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  • @end example
    
    @cindex cross compilation, package dependencies
    The distinction between @code{native-inputs} and @code{inputs} is
    necessary when considering cross-compilation.  When cross-compiling,
    dependencies listed in @code{inputs} are built for the @emph{target}
    architecture; conversely, dependencies listed in @code{native-inputs}
    are built for the architecture of the @emph{build} machine.
    
    
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    @code{native-inputs} is typically used to list tools needed at
    build time, but not at run time, such as Autoconf, Automake, pkg-config,
    
    Gettext, or Bison.  @command{guix lint} can report likely mistakes in
    this area (@pxref{Invoking guix lint}).
    
    @anchor{package-propagated-inputs}
    Lastly, @code{propagated-inputs} is similar to @code{inputs}, but the
    
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    specified packages will be automatically installed alongside the package
    they belong to (@pxref{package-cmd-propagated-inputs, @command{guix
    
    package}}, for information on how @command{guix package} deals with
    propagated inputs.)
    
    For example this is necessary when a C/C++ library needs headers of
    another library to compile, or when a pkg-config file refers to another
    one @i{via} its @code{Requires} field.
    
    
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    Another example where @code{propagated-inputs} is useful is for languages
    that lack a facility to record the run-time search path akin to the
    
    @code{RUNPATH} of ELF files; this includes Guile, Python, Perl, and
    
    more.  To ensure that libraries written in those languages can find
    library code they depend on at run time, run-time dependencies must be
    listed in @code{propagated-inputs} rather than @code{inputs}.
    
    
    @item @code{self-native-input?} (default: @code{#f})
    This is a Boolean field telling whether the package should use itself as
    a native input when cross-compiling.
    
    @item @code{outputs} (default: @code{'("out")})
    The list of output names of the package.  @xref{Packages with Multiple
    Outputs}, for typical uses of additional outputs.
    
    @item @code{native-search-paths} (default: @code{'()})
    @itemx @code{search-paths} (default: @code{'()})
    A list of @code{search-path-specification} objects describing
    search-path environment variables honored by the package.
    
    @item @code{replacement} (default: @code{#f})
    
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    This must be either @code{#f} or a package object that will be used as a
    
    @dfn{replacement} for this package.  @xref{Security Updates, grafts},
    for details.
    
    @item @code{synopsis}
    A one-line description of the package.
    
    @item @code{description}
    A more elaborate description of the package.
    
    @item @code{license}
    
    @cindex license, of packages
    
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    The license of the package; a value from @code{(guix licenses)},
    or a list of such values.
    
    
    @item @code{home-page}
    The URL to the home-page of the package, as a string.
    
    @item @code{supported-systems} (default: @var{%supported-systems})
    The list of systems supported by the package, as strings of the form
    @code{architecture-kernel}, for example @code{"x86_64-linux"}.
    
    @item @code{maintainers} (default: @code{'()})
    The list of maintainers of the package, as @code{maintainer} objects.
    
    @item @code{location} (default: source location of the @code{package} form)
    
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    The source location of the package.  It is useful to override this when
    
    inheriting from another package, in which case this field is not
    automatically corrected.
    @end table
    @end deftp
    
    
    @node origin Reference
    @subsection @code{origin} Reference
    
    This section summarizes all the options available in @code{origin}
    declarations (@pxref{Defining Packages}).
    
    @deftp {Data Type} origin
    This is the data type representing a source code origin.
    
    @table @asis
    @item @code{uri}
    An object containing the URI of the source.  The object type depends on
    the @code{method} (see below).  For example, when using the
    @var{url-fetch} method of @code{(guix download)}, the valid @code{uri}
    values are: a URL represented as a string, or a list thereof.
    
    @item @code{method}
    
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    A procedure that handles the URI.
    
    
    Examples include:
    
    @table @asis
    @item @var{url-fetch} from @code{(guix download)}
    
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    download a file from the HTTP, HTTPS, or FTP URL specified in the
    
    @item @var{git-fetch} from @code{(guix git-download)}
    clone the Git version control repository, and check out the revision
    specified in the @code{uri} field as a @code{git-reference} object; a
    @code{git-reference} looks like this:
    
    @example
    (git-reference
      (url "git://git.debian.org/git/pkg-shadow/shadow")
      (commit "v4.1.5.1"))
    @end example
    @end table
    
    @item @code{sha256}
    A bytevector containing the SHA-256 hash of the source.  Typically the
    @code{base32} form is used here to generate the bytevector from a
    base-32 string.
    
    
    You can obtain this information using @code{guix download}
    (@pxref{Invoking guix download}) or @code{guix hash} (@pxref{Invoking
    guix hash}).
    
    
    @item @code{file-name} (default: @code{#f})
    The file name under which the source code should be saved.  When this is
    @code{#f}, a sensible default value will be used in most cases.  In case
    the source is fetched from a URL, the file name from the URL will be
    
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    used.  For version control checkouts, it is recommended to provide the
    
    file name explicitly because the default is not very descriptive.
    
    @item @code{patches} (default: @code{'()})
    A list of file names containing patches to be applied to the source.
    
    
    This list of patches must be unconditional.  In particular, it cannot
    depend on the value of @code{%current-system} or
    @code{%current-target-system}.
    
    
    @item @code{snippet} (default: @code{#f})
    
    A G-expression (@pxref{G-Expressions}) or S-expression that will be run
    in the source directory.  This is a convenient way to modify the source,
    sometimes more convenient than a patch.
    
    
    @item @code{patch-flags} (default: @code{'("-p1")})
    A list of command-line flags that should be passed to the @code{patch}
    command.
    
    @item @code{patch-inputs} (default: @code{#f})
    Input packages or derivations to the patching process.  When this is
    @code{#f}, the usual set of inputs necessary for patching are provided,
    such as GNU@tie{}Patch.
    
    @item @code{modules} (default: @code{'()})
    A list of Guile modules that should be loaded during the patching
    process and while running the code in the @code{snippet} field.
    
    @item @code{patch-guile} (default: @code{#f})
    The Guile package that should be used in the patching process.  When
    this is @code{#f}, a sensible default is used.
    @end table
    @end deftp
    
    
    @node Build Systems
    @section Build Systems
    
    @cindex build system
    Each package definition specifies a @dfn{build system} and arguments for
    that build system (@pxref{Defining Packages}).  This @code{build-system}
    
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    field represents the build procedure of the package, as well as implicit
    
    dependencies of that build procedure.
    
    Build systems are @code{<build-system>} objects.  The interface to
    create and manipulate them is provided by the @code{(guix build-system)}
    module, and actual build systems are exported by specific modules.
    
    
    @cindex bag (low-level package representation)
    
    Under the hood, build systems first compile package objects to
    @dfn{bags}.  A @dfn{bag} is like a package, but with less
    ornamentation---in other words, a bag is a lower-level representation of
    a package, which includes all the inputs of that package, including some
    that were implicitly added by the build system.  This intermediate
    representation is then compiled to a derivation (@pxref{Derivations}).
    
    
    Build systems accept an optional list of @dfn{arguments}.  In package
    definitions, these are passed @i{via} the @code{arguments} field
    (@pxref{Defining Packages}).  They are typically keyword arguments
    (@pxref{Optional Arguments, keyword arguments in Guile,, guile, GNU
    Guile Reference Manual}).  The value of these arguments is usually
    evaluated in the @dfn{build stratum}---i.e., by a Guile process launched
    by the daemon (@pxref{Derivations}).
    
    The main build system is @var{gnu-build-system}, which implements the
    
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    standard build procedure for GNU and many other packages.  It
    
    is provided by the @code{(guix build-system gnu)} module.
    
    @defvr {Scheme Variable} gnu-build-system
    @var{gnu-build-system} represents the GNU Build System, and variants
    thereof (@pxref{Configuration, configuration and makefile conventions,,
    standards, GNU Coding Standards}).
    
    @cindex build phases
    
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    In a nutshell, packages using it are configured, built, and installed with
    
    the usual @code{./configure && make && make check && make install}
    command sequence.  In practice, a few additional steps are often needed.
    All these steps are split up in separate @dfn{phases},
    notably@footnote{Please see the @code{(guix build gnu-build-system)}
    modules for more details about the build phases.}:
    
    @table @code
    @item unpack
    Unpack the source tarball, and change the current directory to the
    extracted source tree.  If the source is actually a directory, copy it
    to the build tree, and enter that directory.
    
    @item patch-source-shebangs
    Patch shebangs encountered in source files so they refer to the right
    store file names.  For instance, this changes @code{#!/bin/sh} to
    @code{#!/gnu/store/@dots{}-bash-4.3/bin/sh}.
    
    @item configure
    Run the @file{configure} script with a number of default options, such
    as @code{--prefix=/gnu/store/@dots{}}, as well as the options specified
    by the @code{#:configure-flags} argument.
    
    @item build
    Run @code{make} with the list of flags specified with
    
    @code{#:make-flags}.  If the @code{#:parallel-build?} argument is true
    
    (the default), build with @code{make -j}.
    
    @item check
    Run @code{make check}, or some other target specified with
    @code{#:test-target}, unless @code{#:tests? #f} is passed.  If the
    @code{#:parallel-tests?} argument is true (the default), run @code{make
    check -j}.
    
    @item install
    Run @code{make install} with the flags listed in @code{#:make-flags}.
    
    @item patch-shebangs
    Patch shebangs on the installed executable files.
    
    @item strip
    Strip debugging symbols from ELF files (unless @code{#:strip-binaries?}
    is false), copying them to the @code{debug} output when available
    (@pxref{Installing Debugging Files}).
    @end table
    
    @vindex %standard-phases
    The build-side module @code{(guix build gnu-build-system)} defines
    @var{%standard-phases} as the default list of build phases.
    @var{%standard-phases} is a list of symbol/procedure pairs, where the
    procedure implements the actual phase.
    
    The list of phases used for a particular package can be changed with the
    @code{#:phases} parameter.  For instance, passing:
    
    @example
    
    #:phases (modify-phases %standard-phases (delete 'configure))
    
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    means that all the phases described above will be used, except the
    
    @code{configure} phase.
    
    In addition, this build system ensures that the ``standard'' environment
    for GNU packages is available.  This includes tools such as GCC, libc,
    Coreutils, Bash, Make, Diffutils, grep, and sed (see the @code{(guix
    
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    build-system gnu)} module for a complete list).  We call these the
    @dfn{implicit inputs} of a package, because package definitions do not
    
    have to mention them.
    @end defvr
    
    Other @code{<build-system>} objects are defined to support other
    conventions and tools used by free software packages.  They inherit most
    of @var{gnu-build-system}, and differ mainly in the set of inputs
    implicitly added to the build process, and in the list of phases
    executed.  Some of these build systems are listed below.
    
    
    @defvr {Scheme Variable} ant-build-system
    This variable is exported by @code{(guix build-system ant)}.  It
    implements the build procedure for Java packages that can be built with
    @url{http://ant.apache.org/, Ant build tool}.
    
    It adds both @code{ant} and the @dfn{Java Development Kit} (JDK) as
    provided by the @code{icedtea} package to the set of inputs.  Different
    packages can be specified with the @code{#:ant} and @code{#:jdk}
    parameters, respectively.
    
    When the original package does not provide a suitable Ant build file,
    the parameter @code{#:jar-name} can be used to generate a minimal Ant
    build file @file{build.xml} with tasks to build the specified jar
    archive.
    
    The parameter @code{#:build-target} can be used to specify the Ant task
    that should be run during the @code{build} phase.  By default the
    ``jar'' task will be run.
    
    @end defvr
    
    
    @defvr {Scheme Variable} asdf-build-system/source
    @defvrx {Scheme Variable} asdf-build-system/sbcl
    @defvrx {Scheme Variable} asdf-build-system/ecl
    
    These variables, exported by @code{(guix build-system asdf)}, implement
    build procedures for Common Lisp packages using
    @url{https://common-lisp.net/project/asdf/, ``ASDF''}. ASDF is a system
    definition facility for Common Lisp programs and libraries.
    
    The @code{asdf-build-system/source} system installs the packages in
    source form, and can be loaded using any common lisp implementation, via
    ASDF.  The others, such as @code{asdf-build-system/sbcl}, install binary
    systems in the format which a particular implementation understands.
    These build systems can also be used to produce executable programs, or
    lisp images which contain a set of packages pre-loaded.
    
    The build system uses naming conventions.  For binary packages, the
    package itself as well as its run-time dependencies should begin their
    name with the lisp implementation, such as @code{sbcl-} for
    @code{asdf-build-system/sbcl}.  Beginning the input name with this
    prefix will allow the build system to encode its location into the
    resulting library, so that the input can be found at run-time.
    
    If dependencies are used only for tests, it is convenient to use a
    different prefix in order to avoid having a run-time dependency on such
    systems.  For example,
    
    @example
    (define-public sbcl-bordeaux-threads
      (package
        ...
        (native-inputs `(("tests:cl-fiveam" ,sbcl-fiveam)))
        ...))
    @end example
    
    Additionally, the corresponding source package should be labeled using
    the same convention as python packages (see @ref{Python Modules}), using
    the @code{cl-} prefix.
    
    For binary packages, each system should be defined as a Guix package.
    If one package @code{origin} contains several systems, package variants
    can be created in order to build all the systems.  Source packages,
    which use @code{asdf-build-system/source}, may contain several systems.
    
    In order to create executable programs and images, the build-side
    procedures @code{build-program} and @code{build-image} can be used.
    They should be called in a build phase after the @code{create-symlinks}
    phase, so that the system which was just built can be used within the
    resulting image.  @code{build-program} requires a list of Common Lisp
    expressions to be passed as the @code{#:entry-program} argument.
    
    If the system is not defined within its own @code{.asd} file of the same
    name, then the @code{#:asd-file} parameter should be used to specify
    which file the system is defined in.
    
    @end defvr
    
    
    @defvr {Scheme Variable} cargo-build-system
    @cindex Rust programming language
    @cindex Cargo (Rust build system)
    This variable is exported by @code{(guix build-system cargo)}.  It
    supports builds of packages using Cargo, the build tool of the
    @uref{https://www.rust-lang.org, Rust programming language}.
    
    In its @code{configure} phase, this build system replaces dependencies
    specified in the @file{Carto.toml} file with inputs to the Guix package.
    The @code{install} phase installs the binaries, and it also installs the
    source code and @file{Cargo.toml} file.
    @end defvr
    
    
    @defvr {Scheme Variable} cmake-build-system
    This variable is exported by @code{(guix build-system cmake)}.  It
    implements the build procedure for packages using the
    @url{http://www.cmake.org, CMake build tool}.
    
    It automatically adds the @code{cmake} package to the set of inputs.
    Which package is used can be specified with the @code{#:cmake}
    parameter.
    
    
    The @code{#:configure-flags} parameter is taken as a list of flags
    passed to the @command{cmake} command.  The @code{#:build-type}
    parameter specifies in abstract terms the flags passed to the compiler;
    it defaults to @code{"RelWithDebInfo"} (short for ``release mode with
    debugging information''), which roughly means that code is compiled with
    @code{-O2 -g}, as is the case for Autoconf-based packages by default.
    
    @defvr {Scheme Variable} glib-or-gtk-build-system
    This variable is exported by @code{(guix build-system glib-or-gtk)}.  It
    is intended for use with packages making use of GLib or GTK+.
    
    This build system adds the following two phases to the ones defined by
    @var{gnu-build-system}:
    
    @table @code
    @item glib-or-gtk-wrap
    
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    The phase @code{glib-or-gtk-wrap} ensures that programs in
    @file{bin/} are able to find GLib ``schemas'' and
    
    @uref{https://developer.gnome.org/gtk3/stable/gtk-running.html, GTK+
    modules}.  This is achieved by wrapping the programs in launch scripts
    that appropriately set the @code{XDG_DATA_DIRS} and @code{GTK_PATH}
    environment variables.
    
    
    It is possible to exclude specific package outputs from that wrapping
    process by listing their names in the
    @code{#:glib-or-gtk-wrap-excluded-outputs} parameter.  This is useful
    when an output is known not to contain any GLib or GTK+ binaries, and
    where wrapping would gratuitously add a dependency of that output on
    GLib and GTK+.
    
    
    @item glib-or-gtk-compile-schemas
    
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    The phase @code{glib-or-gtk-compile-schemas} makes sure that all
    
    @uref{https://developer.gnome.org/gio/stable/glib-compile-schemas.html,
    
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    GSettings schemas} of GLib are compiled.  Compilation is performed by the
    
    @command{glib-compile-schemas} program.  It is provided by the package
    @code{glib:bin} which is automatically imported by the build system.
    The @code{glib} package providing @command{glib-compile-schemas} can be
    specified with the @code{#:glib} parameter.
    @end table
    
    Both phases are executed after the @code{install} phase.
    @end defvr
    
    
    @defvr {Scheme Variable} ocaml-build-system
    This variable is exported by @code{(guix build-sytem ocaml)}.  It implements
    a build procedure for @uref{https://ocaml.org, OCaml} packages, which consists
    of choosing the correct set of commands to run for each package.  OCaml
    packages can expect many different commands to be run.  This build system will
    try some of them.
    
    When the package has a @file{setup.ml} file present at the top-level, it will
    run @code{ocaml setup.ml -configure}, @code{ocaml setup.ml -build} and
    @code{ocaml setup.ml -install}.  The build system will assume that this file
    was generated by @uref{http://oasis.forge.ocamlcore.org/, OASIS} and will take
    care of setting the prefix and enabling tests if they are not disabled.  You
    can pass configure and build flags with the @code{#:configure-flags} and
    @code{#:build-flags}.  The @code{#:test-flags} key can be passed to change the
    set of flags used to enable tests.  The @code{#:use-make?} key can be used to
    bypass this system in the build and install phases.
    
    When the package has a @file{configure} file, it is assumed that it is a
    hand-made configure script that requires a different argument format than
    in the @code{gnu-build-system}.  You can add more flags with the
    @code{#:configure-flags} key.
    
    When the package has a @file{Makefile} file (or @code{#:use-make?} is
    @code{#t}), it will be used and more flags can be passed to the build and
    install phases with the @code{#:make-flags} key.
    
    Finally, some packages do not have these files and use a somewhat standard
    location for its build system.  In that case, the build system will run
    @code{ocaml pkg/pkg.ml} or @code{ocaml pkg/build.ml} and take care of
    providing the path to the required findlib module.  Additional flags can
    be passed via the @code{#:build-flags} key.  Install is taken care of by
    @command{opam-installer}.  In this case, the @code{opam} package must
    be added to the @code{native-inputs} field of the package definition.
    
    Note that most OCaml packages assume they will be installed in the same
    
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    directory as OCaml, which is not what we want in guix.  In particular, they
    
    will install @file{.so} files in their module's directory, which is usually
    
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    fine because it is in the OCaml compiler directory.  In guix though, these
    
    libraries cannot be found and we use @code{CAML_LD_LIBRARY_PATH}.  This
    variable points to @file{lib/ocaml/site-lib/stubslibs} and this is where
    @file{.so} libraries should be installed.
    @end defvr
    
    
    @defvr {Scheme Variable} python-build-system
    This variable is exported by @code{(guix build-system python)}.  It
    implements the more or less standard build procedure used by Python
    packages, which consists in running @code{python setup.py build} and
    then @code{python setup.py install --prefix=/gnu/store/@dots{}}.
    
    For packages that install stand-alone Python programs under @code{bin/},
    
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    it takes care of wrapping these programs so that their @code{PYTHONPATH}
    
    environment variable points to all the Python libraries they depend on.
    
    
    Which Python package is used to perform the build can be specified with
    the @code{#:python} parameter.  This is a useful way to force a package
    to be built for a specific version of the Python interpreter, which
    might be necessary if the package is only compatible with a single
    interpreter version.
    
    
    By default guix calls @code{setup.py} under control of
    @code{setuptools}, much like @command{pip} does.  Some packages are not
    compatible with setuptools (and pip), thus you can disable this by
    setting the @code{#:use-setuptools} parameter to @code{#f}.
    
    @end defvr
    
    @defvr {Scheme Variable} perl-build-system
    This variable is exported by @code{(guix build-system perl)}.  It
    
    implements the standard build procedure for Perl packages, which either
    consists in running @code{perl Build.PL --prefix=/gnu/store/@dots{}},
    followed by @code{Build} and @code{Build install}; or in running
    @code{perl Makefile.PL PREFIX=/gnu/store/@dots{}}, followed by
    
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    @code{make} and @code{make install}, depending on which of
    
    @code{Build.PL} or @code{Makefile.PL} is present in the package
    distribution.  Preference is given to the former if both @code{Build.PL}
    and @code{Makefile.PL} exist in the package distribution.  This
    preference can be reversed by specifying @code{#t} for the
    @code{#:make-maker?} parameter.
    
    The initial @code{perl Makefile.PL} or @code{perl Build.PL} invocation
    passes flags specified by the @code{#:make-maker-flags} or
    @code{#:module-build-flags} parameter, respectively.
    
    
    Which Perl package is used can be specified with @code{#:perl}.
    @end defvr
    
    
    @defvr {Scheme Variable} r-build-system
    This variable is exported by @code{(guix build-system r)}.  It
    implements the build procedure used by @uref{http://r-project.org, R}
    packages, which essentially is little more than running @code{R CMD
    INSTALL --library=/gnu/store/@dots{}} in an environment where
    @code{R_LIBS_SITE} contains the paths to all R package inputs.  Tests
    are run after installation using the R function
    @code{tools::testInstalledPackage}.
    @end defvr
    
    
    @defvr {Scheme Variable} ruby-build-system
    This variable is exported by @code{(guix build-system ruby)}.  It
    implements the RubyGems build procedure used by Ruby packages, which
    involves running @code{gem build} followed by @code{gem install}.
    
    
    The @code{source} field of a package that uses this build system
    typically references a gem archive, since this is the format that Ruby
    developers use when releasing their software.  The build system unpacks
    the gem archive, potentially patches the source, runs the test suite,
    repackages the gem, and installs it.  Additionally, directories and
    tarballs may be referenced to allow building unreleased gems from Git or
    a traditional source release tarball.
    
    Which Ruby package is used can be specified with the @code{#:ruby}
    
    parameter.  A list of additional flags to be passed to the @command{gem}
    command can be specified with the @code{#:gem-flags} parameter.
    
    @end defvr
    
    @defvr {Scheme Variable} waf-build-system
    This variable is exported by @code{(guix build-system waf)}.  It
    implements a build procedure around the @code{waf} script.  The common
    phases---@code{configure}, @code{build}, and @code{install}---are
    implemented by passing their names as arguments to the @code{waf}
    script.
    
    The @code{waf} script is executed by the Python interpreter.  Which
    Python package is used to run the script can be specified with the
    @code{#:python} parameter.
    @end defvr
    
    
    @defvr {Scheme Variable} haskell-build-system
    This variable is exported by @code{(guix build-system haskell)}.  It
    implements the Cabal build procedure used by Haskell packages, which
    involves running @code{runhaskell Setup.hs configure
    --prefix=/gnu/store/@dots{}} and @code{runhaskell Setup.hs build}.
    Instead of installing the package by running @code{runhaskell Setup.hs
    install}, to avoid trying to register libraries in the read-only
    compiler store directory, the build system uses @code{runhaskell
    Setup.hs copy}, followed by @code{runhaskell Setup.hs register}.  In
    addition, the build system generates the package documentation by
    running @code{runhaskell Setup.hs haddock}, unless @code{#:haddock? #f}
    is passed.  Optional Haddock parameters can be passed with the help of
    the @code{#:haddock-flags} parameter.  If the file @code{Setup.hs} is
    not found, the build system looks for @code{Setup.lhs} instead.
    
    Which Haskell compiler is used can be specified with the @code{#:haskell}
    
    parameter which defaults to @code{ghc}.
    
    @defvr {Scheme Variable} dub-build-system
    This variable is exported by @code{(guix build-system dub)}.  It
    implements the Dub build procedure used by D packages, which
    involves running @code{dub build} and @code{dub run}.
    Installation is done by copying the files manually.
    
    Which D compiler is used can be specified with the @code{#:ldc}
    parameter which defaults to @code{ldc}.
    @end defvr
    
    
    @defvr {Scheme Variable} emacs-build-system
    This variable is exported by @code{(guix build-system emacs)}.  It
    
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    implements an installation procedure similar to the packaging system
    of Emacs itself (@pxref{Packages,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}).
    
    
    It first creates the @code{@var{package}-autoloads.el} file, then it
    byte compiles all Emacs Lisp files.  Differently from the Emacs
    packaging system, the Info documentation files are moved to the standard
    documentation directory and the @file{dir} file is deleted.  Each
    package is installed in its own directory under
    @file{share/emacs/site-lisp/guix.d}.
    @end defvr
    
    
    Lastly, for packages that do not need anything as sophisticated, a
    ``trivial'' build system is provided.  It is trivial in the sense that
    it provides basically no support: it does not pull any implicit inputs,
    and does not have a notion of build phases.
    
    @defvr {Scheme Variable} trivial-build-system
    This variable is exported by @code{(guix build-system trivial)}.
    
    This build system requires a @code{#:builder} argument.  This argument
    
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    must be a Scheme expression that builds the package output(s)---as
    
    with @code{build-expression->derivation} (@pxref{Derivations,
    @code{build-expression->derivation}}).
    @end defvr
    
    
    @node The Store
    @section The Store
    
    
    @cindex store
    
    @cindex store items
    
    @cindex store paths
    
    
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    Conceptually, the @dfn{store} is the place where derivations that have
    been built successfully are stored---by default, @file{/gnu/store}.
    
    Sub-directories in the store are referred to as @dfn{store items} or
    sometimes @dfn{store paths}.  The store has an associated database that
    contains information such as the store paths referred to by each store
    path, and the list of @emph{valid} store items---results of successful
    
    builds.  This database resides in @file{@var{localstatedir}/guix/db},
    where @var{localstatedir} is the state directory specified @i{via}
    @option{--localstatedir} at configure time, usually @file{/var}.
    
    
    The store is @emph{always} accessed by the daemon on behalf of its clients
    
    (@pxref{Invoking guix-daemon}).  To manipulate the store, clients
    
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    connect to the daemon over a Unix-domain socket, send requests to it,
    and read the result---these are remote procedure calls, or RPCs.
    
    @quotation Note
    Users must @emph{never} modify files under @file{/gnu/store} directly.
    This would lead to inconsistencies and break the immutability
    assumptions of Guix's functional model (@pxref{Introduction}).
    
    @xref{Invoking guix gc, @command{guix gc --verify}}, for information on
    how to check the integrity of the store and attempt recovery from
    accidental modifications.
    @end quotation
    
    
    The @code{(guix store)} module provides procedures to connect to the
    daemon, and to perform RPCs.  These are described below.
    
    @deffn {Scheme Procedure} open-connection [@var{file}] [#:reserve-space? #t]
    Connect to the daemon over the Unix-domain socket at @var{file}.  When
    @var{reserve-space?} is true, instruct it to reserve a little bit of
    extra space on the file system so that the garbage collector can still
    
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    operate should the disk become full.  Return a server object.
    
    
    @var{file} defaults to @var{%default-socket-path}, which is the normal
    location given the options that were passed to @command{configure}.
    @end deffn
    
    @deffn {Scheme Procedure} close-connection @var{server}
    Close the connection to @var{server}.
    @end deffn
    
    @defvr {Scheme Variable} current-build-output-port
    This variable is bound to a SRFI-39 parameter, which refers to the port
    where build and error logs sent by the daemon should be written.
    @end defvr
    
    Procedures that make RPCs all take a server object as their first
    argument.
    
    @deffn {Scheme Procedure} valid-path? @var{server} @var{path}
    
    @cindex invalid store items
    Return @code{#t} when @var{path} designates a valid store item and
    @code{#f} otherwise (an invalid item may exist on disk but still be
    invalid, for instance because it is the result of an aborted or failed
    build.)
    
    A @code{&nix-protocol-error} condition is raised if @var{path} is not
    prefixed by the store directory (@file{/gnu/store}).
    
    @deffn {Scheme Procedure} add-text-to-store @var{server} @var{name} @var{text} [@var{references}]
    
    Add @var{text} under file @var{name} in the store, and return its store
    path.  @var{references} is the list of store paths referred to by the
    resulting store path.
    @end deffn
    
    
    @deffn {Scheme Procedure} build-derivations @var{server} @var{derivations}
    
    Build @var{derivations} (a list of @code{<derivation>} objects or
    derivation paths), and return when the worker is done building them.
    Return @code{#t} on success.
    
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    Note that the @code{(guix monads)} module provides a monad as well as
    monadic versions of the above procedures, with the goal of making it
    more convenient to work with code that accesses the store (@pxref{The
    Store Monad}).
    
    
    @c FIXME
    @i{This section is currently incomplete.}
    
    
    @node Derivations
    @section Derivations
    
    
    @cindex derivations
    Low-level build actions and the environment in which they are performed
    
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    are represented by @dfn{derivations}.  A derivation contains the
    
    following pieces of information:
    
    @itemize
    @item
    The outputs of the derivation---derivations produce at least one file or
    directory in the store, but may produce more.
    
    @item
    The inputs of the derivations, which may be other derivations or plain
    files in the store (patches, build scripts, etc.)
    
    @item
    The system type targeted by the derivation---e.g., @code{x86_64-linux}.
    
    @item
    The file name of a build script in the store, along with the arguments
    to be passed.
    
    @item
    A list of environment variables to be defined.
    
    @end itemize
    
    @cindex derivation path
    Derivations allow clients of the daemon to communicate build actions to
    the store.  They exist in two forms: as an in-memory representation,
    both on the client- and daemon-side, and as files in the store whose
    name end in @code{.drv}---these files are referred to as @dfn{derivation
    paths}.  Derivations paths can be passed to the @code{build-derivations}
    procedure to perform the build actions they prescribe (@pxref{The
    Store}).
    
    The @code{(guix derivations)} module provides a representation of
    derivations as Scheme objects, along with procedures to create and
    otherwise manipulate derivations.  The lowest-level primitive to create
    a derivation is the @code{derivation} procedure:
    
    
    @deffn {Scheme Procedure} derivation @var{store} @var{name} @var{builder} @
      @var{args} [#:outputs '("out")] [#:hash #f] [#:hash-algo #f] @
    
      [#:recursive? #f] [#:inputs '()] [#:env-vars '()] @
    
      [#:system (%current-system)] [#:references-graphs #f] @
    
      [#:allowed-references #f] [#:disallowed-references #f] @
      [#:leaked-env-vars #f] [#:local-build? #f] @
    
    Build a derivation with the given arguments, and return the resulting
    @code{<derivation>} object.
    
    When @var{hash} and @var{hash-algo} are given, a
    
    @dfn{fixed-output derivation} is created---i.e., one whose result is
    
    known in advance, such as a file download.  If, in addition,
    @var{recursive?} is true, then that fixed output may be an executable
    file or a directory and @var{hash} must be the hash of an archive
    containing this output.
    
    When @var{references-graphs} is true, it must be a list of file
    
    name/store path pairs.  In that case, the reference graph of each store
    path is exported in the build environment in the corresponding file, in
    a simple text format.
    
    When @var{allowed-references} is true, it must be a list of store items
    
    or outputs that the derivation's output may refer to.  Likewise,
    @var{disallowed-references}, if true, must be a list of things the
    outputs may @emph{not} refer to.
    
    When @var{leaked-env-vars} is true, it must be a list of strings
    denoting environment variables that are allowed to ``leak'' from the
    daemon's environment to the build environment.  This is only applicable
    to fixed-output derivations---i.e., when @var{hash} is true.  The main
    use is to allow variables such as @code{http_proxy} to be passed to
    derivations that download files.
    
    
    When @var{local-build?} is true, declare that the derivation is not a
    good candidate for offloading and should rather be built locally
    (@pxref{Daemon Offload Setup}).  This is the case for small derivations
    where the costs of data transfers would outweigh the benefits.
    
    
    When @var{substitutable?} is false, declare that substitutes of the
    derivation's output should not be used (@pxref{Substitutes}).  This is
    useful, for instance, when building packages that capture details of the
    host CPU instruction set.
    
    @end deffn
    
    @noindent
    Here's an example with a shell script as its builder, assuming
    @var{store} is an open connection to the daemon, and @var{bash} points
    to a Bash executable in the store:
    
    @lisp
    (use-modules (guix utils)
                 (guix store)
                 (guix derivations))
    
    
    (let ((builder   ; add the Bash script to the store
            (add-text-to-store store "my-builder.sh"
                               "echo hello world > $out\n" '())))
      (derivation store "foo"
                  bash `("-e" ,builder)
    
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                  #:inputs `((,bash) (,builder))
    
                  #:env-vars '(("HOME" . "/homeless"))))
    
    @result{} #<derivation /gnu/store/@dots{}-foo.drv => /gnu/store/@dots{}-foo>
    
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    As can be guessed, this primitive is cumbersome to use directly.  A
    better approach is to write build scripts in Scheme, of course!  The
    best course of action for that is to write the build code as a
    ``G-expression'', and to pass it to @code{gexp->derivation}.  For more
    
    information, @pxref{G-Expressions}.
    
    Once upon a time, @code{gexp->derivation} did not exist and constructing
    derivations with build code written in Scheme was achieved with
    @code{build-expression->derivation}, documented below.  This procedure
    is now deprecated in favor of the much nicer @code{gexp->derivation}.
    
    @deffn {Scheme Procedure} build-expression->derivation @var{store} @
           @var{name} @var{exp} @
           [#:system (%current-system)] [#:inputs '()] @
           [#:outputs '("out")] [#:hash #f] [#:hash-algo #f] @
           [#:recursive? #f] [#:env-vars '()] [#:modules '()] @
           [#:references-graphs #f] [#:allowed-references #f] @
    
           [#:disallowed-references #f] @
    
           [#:local-build? #f] [#:substitutable? #t] [#:guile-for-build #f]
    Return a derivation that executes Scheme expression @var{exp} as a
    builder for derivation @var{name}.  @var{inputs} must be a list of
    @code{(name drv-path sub-drv)} tuples; when @var{sub-drv} is omitted,
    @code{"out"} is assumed.  @var{modules} is a list of names of Guile
    modules from the current search path to be copied in the store,
    compiled, and made available in the load path during the execution of
    @var{exp}---e.g., @code{((guix build utils) (guix build
    gnu-build-system))}.
    
    @var{exp} is evaluated in an environment where @code{%outputs} is bound
    to a list of output/path pairs, and where @code{%build-inputs} is bound
    to a list of string/output-path pairs made from @var{inputs}.
    Optionally, @var{env-vars} is a list of string pairs specifying the name
    and value of environment variables visible to the builder.  The builder
    terminates by passing the result of @var{exp} to @code{exit}; thus, when
    @var{exp} returns @code{#f}, the build is considered to have failed.
    
    @var{exp} is built using @var{guile-for-build} (a derivation).  When
    @var{guile-for-build} is omitted or is @code{#f}, the value of the
    @code{%guile-for-build} fluid is used instead.
    
    See the @code{derivation} procedure for the meaning of
    
    @var{references-graphs}, @var{allowed-references},
    @var{disallowed-references}, @var{local-build?}, and
    @var{substitutable?}.
    
    @end deffn
    
    @noindent
    Here's an example of a single-output derivation that creates a directory
    containing one file:
    
    @lisp
    (let ((builder '(let ((out (assoc-ref %outputs "out")))
                      (mkdir out)    ; create /gnu/store/@dots{}-goo
                      (call-with-output-file (string-append out "/test")
                        (lambda (p)
                          (display '(hello guix) p))))))
      (build-expression->derivation store "goo" builder))
    
    @result{} #<derivation /gnu/store/@dots{}-goo.drv => @dots{}>
    @end lisp
    
    
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    @node The Store Monad
    @section The Store Monad
    
    @cindex monad
    
    The procedures that operate on the store described in the previous
    sections all take an open connection to the build daemon as their first
    argument.  Although the underlying model is functional, they either have
    side effects or depend on the current state of the store.
    
    The former is inconvenient: the connection to the build daemon has to be
    carried around in all those functions, making it impossible to compose
    functions that do not take that parameter with functions that do.  The
    latter can be problematic: since store operations have side effects
    and/or depend on external state, they have to be properly sequenced.
    
    @cindex monadic values
    @cindex monadic functions
    This is where the @code{(guix monads)} module comes in.  This module
    provides a framework for working with @dfn{monads}, and a particularly
    useful monad for our uses, the @dfn{store monad}.  Monads are a
    construct that allows two things: associating ``context'' with values
    (in our case, the context is the store), and building sequences of
    
    computations (here computations include accesses to the store).  Values
    
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    in a monad---values that carry this additional context---are called
    @dfn{monadic values}; procedures that return such values are called
    @dfn{monadic procedures}.
    
    Consider this ``normal'' procedure:
    
    @example
    
    (define (sh-symlink store)
      ;; Return a derivation that symlinks the 'bash' executable.
      (let* ((drv (package-derivation store bash))
             (out (derivation->output-path drv))
             (sh  (string-append out "/bin/bash")))
        (build-expression->derivation store "sh"
                                      `(symlink ,sh %output))))
    
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    @end example
    
    
    Using @code{(guix monads)} and @code{(guix gexp)}, it may be rewritten
    as a monadic function:
    
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    @example
    
    (define (sh-symlink)
    
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      ;; Same, but return a monadic value.
    
      (mlet %store-monad ((drv (package->derivation bash)))
        (gexp->derivation "sh"
                          #~(symlink (string-append #$drv "/bin/bash")
                                     #$output))))
    
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    @end example
    
    
    There are several things to note in the second version: the @code{store}
    
    parameter is now implicit and is ``threaded'' in the calls to the
    @code{package->derivation} and @code{gexp->derivation} monadic
    procedures, and the monadic value returned by @code{package->derivation}
    is @dfn{bound} using @code{mlet} instead of plain @code{let}.
    
    As it turns out, the call to @code{package->derivation} can even be
    omitted since it will take place implicitly, as we will see later
    (@pxref{G-Expressions}):
    
    @example
    (define (sh-symlink)
      (gexp->derivation "sh"
                        #~(symlink (string-append #$bash "/bin/bash")
                                   #$output)))
    @end example
    
    @c <https://syntaxexclamation.wordpress.com/2014/06/26/escaping-continuations/>
    
    @c for the funny quote.
    Calling the monadic @code{sh-symlink} has no effect.  As someone once
    said, ``you exit a monad like you exit a building on fire: by running''.
    So, to exit the monad and get the desired effect, one must use
    @code{run-with-store}:
    
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    @example
    
    (run-with-store (open-connection) (sh-symlink))
    @result{} /gnu/store/...-sh-symlink
    
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    @end example
    
    
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    Note that the @code{(guix monad-repl)} module extends the Guile REPL with
    
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    new ``meta-commands'' to make it easier to deal with monadic procedures:
    
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    @code{run-in-store}, and @code{enter-store-monad}.  The former is used
    
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    to ``run'' a single monadic value through the store:
    
    @example
    scheme@@(guile-user)> ,run-in-store (package->derivation hello)
    $1 = #<derivation /gnu/store/@dots{}-hello-2.9.drv => @dots{}>
    @end example
    
    The latter enters a recursive REPL, where all the return values are
    automatically run through the store:
    
    @example
    scheme@@(guile-user)> ,enter-store-monad
    store-monad@@(guile-user) [1]> (package->derivation hello)
    $2 = #<derivation /gnu/store/@dots{}-hello-2.9.drv => @dots{}>
    store-monad@@(guile-user) [1]> (text-file "foo" "Hello!")
    $3 = "/gnu/store/@dots{}-foo"
    store-monad@@(guile-user) [1]> ,q
    scheme@@(guile-user)>
    @end example
    
    @noindent
    Note that non-monadic values cannot be returned in the
    @code{store-monad} REPL.
    
    
    The main syntactic forms to deal with monads in general are provided by
    the @code{(guix monads)} module and are described below.
    
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    @deffn {Scheme Syntax} with-monad @var{monad} @var{body} ...
    Evaluate any @code{>>=} or @code{return} forms in @var{body} as being
    in @var{monad}.
    @end deffn
    
    @deffn {Scheme Syntax} return @var{val}
    Return a monadic value that encapsulates @var{val}.
    @end deffn
    
    
    @deffn {Scheme Syntax} >>= @var{mval} @var{mproc} ...
    
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    @dfn{Bind} monadic value @var{mval}, passing its ``contents'' to monadic
    
    procedures @var{mproc}@dots{}@footnote{This operation is commonly
    referred to as ``bind'', but that name denotes an unrelated procedure in
    Guile.  Thus we use this somewhat cryptic symbol inherited from the
    Haskell language.}.  There can be one @var{mproc} or several of them, as
    in this example:
    
    @example
    (run-with-state
        (with-monad %state-monad
          (>>= (return 1)
               (lambda (x) (return (+ 1 x)))
               (lambda (x) (return (* 2 x)))))
      'some-state)