1 ========================
2 Creating an LLVM Project
3 ========================
11 The LLVM build system is designed to facilitate the building of third party
12 projects that use LLVM header files, libraries, and tools. In order to use
13 these facilities, a ``Makefile`` from a project must do the following things:
15 * Set ``make`` variables. There are several variables that a ``Makefile`` needs
16 to set to use the LLVM build system:
18 * ``PROJECT_NAME`` - The name by which your project is known.
19 * ``LLVM_SRC_ROOT`` - The root of the LLVM source tree.
20 * ``LLVM_OBJ_ROOT`` - The root of the LLVM object tree.
21 * ``PROJ_SRC_ROOT`` - The root of the project's source tree.
22 * ``PROJ_OBJ_ROOT`` - The root of the project's object tree.
23 * ``PROJ_INSTALL_ROOT`` - The root installation directory.
24 * ``LEVEL`` - The relative path from the current directory to the
25 project's root ``($PROJ_OBJ_ROOT)``.
27 * Include ``Makefile.config`` from ``$(LLVM_OBJ_ROOT)``.
29 * Include ``Makefile.rules`` from ``$(LLVM_SRC_ROOT)``.
31 There are two ways that you can set all of these variables:
33 * You can write your own ``Makefiles`` which hard-code these values.
35 * You can use the pre-made LLVM sample project. This sample project includes
36 ``Makefiles``, a configure script that can be used to configure the location
37 of LLVM, and the ability to support multiple object directories from a single
40 This document assumes that you will base your project on the LLVM sample project
41 found in ``llvm/projects/sample``. If you want to devise your own build system,
42 studying the sample project and LLVM ``Makefiles`` will probably provide enough
43 information on how to write your own ``Makefiles``.
45 Create a Project from the Sample Project
46 ========================================
48 Follow these simple steps to start your project:
50 1. Copy the ``llvm/projects/sample`` directory to any place of your choosing.
51 You can place it anywhere you like. Rename the directory to match the name
54 2. If you downloaded LLVM using Subversion, remove all the directories named
55 ``.svn`` (and all the files therein) from your project's new source tree.
56 This will keep Subversion from thinking that your project is inside
57 ``llvm/trunk/projects/sample``.
59 3. Add your source code and Makefiles to your source tree.
61 4. If you want your project to be configured with the ``configure`` script then
62 you need to edit ``autoconf/configure.ac`` as follows:
64 * **AC_INIT** - Place the name of your project, its version number and a
65 contact email address for your project as the arguments to this macro
67 * **AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR** - If your project isn't in the ``llvm/projects``
68 directory then you might need to adjust this so that it specifies a
69 relative path to the ``llvm/autoconf`` directory.
71 * **LLVM_CONFIG_PROJECT** - Just leave this alone.
73 * **AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR** - Specify a path to a file name that identifies your
74 project; or just leave it at ``Makefile.common.in``.
76 * **AC_CONFIG_FILES** - Do not change.
78 * **AC_CONFIG_MAKEFILE** - Use one of these macros for each Makefile that
79 your project uses. This macro arranges for your makefiles to be copied from
80 the source directory, unmodified, to the build directory.
82 5. After updating ``autoconf/configure.ac``, regenerate the configure script
83 with these commands. (You must be using ``Autoconf`` version 2.59 or later
84 and your ``aclocal`` version should be 1.9 or later.)
91 6. Run ``configure`` in the directory in which you want to place object code.
92 Use the following options to tell your project where it can find LLVM:
94 ``--with-llvmsrc=<directory>``
95 Tell your project where the LLVM source tree is located.
97 ``--with-llvmobj=<directory>``
98 Tell your project where the LLVM object tree is located.
100 ``--prefix=<directory>``
101 Tell your project where it should get installed.
103 That's it! Now all you have to do is type ``gmake`` (or ``make`` if you're on a
104 GNU/Linux system) in the root of your object directory, and your project should
110 In order to use the LLVM build system, you will want to organize your source
111 code so that it can benefit from the build system's features. Mainly, you want
112 your source tree layout to look similar to the LLVM source tree layout. The
113 best way to do this is to just copy the project tree from
114 ``llvm/projects/sample`` and modify it to meet your needs, but you can certainly
115 add to it if you want.
117 Underneath your top level directory, you should have the following directories:
121 This subdirectory should contain all of your library source code. For each
122 library that you build, you will have one directory in **lib** that will
123 contain that library's source code.
125 Libraries can be object files, archives, or dynamic libraries. The **lib**
126 directory is just a convenient place for libraries as it places them all in
127 a directory from which they can be linked later.
131 This subdirectory should contain any header files that are global to your
132 project. By global, we mean that they are used by more than one library or
133 executable of your project.
135 By placing your header files in **include**, they will be found
136 automatically by the LLVM build system. For example, if you have a file
137 **include/jazz/note.h**, then your source files can include it simply with
138 **#include "jazz/note.h"**.
142 This subdirectory should contain all of your source code for executables.
143 For each program that you build, you will have one directory in **tools**
144 that will contain that program's source code.
148 This subdirectory should contain tests that verify that your code works
149 correctly. Automated tests are especially useful.
151 Currently, the LLVM build system provides basic support for tests. The LLVM
152 system provides the following:
154 * LLVM provides a ``tcl`` procedure that is used by ``Dejagnu`` to run tests.
155 It can be found in ``llvm/lib/llvm-dg.exp``. This test procedure uses ``RUN``
156 lines in the actual test case to determine how to run the test. See the
157 :doc:`TestingGuide` for more details. You can easily write Makefile
158 support similar to the Makefiles in ``llvm/test`` to use ``Dejagnu`` to
159 run your project's tests.
161 * LLVM contains an optional package called ``llvm-test``, which provides
162 benchmarks and programs that are known to compile with the Clang front
163 end. You can use these programs to test your code, gather statistical
164 information, and compare it to the current LLVM performance statistics.
166 Currently, there is no way to hook your tests directly into the ``llvm/test``
167 testing harness. You will simply need to find a way to use the source
168 provided within that directory on your own.
170 Typically, you will want to build your **lib** directory first followed by your
173 Writing LLVM Style Makefiles
174 ============================
176 The LLVM build system provides a convenient way to build libraries and
177 executables. Most of your project Makefiles will only need to define a few
178 variables. Below is a list of the variables one can set and what they can
186 This variable is the relative path from this ``Makefile`` to the top
187 directory of your project's source code. For example, if your source code
188 is in ``/tmp/src``, then the ``Makefile`` in ``/tmp/src/jump/high``
189 would set ``LEVEL`` to ``"../.."``.
191 Variables for Building Subdirectories
192 -------------------------------------
196 This is a space separated list of subdirectories that should be built. They
197 will be built, one at a time, in the order specified.
201 This is a list of directories that can be built in parallel. These will be
202 built after the directories in DIRS have been built.
206 This is a list of directories that can be built if they exist, but will not
207 cause an error if they do not exist. They are built serially in the order
208 in which they are listed.
210 Variables for Building Libraries
211 --------------------------------
215 This variable contains the base name of the library that will be built. For
216 example, to build a library named ``libsample.a``, ``LIBRARYNAME`` should
217 be set to ``sample``.
221 By default, a library is a ``.o`` file that is linked directly into a
222 program. To build an archive (also known as a static library), set the
223 ``BUILD_ARCHIVE`` variable.
227 If ``SHARED_LIBRARY`` is defined in your Makefile, a shared (or dynamic)
228 library will be built.
230 Variables for Building Programs
231 -------------------------------
235 This variable contains the name of the program that will be built. For
236 example, to build an executable named ``sample``, ``TOOLNAME`` should be set
241 This variable holds a space separated list of libraries that should be
242 linked into the program. These libraries must be libraries that come from
243 your **lib** directory. The libraries must be specified without their
244 ``lib`` prefix. For example, to link ``libsample.a``, you would set
245 ``USEDLIBS`` to ``sample.a``.
247 Note that this works only for statically linked libraries.
251 This variable holds a space separated list of libraries that should be
252 linked into the program. These libraries must be LLVM libraries. The
253 libraries must be specified without their ``lib`` prefix. For example, to
254 link with a driver that performs an IR transformation you might set
255 ``LLVMLIBS`` to this minimal set of libraries ``LLVMSupport.a LLVMCore.a
256 LLVMBitReader.a LLVMAsmParser.a LLVMAnalysis.a LLVMTransformUtils.a
257 LLVMScalarOpts.a LLVMTarget.a``.
259 Note that this works only for statically linked libraries. LLVM is split
260 into a large number of static libraries, and the list of libraries you
261 require may be much longer than the list above. To see a full list of
262 libraries use: ``llvm-config --libs all``. Using ``LINK_COMPONENTS`` as
263 described below, obviates the need to set ``LLVMLIBS``.
267 This variable holds a space separated list of components that the LLVM
268 ``Makefiles`` pass to the ``llvm-config`` tool to generate a link line for
269 the program. For example, to link with all LLVM libraries use
270 ``LINK_COMPONENTS = all``.
274 To link dynamic libraries, add ``-l<library base name>`` to the ``LIBS``
275 variable. The LLVM build system will look in the same places for dynamic
276 libraries as it does for static libraries.
278 For example, to link ``libsample.so``, you would have the following line in
281 .. code-block:: makefile
285 Note that ``LIBS`` must occur in the Makefile after the inclusion of
288 Miscellaneous Variables
289 -----------------------
291 ``CFLAGS`` & ``CPPFLAGS``
293 This variable can be used to add options to the C and C++ compiler,
294 respectively. It is typically used to add options that tell the compiler
295 the location of additional directories to search for header files.
297 It is highly suggested that you append to ``CFLAGS`` and ``CPPFLAGS`` as
298 opposed to overwriting them. The master ``Makefiles`` may already have
299 useful options in them that you may not want to overwrite.
301 Placement of Object Code
302 ========================
304 The final location of built libraries and executables will depend upon whether
305 you do a ``Debug``, ``Release``, or ``Profile`` build.
309 All libraries (static and dynamic) will be stored in
310 ``PROJ_OBJ_ROOT/<type>/lib``, where *type* is ``Debug``, ``Release``, or
311 ``Profile`` for a debug, optimized, or profiled build, respectively.
315 All executables will be stored in ``PROJ_OBJ_ROOT/<type>/bin``, where *type*
316 is ``Debug``, ``Release``, or ``Profile`` for a debug, optimized, or
317 profiled build, respectively.
322 If you have any questions or need any help creating an LLVM project, the LLVM
323 team would be more than happy to help. You can always post your questions to
324 the `LLVM Developers Mailing List
325 <http://lists.cs.uiuc.edu/pipermail/llvmdev/>`_.