dmd

Build a D source file

$ dmd [path/to/source.d]

$ dmd -allinst

$ dmd -boundscheck=[on|safeonly|off]

$ dmd -check=[h|help|?]

$ dmd -color

dmd [options] source-files... [linker-options...]

-c
    Compile only; do not link.

-o
    Specify the output file name (e.g., executable or object file).

-g
    Generate debug information for use with debuggers like gdb.

-O
    Optimize the generated code for performance.

-unittest
    Compile and run unit tests embedded in the D source code.

-release
    Compile for release builds, disabling debug asserts and enabling optimizations.

-debug
    Compile for debug builds, enabling debug asserts and disabling some optimizations.

-I
    Add path to the list of directories to search for imported modules.

-L
    Pass linker-option directly to the linker.

-m64 / -m32
    Target 64-bit or 32-bit architecture, respectively.

-v
    Enable verbose output, showing compilation steps and commands.

--help
    Display a summary of command-line options.

--version
    Display the compiler version information.

dmd is the reference compiler for the D programming language, developed by Walter Bright of Digital Mars. It translates D source code (.d files) into machine code, producing executable binaries, object files, or static/shared libraries.

Known for its fast compilation speed, dmd supports all features of the D language, including classes, structs, templates, modules, mixins, garbage collection, and more. It acts as both a compiler and a linker, invoking the system linker (like ld) to resolve external symbols and create the final executable.

While dmd can be invoked directly for single-file or small projects, larger D projects typically use a build tool and package manager like dub, which wraps dmd and handles dependencies, compilation flags, and linking more efficiently.

dmd typically generates platform-specific binaries. While dmd is a robust compiler, managing large D projects and their dependencies is often best handled by a dedicated build system like dub rather than direct dmd invocations.

The D language is a multi-paradigm system programming language that combines imperative, object-oriented, and functional programming concepts. It aims to offer C-like performance and direct access to hardware while providing modern language features and a garbage collector for ease of use and safety.

Although dmd is the core compiler, D development heavily relies on dub, the D language package manager and build tool. dub simplifies dependency management, compilation, testing, and packaging of D projects, acting as a high-level wrapper around dmd and other D compilers.

dmd (Digital Mars D) was created by Walter Bright and first released in 2001 as the initial and reference implementation of the D programming language. Its development aimed to combine the high performance of C++ with the safety and productivity features of languages like Java and C#. The front-end of dmd was open-sourced in 2007, contributing to the wider adoption and community-driven evolution of the D language.

dub(1), g++(1), gcc(1), ld(1), gdb(1)