ocamlfind

package manager for OCaml libraries

TLDR

Compile with package

$ ocamlfind ocamlc -package [str] -linkpkg [program.ml] -o [program]

Compile native with packages

$ ocamlfind ocamlopt -package [core,yojson] -linkpkg [program.ml] -o [program]

List installed packages

$ ocamlfind list

Show package info

$ ocamlfind query [package]

Show package directory

$ ocamlfind query -d [package]

Show package dependencies

$ ocamlfind query -r [package]

Install package

$ ocamlfind install [package] META [*.cmi] [*.cmo] [*.cma]

Remove package

$ ocamlfind remove [package]

SYNOPSIS

ocamlfind [ocamlc] [ocamlopt] [query] [list] [install] [-package pkgs] [options] [files]

ocamlfind is the package manager for OCaml libraries. It locates installed packages and configures compiler invocations automatically.
The tool wraps OCaml compilers, adding include paths and library references based on package specifications. This simplifies builds by handling library dependencies.
Each package has a META file describing its components, dependencies, and locations. Query commands extract this information for build systems and scripts.
Package installation places libraries in a central repository with META files. This standardized layout enables reliable discovery and linking.
Dependencies are resolved transitively. Specifying a high-level package automatically includes its prerequisites.
Integration with build systems like Dune is common. Many projects use ocamlfind directly or through wrapper tools.

PARAMETERS

ocamlc ARGS

Run bytecode compiler.

ocamlopt ARGS

Run native compiler.

query PKG

Query package information.

list

List installed packages.

install PKG FILES

Install package.

remove PKG

Remove package.

-package PKGS

Packages to use (comma-separated).

-linkpkg

Link packages into executable.

-predicates PREDS

Set predicates.

-syntax SYNTAX

Set syntax extension.

-d

Show package directory.

-r

Recursive dependencies.

CAVEATS

Replaced by opam for package installation in modern projects. Manual META file creation can be error-prone. Not all packages include META files.

HISTORY

ocamlfind (findlib) was created by Gerd Stolpmann starting in the early 2000s to standardize OCaml library management. It became the foundation for OCaml's package ecosystem, later complemented by opam for downloading and installing packages.