use the `-m` option.
38 $ nitc prog1.nit -m other_module.nit
40 nitc can produces executables for various platforms when specific modules are used.
41 Currently, android, pnacl and emscripten are supported.
42 See the documentation of these specific modules for details.
50 : Show additional warnings (advices).
52 By default, only important warnings are displayed.
53 May be overridden by `-w`.
55 Important warnings are displayed by default. A warning is considered important when:
57 * There is a simple correction.
58 * There is no reason to let the code this way.
59 * There is always a real issue (no false positive).
61 Other warnings, called advices, are not displayed by default to avoid filling the terminal with
63 A warning is considered an advice when:
65 * The correction could be complex. e.g. require a refactorisation or an API change.
66 * The correction cannot be done. e.g. Code that use a deprecated API for some compatibility reason.
67 * There is not a real issue (false positive). Note that this should be unlikely.
68 * Transitional: While a real important warning, it fires a lot in current code, so a transition is needed
69 in order to let people fix them before promoting the advice to an important warning.
72 : Show/hide a specific warning.
74 Each type of warning can be individually displayed or hidden.
75 The `-w` option takes the name of a warning (displayed at the end of the warning message, between parentheses) to activate it;
76 and "no-{name}" to disable it.
77 It has precedence over -q and -W.
78 Multiple `-w` can be given.
80 To show only `missing-doc` warnings in standard"
82 $ nitc -q -w missing-doc standard
84 To show all warnings and advices, except `missing-doc`:
86 $ nitc -W -w no-missing-doc standard
88 To show important warnings except `useless-type-test`, but not advice except `missing-doc`:
90 $ nitc -w missing-doc -w no-useless-type-test standard
93 : Do not show warnings.
94 May be overridden by `-w`
96 `--stop-on-first-error`
97 : Just display the first encountered error then stop.
99 By default, nitc tries to detect and display more than one error before aborting the compilation.
102 : Do not use color to display errors and warnings.
104 Also, do not echo the line.
105 This options is mainly used by scripts and tools that need parsable error messages.
108 : Additional messages from the tool.
109 Multiple `-v` can be given to improve the verbosity.
111 With one `-v`, there is constant number of lines.
112 With two `-v`, the number of lines is proportional to the number of modules.
113 With three `-v`, the number of lines is proportional to the number of definition of classes.
114 With four `-v`, the number of lines is proportional to the number of definition of properties.
117 : Generate various log files.
119 The tool will generate some files in the logging directory (see `--log-dir`).
120 These files are intended to the advanced user and the developers of the tools.
123 : Directory where to generate log files.
125 By default the directory is called `logs` in the working directory.
129 : Show Help (the list of options).
132 : Show version and exit.
138 : Add an additional include path.
140 This option is used to indicate an additional path of a directory containing Nit libraries.
142 The path added with `-I` are searched before those added by the environment variable `NIT_PATH`.
144 May be used more than once.
147 : Output executable name.
149 Indicates the path and name of the produced executable.
151 Note: it is better to use `--dir` if only the directory is important.
152 This way, the platform extension will be correctly set.
154 `-o` is not usable if multiple programs are compiled at once.
159 Produce the executables in the given directory instead of the current directory.
162 : Base directory of the Nit installation.
164 Has precedence over the environment variable `NIT_DIR`.
169 : Directory used to generate temporary files.
171 By default, it is named `nit_compile` and created in the current directory and destroyed after the compilation.
173 If the option `--compile_dir` or `--no-cc` is used, then the directory is not destroyed and let as is.
176 : Do not invoke the C compiler.
178 Files in the compilation directory are generated but the C compiler is not invoked.
180 This option is mainly used to produce C files distributable then compilable on system that do not have a Nit compiler (e.g. embedded system).
181 In this case, it is suggested to also use the options `--dir`, `--compile-dir` and `--semi-global`.
183 $ nitc examples/hello_world.nit --no-cc --dir hello --compile-dir hello --semi-global
185 Will produce a `hello` directory that contains the required C files to finish the compilation.
186 Only the C files required for the program are generated.
187 The final binary will be generated in the same directory.
189 Note that, to be useful, the compilation directory is not destroyed when `--no-cc` is used.
192 : Additional module to mix-in.
194 Additional modules are imported and refine the main module of the program.
195 This has basically the same effect than implementing a specific module that imports the main module of the program then each one of the mix-in modules.
196 May be used more than once.
198 This is option is used to weave additional behaviors to existing programs.
199 Modules designated to bring features to programs by refining basic or specialized services, without any intervention of the main program, are good candidates to be used with the `-m` option.
202 An other usage of the `-m` option is to compile program to a specific platform. E.g. `emscripten` or `android`.
204 A last usage is to develop programs as product lines with a main basic module (vanilla) and specific distinct features as flavor modules, then to combine them at compile-time.
206 $ nitc prog_vanilla.nit -m feature_chocolate.nit -m feature_cherry.nit
209 : Define a specific property.
211 The `-D` option allows to refine a top-level method at compile-time.
212 This has basically the same effect than implementing a specific module that imports the main module of the program and refines the designated methods.
214 The designated method must be top-level function with no parameters that returns a Bool, an Int or a String.
216 The argument of the `-D` option is "{name}={value}".
217 For Bool, the argument can also be just "{name}", in this case, the value is considered to be `true`.
219 $ nitc foo.nit -D prefix=/opt/foo -D port=8080 -D with_ssl
222 : Compile in release mode and finalize application.
224 Currently, this only affect the android platform.
228 `nitc` includes distinct compilation modes.
231 : Use separate compilation (default mode).
233 In separate compilation, modules are compiled independently of their programs.
234 This makes the recompilation of programs faster since only the modified files need to be recompiled.
237 : Use global compilation.
239 The produced executables may become huge and the compilation time is prohibitive.
240 But sometime, they are faster.
242 In practice, `--semi-global` produces nearly as fast but smaller executables.
245 : Erase generic types.
247 Like `--separate` but use an erasure dynamic typing policy for generics and virtual types.
248 Usually you do not need this, even if you understand the previous sentence.
251 ## SEMI-GLOBAL OPTIMIZATIONS
253 In `--separate` and in `--erasure` modes, some optimization can be gained by relaxing the constraint about
254 the independence on programs.
256 Therefore, with these options, the produced executables may be faster and smaller but the recompilation time
260 : Enable all semi-global optimizations.
263 : Activate RTA (Rapid Type Analysis).
265 This option only make sense in `--erasure` to enable some semi-global optimizations.
267 RTA is implicitly enabled in `--separate` and `--global`.
269 `--inline-coloring-numbers`
270 : Inline colors and ids (semi-global).
272 `--inline-some-methods`
273 : Allow the separate compiler to inline some methods (semi-global).
276 `--direct-call-monomorph`
277 : Allow the separate compiler to direct call monomorphic sites (semi-global).
280 `--skip-dead-methods`
281 : Do not compile dead methods (semi-global).
284 ## LINK-BOOST OPTIMIZATIONS
286 In `--separate` and in `--erasure` modes, some optimization can be gained by hijacking the linker process.
288 Warning: these optimisations are not portable since they use extra features of the GNU linker `ld`.
289 However, there is very few reasons to not use them if GNU `ld` is available.
292 : Enable all link-boost optimizations.
294 `--colors-are-symbols`
295 : Store colors as symbols instead of static data.
297 By default, the various identifiers used to implement OO-mechanisms are stored as genuine constant static variables.
299 This option uses linker symbols to encode these identifiers.
300 This makes the compiled program faster since less indirections are required to get the values.
301 It also produces executables that are a little bit smaller since static memory does not have to store the colors.
303 `--substitute-monomorph`
304 : Replace monomorphic trampolines with direct call.
306 Late-binding is implemented with *trampolines*, that are small functions that just select and jump the to right implementations.
307 If, at link-time, is it known that the target will always by the same implementation then all calls to the trampoline are replaced by
308 direct calls to this single implementation.
310 Note that using trampolines as indirection slows down the executable.
311 However, it is expected that the gain of monomorphic direct-calls overcompensates the additional indirections in polymorphic trampoline-calls.
313 Note: automatically enable option `--trampoline-call`.
315 ## DANGEROUS OPTIMIZATIONS
317 The following optimizations disable runtime checks.
318 It means that correct (non-buggy) programs may be slightly faster.
319 It also means that incorrect (buggy) programs may have unspecified behaviors
320 (e.g. formatting your hard drive or killing your cat).
322 In fact, these options are mainly used to bench the compilation results.
325 : Disable all tests (dangerous).
327 `--no-check-covariance`
328 : Disable type tests of covariant parameters (dangerous).
330 `--no-check-attr-isset`
331 : Disable isset tests before each attribute access (dangerous).
334 : Disable the evaluation of explicit `assert` and `as` (dangerous).
336 `--no-check-autocast`
337 : Disable implicit casts on unsafe expression usage (dangerous).
340 : Disable tests of null receiver (dangerous).
342 `--no-check-erasure-cast`
343 : Disable implicit casts on unsafe return with erasure-typing policy (dangerous).
348 These options are used to debug or to bench the compilation results.
349 Usually you do not need them since they make the generated code slower.
352 : Generate contracts in the C code against bugs in the compiler.
354 `--no-shortcut-range`
355 : Always instantiate a range and its iterator on 'for' loops.
357 `--no-union-attribute`
358 : Put primitive attributes in a box instead of an union.
360 `--no-shortcut-equal`
361 : Always call == in a polymorphic way.
364 : Use only boxes for primitive types.
366 The separate compiler uses tagged values to encode common primitive types like Int, Bool and Char.
367 This option disables tags and forces such primitive values to be boxed.
368 The drawback is that each boxing costs a memory allocation thus increases the amount of work for the garbage collector.
370 However, in some cases, it is possible that this option improves performance since the absence of tags simplify the implementation
371 of OO mechanisms like method calls or equality tests.
374 : Do not inline call to intern methods.
376 `--colo-dead-methods`
377 : Force colorization of dead methods.
380 : Disable advanced gcc directives for optimization.
383 : Use an indirection when calling.
385 Just add the trampolines of `--substitute-monomorph` without doing any aditionnal optimizations.
389 These options can be used to control the fine behavior of the tool.
390 They are useless for a normal user.
393 : Disable a specific phase; use `list` to get the list.
396 : Only proceed to parse files.
399 : Stop after meta-model processing.
401 `--ignore-visibility`
402 : Do not check, and produce errors, on visibility issues.
405 : Do not generate main entry point.
408 : The compiled program will not display stack traces on runtime errors.
410 Because stack traces rely on libunwind, this option might be useful in order to generate more portable binaries
411 since libunwind might be non available on the runtime system (or available with an ABI incompatible version).
413 The generated C is API-portable and can be reused, distributed and compiled on any supported system.
414 If the option `--no-stacktrace` is not used but the development files of the library `libunwind` are not available, then a warning will be displayed
415 and stack trace will be disabled.
417 Note that the `--no-stacktrace` option (or this absence) can be toggled manually in the generated Makefile (search `NO_STACKTRACE` in the Makefile).
418 Moreover, the environment variable `NIT_NO_STACK` (see bellow) can also be used at runtime to disable stack traces.
421 : Maximum number of lines in generated C files. Use 0 for unlimited.
424 : Group all generated code in the same series of files.
427 : Additional options to the `make` command.
429 $ nitc foo.nit --make-flags 'CC=clang' --make-flags 'CFLAGS="-O0 -g"'
431 `--typing-test-metrics`
432 : Enable static and dynamic count of all type tests.
434 `--invocation-metrics`
435 : Enable static and dynamic count of all method invocations.
437 `--isset-checks-metrics`
438 : Enable static and dynamic count of isset checks before attributes access.
441 : Enable static size measuring of tables used for vft, typing and resolution.
444 : Set toolname and version to DUMMY. Useful for testing.
447 : Generate bash_completion file for this program.
450 : Generate a stub manpage in pandoc markdown format.
453 : Continue after errors, whatever the consequences.
455 The tool does not stop after some errors but continue until it produces incorrect result, crashes, erases the hard drive, or just continue forever in an infinite loop.
456 This option is used to test the robustness of the tools by allowing phases to progress on incorrect data.
458 # ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
461 : Base directory of the Nit installation.
463 When the `NIT_DIR` environment variable is set then it specifies the path of the Nit install directory.
465 This directory is used to locate binaries, shared files and the common libraries.
467 When unset, the directory is guessed according to some heuristic.
469 The `--nit-dir` option also set the base directory of the Nit installation but has precedence.
472 : Additional include paths.
474 The `NIT_PATH` environment variable contains paths of directories containing Nit libraries.
475 Each path is separated with a column (`:`).
477 The `-I` option also add additional paths.
480 : Runtime control of the garbage collector.
482 The behavior of the GC of the executables produced by nitc can be tuned with this environment variable.
484 The environment variable is used when programs are executed, not when they are compiled.
485 Thus, you do not need to recompile programs in order to tweak their GC options.
487 Available values are:
489 * boehm: use the Boehm-Demers-Weiser's conservative garbage collector (default).
490 * malloc: disable the GC and just use `malloc` without doing any `free`.
491 * large: disable the GC and just allocate a large memory area to use for all instantiation.
492 * help: show the list of available options.
495 : Runtime control of stack traces.
497 By default, stack traces are printed when a runtime errors occurs during the execution of a compiled program.
498 When setting this environment variable to a non empty value, such stack traces are disabled.
500 The environment variable is used when programs are executed, not when they are compiled.
501 Thus, you do not need to recompile programs in order to disable generated stack traces.
503 Note that stack traces require that, during the compilation, development files of the library `libunwind` are available.
504 If they are not available, then programs are compiled without any stack trace support.
506 To completely disable stack traces, see the option `--no-stacktrace`.
510 The Nit language documentation and the source code of its tools and libraries may be downloaded from <http://nitlanguage.org>