OS Manuals

/usr/bin/valac

Compiler for the GObject type system

From vala 0.56.19-r3 (os), captured 2026-11-10 by running valac --help (exit 0). permalink

Usage:
  valac [OPTION…] FILE... - Vala Compiler

Help Options:
  -?, --help                                 Show help options

Application Options:
  --vapidir=DIRECTORY...                     Look for package bindings in DIRECTORY
  --girdir=DIRECTORY...                      Look for .gir files in DIRECTORY
  --metadatadir=DIRECTORY...                 Look for GIR .metadata files in DIRECTORY
  --pkg=PACKAGE...                           Include binding for PACKAGE
  --vapi=FILE                                Output VAPI file name
  --library=NAME                             Library name
  --shared-library=NAME                      Shared library name used in generated gir
  --gir=NAME-VERSION.gir                     GObject-Introspection repository file name
  -b, --basedir=DIRECTORY                    Base source directory
  -d, --directory=DIRECTORY                  Change output directory from current working directory
  --version                                  Display version number
  --api-version                              Display API version number
  -C, --ccode                                Output C code
  -H, --header=FILE                          Output C header file
  --use-header                               Use C header file (DEPRECATED AND IGNORED)
  --includedir=DIRECTORY                     Directory used to include the C header file
  -h, --internal-header=FILE                 Output internal C header file
  --internal-vapi=FILE                       Output vapi with internal api
  --fast-vapi                                Output vapi without performing symbol resolution
  --use-fast-vapi                            Use --fast-vapi output during this compile
  --vapi-comments                            Include comments in generated vapi
  --deps                                     Write make-style dependency information to this file
  --depfile                                  Write make-style external dependency information for build systems to this file
  --list-sources                             Output a list of all source and binding files which are used
  --symbols=FILE                             Output symbols file
  -c, --compile                              Compile but do not link
  -o, --output=FILE                          Place output in file FILE
  -g, --debug                                Produce debug information
  --thread                                   Enable multithreading support (DEPRECATED AND IGNORED)
  --enable-mem-profiler                      Enable GLib memory profiler
  -D, --define=SYMBOL...                     Define SYMBOL
  --main=SYMBOL...                           Use SYMBOL as entry point
  --nostdpkg                                 Do not include standard packages
  --disable-assert                           Disable assertions
  --enable-checking                          Enable additional run-time checks
  --enable-deprecated                        Enable deprecated features
  --hide-internal                            Hide symbols marked as internal
  --enable-experimental                      Enable experimental features
  --disable-warnings                         Disable warnings
  --fatal-warnings                           Treat warnings as fatal
  --disable-since-check                      Do not check whether used symbols exist in local packages
  -k, --keep-going                           Continue as much as possible after an error
  --enable-experimental-non-null             Enable experimental enhancements for non-null types
  --enable-gobject-tracing                   Enable GObject creation tracing
  --cc=COMMAND                               Use COMMAND as C compiler command
  -X, --Xcc=OPTION...                        Pass OPTION to the C compiler
  --pkg-config=COMMAND                       Use COMMAND as pkg-config command
  --dump-tree=FILE                           Write code tree to FILE
  --save-temps                               Keep temporary files
  --profile=PROFILE                          Minimum runtime dependency: 'gobject' (default) or 'posix' (minimal libc)
  -q, --quiet                                Do not print messages to the console
  -v, --verbose                              Print additional messages to the console
  --no-color                                 Disable colored output, alias for --color=never
  --color=WHEN                               Enable color output, options are 'always', 'never', or 'auto'
  --target-glib='MAJOR.MINOR', or 'auto'     Target version of glib for code generation
  --gresources=FILE...                       XML of gresources
  --gresourcesdir=DIRECTORY...               Look for resources in DIRECTORY
  --enable-version-header                    Write vala build version in generated files
  --disable-version-header                   Do not write vala build version in generated files
  --run-args                                 Arguments passed to directly compiled executable
  --abi-stability                            Enable support for ABI stability
Options (62)
OptionDescriptionSource
-?, --helpShow help optionshelp + man
--vapidir DIRECTORY...Look for package bindings in DIRECTORYhelp + man
--girdir DIRECTORY...Look for .gir files in DIRECTORYhelp + man
--metadatadir DIRECTORY...Look for GIR .metadata files in DIRECTORYhelp + man
--pkg PACKAGE...Include binding for PACKAGEhelp + man
--vapi FILEOutput VAPI file namehelp + man
--library NAMELibrary namehelp + man
--shared-library NAMEShared library name used in generated girhelp + man
--gir NAME-VERSION.girGObject-Introspection repository file namehelp + man
-b, --basedir DIRECTORYBase source directoryhelp + man
-d, --directory DIRECTORYChange output directory from current working directoryhelp + man
--versionDisplay version numberhelp + man
--api-versionDisplay API version numberhelp + man
-C, --ccodeOutput C codehelp + man
-H, --header FILEOutput C header filehelp + man
--use-headerUse C header file (DEPRECATED AND IGNORED)help + man
--includedir DIRECTORYDirectory used to include the C header filehelp + man
-h, --internal-header FILEOutput internal C header filehelp + man
--internal-vapi FILEOutput vapi with internal apihelp + man
--fast-vapiOutput vapi without performing symbol resolutionhelp + man
--use-fast-vapiUse --fast-vapi output during this compilehelp + man
--vapi-commentsInclude comments in generated vapihelp + man
--depsWrite make-style dependency information to this filehelp + man
--depfileWrite make-style external dependency information for build systems to this filehelp + man
--list-sourcesOutput a list of all source and binding files which are usedhelp + man
--symbols FILEOutput symbols filehelp + man
-c, --compileCompile but do not linkhelp + man
-o, --output FILEPlace output in file FILEhelp + man
-g, --debugProduce debug informationhelp + man
--threadEnable multithreading support (DEPRECATED AND IGNORED)help + man
--enable-mem-profilerEnable GLib memory profilerhelp + man
-D, --define SYMBOL...Define SYMBOLhelp + man
--main SYMBOL...Use SYMBOL as entry pointhelp + man
--nostdpkgDo not include standard packageshelp + man
--disable-assertDisable assertionshelp + man
--enable-checkingEnable additional run-time checkshelp + man
--enable-deprecatedEnable deprecated featureshelp + man
--hide-internalHide symbols marked as internalhelp + man
--enable-experimentalEnable experimental featureshelp + man
--disable-warningsDisable warningshelp + man
--fatal-warningsTreat warnings as fatalhelp + man
--disable-since-checkDo not check whether used symbols exist in local packageshelp + man
-k, --keep-goingContinue as much as possible after an errorhelp + man
--enable-experimental-non-nullEnable experimental enhancements for non-null typeshelp + man
--enable-gobject-tracingEnable GObject creation tracinghelp + man
--cc COMMANDUse COMMAND as C compiler commandhelp + man
-X, --Xcc OPTION...Pass OPTION to the C compilerhelp + man
--pkg-config COMMANDUse COMMAND as pkg-config commandhelp + man
--dump-tree FILEWrite code tree to FILEhelp + man
--save-tempsKeep temporary fileshelp + man
--profile PROFILEMinimum runtime dependency: 'gobject' (default) or 'posix' (minimal libc)help + man
-q, --quietDo not print messages to the consolehelp + man
-v, --verbosePrint additional messages to the consolehelp + man
--no-colorDisable colored output, alias for --color=neverhelp + man
--color WHENEnable color output, options are 'always', 'never', or 'auto'help + man
--target-glib 'MAJOR.MINOR'Target version of glib for code generationhelp + man
--gresources FILE...XML of gresourceshelp + man
--gresourcesdir DIRECTORY...Look for resources in DIRECTORYhelp + man
--enable-version-headerWrite vala build version in generated fileshelp + man
--disable-version-headerDo not write vala build version in generated fileshelp + man
--run-argsArguments passed to directly compiled executablehelp + man
--abi-stabilityEnable support for ABI stabilityhelp + man

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.