dune
TLDR
Build the project
SYNOPSIS
dune command [options]
DESCRIPTION
Dune is the standard build system for OCaml and Reason projects. It automatically discovers project structure, handles dependencies, and provides fast incremental builds with caching.
Projects are configured with dune files using an S-expression syntax. Dune integrates with opam for package management and supports cross-compilation, multiple build contexts, and IDE integration.
PARAMETERS
build [targets]
Build specified targets or all.test
Run tests.exec program
Build and execute program.clean
Remove build artifacts.runtest test
Run specific test.init component name
Initialize new component (project, library, executable).fmt
Format source code.promote
Promote expected test outputs.--watch
Rebuild on file changes.--force
Force rebuild of targets.--release
Build in release mode.
DUNE FILE EXAMPLE
(name mylib)
(libraries str unix))
(executable
(name main)
(libraries mylib))
(test
(name test_mylib)
(libraries mylib alcotest))
CAVEATS
Requires OCaml or Reason compiler. Build artifacts are in _build directory. Dune files use S-expression syntax, not YAML or TOML. Package management requires opam. Large projects benefit from dune-workspace files.
HISTORY
Dune was originally called jbuilder, created by Jane Street in 2016. It was renamed to Dune in 2018 and became the de facto standard build system for the OCaml ecosystem. The project aims to provide a modern, fast, and user-friendly build experience.
