Compilers and runtimes

Choose the
right tool.

Nox detects tools from PATH and keeps language-specific invocation in Riders and executor backends.

Detection

Setup detects the native trio.

nox setup looks for a C compiler, linker, and archiver. C detection prefers cc, clang, then gcc; C++ uses c++, clang++, then g++; archives use ar or llvm-ar. Other Riders check their tool when their target is built.

cc -> clang -> gcc
c++ -> clang++ -> g++
ar -> llvm-ar
Catalog

Built-in toolchain paths.

Ccc, clang, gcc

Native compile, link, static-library, and shared-library actions.

C++c++, clang++, g++

Native C++ compile and link actions for .cpp, .cc, and .cxx.

Rustrustc

Direct Rust targets; Cargo is used for Rust executables with Cargo.toml.

Dldc2, dmd, gdc

Native executable builds and temporary direct-file runs.

Gogo

go build executable targets.

Javajavac, jar

Class compilation followed by JAR packaging.

C#csc, mcs

Executable compilation through the detected compiler.

Swift / Zigswiftc / zig

Native executable actions.

Python / JavaScriptpython3 / node

Syntax checks and packaged target artifacts.

TypeScript / Kotlintsc / kotlinc

JavaScript transpilation or runnable JAR packaging.

Flags

Project flags and invocation flags.

Target flags, include_dirs, defines, and linker_flags stay with the target. Repeated --compile-flag values add flags to compiler invocations for setup or the current build.

nox setup build --compile-flag -Wall
nox build -C build --compile-flag -O2
Missing tools

Failures name the dependency.

Nox does not silently switch to a different language backend. If a required compiler or runtime is absent, setup or build reports the missing toolchain. Install the tool and ensure it is visible through PATH, then run setup again when the configured native tool changed.

Rider catalog →Runner catalog →