Cross-compilation
Cross-compilation is compiling software on one platform to produce executable code for a different target platform, operating system, or hardware architecture.
Writing for Developers: Blogs that get read
Building executable software on one system for a different target operating system or hardware architecture.
- How it is used
- Deploys existing projects to additional processor architectures and operating systems from a developer’s local machine.
- How deep it goes
- Defines the host–target distinction and demonstrates practical compilation, but does not explain compiler internals or target configuration details.
- Examples
- Uses an x86-64 development machine producing software for an Arm-based cloud fleet without changing project source code.
- What you can do after
- Apply it via Zig’s compiler to build an existing project locally for a different processor architecture or operating system.
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Go in Practice, Second Edition
Cross-compilation is the process of compiling software on one operating system or hardware architecture for execution on another.
- How it is used
- Builds Go binaries locally for cloud and other target environments without requiring the build host to match the deployment platform.
- How deep it goes
- Explains GOOS, GOARCH, gox parallelization, cgo risks, and predeployment testing, while stopping short of toolchain internals.
- Examples
- Uses a Windows 386 build, a gox matrix spanning Linux, macOS, and Windows, and predeployment platform testing.
- What you can do after
- Build Go binaries for named operating-system and architecture targets, automate parallel matrices with gox, and validate results before deployment.
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Related concepts
- Cargoused by · Cargo is Rust’s package manager and build system for managing projects, dependencies, compilation, testing, and related workflows.
- goarchconfigured by · GOARCH is a Go build setting that specifies the target processor architecture for compiled code.
- goosconfigured by · GOOS is a Go build setting that specifies the target operating system for compiled code.
- architectural decisionconfigured by · An architectural decision is a choice about the significant structure, behavior, interactions, or technical constraints of a software system.
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