meson/docs/markdown/howtox.md

# How do I do X in Meson?

This page lists code snippets for common tasks. These are written mostly using the C compiler, but the same approach should work on almost all other compilers.

## Set compiler

When first running Meson, set it in an environment variable.

```console
$ CC=mycc meson <options>
```

## Set default C/C++ language version

```meson
project('myproj', 'c', 'cpp',
        default_options : ['c_std=c11', 'cpp_std=c++11'])
```

The language version can also be set on a per-target basis.

```meson
executable(..., override_options : ['c_std=c11'])
```

## Enable threads

Lots of people seem to do this manually with `find_library('pthread')` or something similar. Do not do that. It is not portable. Instead do this.

```meson
thread_dep = dependency('threads')
executable(..., dependencies : thread_dep)
```

## Set extra compiler and linker flags from the outside (when e.g. building distro packages)

The behavior is the same as with other build systems, with environment variables during first invocation.

```console
$ CFLAGS=-fsomething LDFLAGS=-Wl,--linker-flag meson <options>
```

## Use an argument only with a specific compiler

First check which arguments to use.

```meson
if meson.get_compiler('c').get_id() == 'clang'
  extra_args = ['-fclang-flag']
else
  extra_args = []
endif
```

Then use it in a target.

```meson
executable(..., c_args : extra_args)
```

If you want to use the arguments on all targets, then do this.

```meson
if meson.get_compiler('c').get_id() == 'clang'
  add_global_arguments('-fclang-flag', language : 'c')
endif
```

## Set a command's output to configuration

```meson
txt = run_command('script', 'argument').stdout().strip()
cdata = configuration_data()
cdata.set('SOMETHING', txt)
configure_file(...)
```

## Generate a runnable script with `configure_file`

`configure_file` preserves metadata so if your template file has execute permissions, the generated file will have them too.

## Producing a coverage report

First initialize the build directory with this command.

```console
$ meson <other flags> -Db_coverage=true
```

Then issue the following commands.

```console
$ ninja
$ ninja test
$ ninja coverage-html (or coverage-xml)
```

The coverage report can be found in the meson-logs subdirectory.

## Add some optimization to debug builds

By default the debug build does not use any optimizations. This is the desired approach most of the time. However some projects benefit from having some minor optimizations enabled. GCC even has a specific compiler flag `-Og` for this. To enable its use, just issue the following command.

```console
$ meson configure -Dc_args=-Og
```

This causes all subsequent builds to use this command line argument.

## Use address sanitizer

Clang comes with a selection of analysis tools such as the [address sanitizer](https://clang.llvm.org/docs/AddressSanitizer.html). Meson has native support for these with the `b_sanitize` option.

```console
$ meson <other options> -Db_sanitize=address
```

After this you just compile your code and run the test suite. Address sanitizer will abort executables which have bugs so they show up as test failures.

## Use Clang static analyzer

Install scan-build and configure your project. Then do this:

```console
$ ninja scan-build
```

You can use the `SCAN_BUILD` environment variable to choose the scan-build executable.
```console
$ SCAN_BUILD=<your exe> ninja scan-build
```


## Use profile guided optimization

Using profile guided optimization with GCC is a two phase operation. First we set up the project with profile measurements enabled and compile it.

```console
$ meson  <Meson options, such as --buildtype=debugoptimized> -Db_pgo=generate
$ ninja -C builddir
```

Then we need to run the program with some representative input. This step depends on your project.

Once that is done we change the compiler flags to use the generated information and rebuild.

```console
$ meson configure -Db_pgo=use
$ ninja
```

After these steps the resulting binary is fully optimized.

## Add math library (`-lm`) portably

Some platforms (e.g. Linux) have a standalone math library. Other platforms (pretty much everyone else) do not. How to specify that `m` is used only when needed?

```meson
cc = meson.get_compiler('c')
m_dep = cc.find_library('m', required : false)
executable(..., dependencies : m_dep)
```

## Install an executable to `libexecdir`

```meson
executable(..., install : true, install_dir : get_option('libexecdir'))
```