# ABOUT WAF

Waf is a Python-based framework for configuring, compiling and installing applications. Here are perhaps the most important features of Waf:

* *Automatic build order*: the build order is computed from input and output files, among others
* *Automatic dependencies*: tasks to execute are detected by hashing files and commands
* *Performance*: tasks are executed in parallel automatically, the startup time is meant to be fast (separation between configuration and build)
* *Flexibility*: new commands and tasks can be added very easily through subclassing, bottlenecks for specific builds can be eliminated through dynamic method replacement
* *Extensibility*: though many programming languages and compilers are already supported by default, many others are available as extensions
* *IDE support*: Eclipse, Visual Studio and Xcode project generators (`waflib/extras/`)
* *Documentation*: the application is based on a robust model documented in [The Waf Book](https://waf.io/book/) and in the [API docs](https://waf.io/apidocs/)
* *Python compatibility*: cPython 2.5 to 3.x, Jython 2.5, IronPython, and PyPy

Learn more about Waf by reading [The Waf Book](https://waf.io/book/). For researchers and build system writers, Waf also provides a framework and examples for creating [custom build systems](https://gitlab.com/ita1024/waf/tree/master/build_system_kit) and [package distribution systems](https://gitlab.com/ita1024/waf/blob/master/playground/distnet/README.rst).

Download the project from our page on [waf.io](https://waf.io/), consult the [manual](https://waf.io/book/), the [API documentation](https://waf.io/apidocs/) and the [showcases](https://gitlab.com/ita1024/waf/tree/master/demos) and [experiments](https://gitlab.com/ita1024/waf/tree/master/playground).

## HOW TO CREATE THE WAF SCRIPT

Python >= 2.7 is required to generate the waf script:

```sh
python ./waf-light configure build
```

## CUSTOMIZATION

The Waf tools in waflib/extras are not added to the waf script. To add
some of them, use the --tools switch. An absolute path can be passed
if the module does not exist under the 'extras' folder:

```sh
./waf-light --tools=swig
```

To customize the initialization, pass the parameter 'prelude'. Here is for example
how to create a waf file using the compat15 module:

```sh
./waf-light --tools=compat15 --prelude=$'\tfrom waflib.extras import compat15\n'
```

Although any kind of initialization is possible, using the build system kit
may be easier (folder build\_system\_kit):

```sh
./waf-light --make-waf --tools=compat15,/comp/waf/aba.py --prelude=$'\tfrom waflib.extras import compat15\n\tprint("ok")'
```

To avoid regenerating the waf file all the time, just set the `WAFDIR` environment variable to the directory containing "waflib".

## HOW TO RUN THE EXAMPLES

Try this:

```sh
cp waf demos/c/
cd demos/c/
./waf configure build
```
