project('custom target', 'c') python = find_program('python3') # Note that this will not add a dependency to the compiler executable. # Code will not be rebuilt if it changes. comp = '@0@/@1@'.format(meson.current_source_dir(), 'my_compiler.py') mytarget = custom_target('bindat', output : 'data.dat', input : 'data_source.txt', command : [python, comp, '@INPUT@', '@OUTPUT@'], install : true, install_dir : 'subdir' )