Stories with Tag build tools

• Wild – A Fast Linker for Linux

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  Posted: 2025-01-24 16:25:53

  Verbose tl;dr

  Wild is a new, fast linker for Linux designed for significantly faster linking than traditional linkers like ld. It leverages parallelization and a novel approach to symbol resolution, claiming to be up to 4x faster for large projects like Firefox and Chromium. Wild aims to be drop-in compatible with existing workflows, requiring no changes to source code or build systems. It also offers advanced features like incremental linking and link-time optimization, further enhancing development speed. While still under development, Wild shows promise as a powerful tool to accelerate the build process for complex C++ projects.

  David Lattimore has introduced "wild," a new linker designed specifically for Linux systems, aiming to significantly accelerate the linking process. Lattimore posits that linking is often a performance bottleneck in software development, especially noticeable in large projects or during iterative development cycles. Wild aims to address this by employing several optimization strategies.

  The core principle behind wild's speed is its extensive use of parallelization. The linker leverages multi-core processors to perform linking operations concurrently, dividing the workload across available cores to minimize overall linking time. This parallel approach is applied to various stages of the linking process, enhancing efficiency. Furthermore, wild utilizes memory mapping techniques to efficiently handle large files and reduce I/O overhead, further contributing to its speed.

  Beyond parallelization and memory mapping, wild incorporates additional optimizations. It employs a carefully designed internal data structure to facilitate fast lookups and operations, minimizing processing time. The linker also implements incremental linking, allowing it to reuse previously linked outputs, dramatically reducing redundant work when only minor changes are made to the codebase. This incremental approach is particularly beneficial in iterative development workflows, where small code modifications are frequently linked. Lattimore claims substantial performance improvements compared to traditional linkers, showcasing wild's potential to streamline the development process.

  While presented as a fast linker, wild is also designed with compatibility in mind. It aims to support a wide range of object file formats, ensuring its usability with existing projects and libraries. This broad compatibility makes it a potential drop-in replacement for slower linkers, simplifying adoption for developers.

  The project is open-source, hosted on GitHub, encouraging community involvement and contributions. While the current focus is on Linux, future development might explore expanding support to other operating systems. Lattimore's work represents a promising advance in linker technology, potentially offering substantial benefits for developers working on Linux by reducing build times and enhancing productivity.

  • Linux
  • linker
  • performance
  • elf
  • executable
  • linking
  • development
  • tools
  • Open Source
  • Software
  • wild
  • fast
  • build
  • build tools
  • Systems Programming

  Summary of Comments ( 35 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42814683

  Verbose tl;dr

  HN commenters generally praised Wild's speed and innovative approach to linking. Several expressed excitement about its potential to significantly improve build times, particularly for large C++ projects. Some questioned its compatibility and maturity, noting it's still early in development. A few users shared their experiences testing Wild, reporting positive results but also mentioning some limitations and areas for improvement, like debugging support and handling of complex linking scenarios. There was also discussion about the technical details behind Wild's performance gains, including its use of parallelization and caching. A few commenters drew comparisons to other linkers like mold and lld, discussing their relative strengths and weaknesses.

  The Hacker News post titled "Wild – A Fast Linker for Linux" (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42814683) has generated a fair amount of discussion, with a focus on the performance benefits and potential of the Wild linker.

  Several commenters express excitement about the speed improvements Wild offers compared to traditional linkers like ld. Some share anecdotal evidence or express anticipation of trying it out in their own projects to see the real-world impact on build times. The potential for significantly reducing link times, particularly in large projects, is a recurring theme and a key driver of interest.

  One commenter notes the importance of fast linking, particularly in iterative development cycles where frequent recompilation and linking can be a significant bottleneck. They highlight how improvements in this area can lead to more productive development.

  Another commenter points out the project's utilization of Mold's design. They mention this as a positive aspect, suggesting the project benefits from a proven architecture and can further build upon it.

  There's a discussion around specific technical details. One comment thread delves into the implementation details of parsing and handling debug information, which appears to be a contributing factor to Wild's speed. The decision to avoid using regular expressions for this task is highlighted as a potentially smart performance optimization.

  There are also comments acknowledging the challenges of linker development. One commenter mentions that writing a linker is complex, implying that creating a fast and robust one like Wild is a significant achievement.

  The overall sentiment is positive and optimistic. Many commenters see Wild as a promising development in the linking space, with the potential to significantly improve build times for Linux developers. There's a clear interest in its future development and adoption.

• JReleaser: quick and effortless way to release your project

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  Posted: 2025-01-21 20:33:11

  Verbose tl;dr

  JReleaser simplifies and automates project releases across various platforms. It streamlines the process of creating release artifacts, generating checksums, and publishing them to a variety of distribution channels, including package managers like Homebrew, SDKMAN!, and Chocolatey, as well as artifact repositories like Maven Central, and GitHub Releases. JReleaser supports multiple project types (Java, Go, Kotlin, etc.) and offers flexible configuration through its declarative approach, allowing developers to define release logic in a centralized manner and avoid tedious manual steps. This frees up developers to focus on coding rather than deployment logistics.

  JReleaser presents itself as a streamlined and efficient solution for automating the often complex and time-consuming process of releasing software projects. It aims to simplify the orchestration of various tasks involved in a typical release workflow, enabling developers to focus more on coding and less on logistical overhead.

  The tool boasts a comprehensive suite of features designed to handle numerous aspects of the release pipeline. This includes the assembly of project artifacts, the creation of release announcements suitable for distribution across different platforms, and the publication of these artifacts to a variety of distribution channels. Among these channels are prominent platforms such as GitHub, GitLab, and SourceForge, as well as package repositories like Maven Central, and container registries including Docker Hub. The flexibility offered by JReleaser extends to supporting a diverse range of operating systems, encompassing major platforms like Linux, macOS, and Windows, thereby catering to a wide spectrum of development environments.

  JReleaser emphasizes a user-friendly approach, minimizing the need for extensive configuration. The tool employs a convention-over-configuration philosophy, utilizing sensible defaults to reduce the burden of manual setup. For further customization and fine-grained control, JReleaser offers a declarative configuration process, allowing developers to specify their release parameters through a structured approach. This configuration can be managed via a variety of formats including YAML, TOML, and JSON, providing flexibility to suit individual preferences. This declarative approach aims to enhance maintainability and reproducibility of the release process.

  Beyond the core features of artifact assembly and distribution, JReleaser also provides functionalities for generating release notes and changelog entries, which are crucial for communicating changes and updates to users. Furthermore, it supports signing of artifacts, bolstering the security and integrity of the released software. The tool also facilitates the creation of Docker images and offers seamless integration with popular Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) platforms, allowing developers to seamlessly incorporate JReleaser into their existing workflows. This CI/CD integration allows for automated triggering of releases based on defined events, further streamlining the entire development lifecycle. By simplifying these often complex procedures, JReleaser aims to significantly enhance developer productivity and reduce the friction associated with software releases.

  • Java
  • release management
  • Automation
  • DevOps
  • CI/CD
  • software release
  • build tools
  • deployment
  • jreleaser
  • Open Source
  • Cross-Platform

  Summary of Comments ( 1 )
  https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42784880

  Verbose tl;dr

  Hacker News users generally reacted positively to JReleaser, praising its simplicity and ease of use compared to more complex tools. Several commenters appreciated its support for various platforms and package managers, finding it particularly useful for Java projects but also applicable to other languages. Some pointed out potential alternatives like goreleaser, while others discussed the benefits of standardizing release processes. A few users inquired about specific features, such as signing and checksum generation, while others shared their personal experiences using JReleaser for their own projects. The overall sentiment leaned towards JReleaser being a valuable tool for streamlining and automating the release process.

  The Hacker News post about JReleaser, a tool for automating project releases, has generated several comments discussing its merits and drawbacks compared to existing solutions.

  Several commenters express appreciation for the tool. One user highlights its usefulness for simplifying releases, particularly for small projects where a complex CI/CD pipeline might be overkill. They emphasize the ease of configuration and the breadth of supported platforms, specifically mentioning its support for Homebrew, Chocolatey, and Snap. Another user praises its ability to manage changelog generation, which is a tedious but essential aspect of the release process. The fact that it's a single, self-contained Java binary is also seen as a positive, simplifying installation and dependencies.

  However, the discussion isn't entirely positive. Some users question the need for another release automation tool in an already crowded ecosystem. They mention existing solutions like goreleaser and standard CI/CD pipelines, arguing that they offer similar functionality and are already well-integrated into many workflows. Concerns are raised about the potential for vendor lock-in when relying on a specific tool like JReleaser. One commenter points out the importance of keeping release processes easily reproducible and transferable, suggesting that relying on a specialized tool could hinder this.

  Another thread of discussion revolves around the complexity of modern software releases. Some commenters find tools like JReleaser helpful for navigating this complexity, while others argue that it adds another layer of abstraction. They suggest that truly robust release processes should be based on fundamental principles and tools, allowing for greater control and flexibility.

  A few commenters also inquire about specific features, such as support for cross-compilation and integration with various platforms. The author of JReleaser actively participates in the discussion, addressing questions and providing clarifications about the tool's capabilities and roadmap. They emphasize the project's focus on simplicity and ease of use, targeting developers who want a quick and straightforward way to manage their releases.

  Finally, there's a brief discussion about the project's name and its potential similarity to other Java-related tools. While some users find the name descriptive, others express a slight preference for alternative naming conventions.