gdc

Create an executable

$ gdc [path/to/source.d] -o [path/to/output_executable]

$ gdc -fdeps

$ gdc -fdoc

$ gdc -fintfc

$ gdc -nostdlib

gdc [options...] input.d [input.d...]

-o file
    Specify output file name

-c
    Compile to object file only

-S
    Compile to assembly file

-E
    Preprocess only

-g
    Generate debug info

-O[level]
    Optimization level (0-3, default 1)

-Wall
    Enable all warnings

-Werror
    Treat warnings as errors

-Idir
    Add import directory

-Jpath
    Look for module files in path

-Ldir
    Add library search directory

-llib
    Link library

-shared
    Generate shared library

-fPIC
    Generate position-independent code

-version=X
    Enable version identifier X

-debug=X
    Enable debug identifier X

-funittest
    Enable unittests

-fcheck-all
    Enable all runtime checks

-main
    Generate main() function

-v
    Verbose output

The gdc command is the GNU D Compiler, a frontend for the GCC compiler suite specifically designed to compile code written in the D programming language. D is a general-purpose systems programming language with C-like syntax, offering modern features like contract programming, garbage collection, and compile-time function execution.

gdc leverages the GCC backend for code generation, optimization, and support for multiple architectures. It compiles D source files (.d) into object files or executables, handling modules, imports, templates, and mixins. Key strengths include seamless C/C++ interoperability via extern(C), high performance optimizations matching GCC, and integration with GNU tools like binutils and glibc.

Usage involves specifying input .d files and options for compilation modes (e.g., -c for objects, -shared for libraries). D-specific flags control versioning, debugging levels, unittests, and bounds checking. Output defaults to <input>.o or a.out, customizable with -o. It supports preprocessor directives and conditional compilation based on versions and debug statements.

gdc is ideal for Linux/Unix environments, producing position-independent code and static/dynamic libraries. It requires the D runtime library (druntime) and Phobos standard library, often linked automatically.

gdc requires GCC 10+ and druntime/Phobos; some D features may differ from reference DMD compiler. Not all GCC options are fully supported for D.

0 on success, non-zero on error (e.g., 1 for compile failure, 4 for warnings-as-errors).

gdc -O2 -Wall hello.d -o hello
gdc -shared -o libfoo.so foo.d

Developed in 2004 by David Friedman as GCC frontend for D 1.0. Evolved with D 2.0 support; maintained by D Language Foundation since 2012. Integrated into GCC officially from version 4.6 (experimental), mature in GCC 9+.

gcc(1), ld(1), dmd(1), ldc2(1), objdump(1)