Compiler distributions

make package builds and packages both Linux x86_64 and AArch64 compilers. Its default format is tar.gz. The output names are:

dist/xen-<version>-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
dist/xen-<version>-linux-aarch64.tar.gz

make package-deb creates xen-lang_<debian-version>_amd64.deb and xen-lang_<debian-version>_arm64.deb. make release-package creates both formats in one staged operation. PACKAGE_FORMATS="tar.gz deb" also selects both formats on make package or make package-one. Existing Make selectors remain available.

Command	Formats	Default compiler CPUs
make package	tar.gz	x86_64 and aarch64
make package-deb	.deb	x86_64 and aarch64
make release-package	tar.gz and .deb	x86_64 and aarch64
make source-package	source tar.gz	No compiler build

For installation of downloaded artifacts, see installing Xen.

Distribution code is organized under packaging/: archive/, debian/, toolchains/ and github/, with shared validation and build orchestration at the top level. scripts/ contains the general test runner.

Binary archives contain bin/xen, the runtime standard library, learning examples, license notices, VERSION and a distribution README. The .xen files in stdlib/ are required by the compiler’s module loader. Both Linux platform profiles are included so either compiler can emit either supported target. Compiler source, build documentation and development scripts belong to the separate source archive. macOS is unsupported.

Cross toolchain configuration

Native OCaml and Dune must be on PATH. The other architecture requires an OCaml cross compiler of exactly the same version, target C tools and libraries, and an execution path for version validation. Follow the AArch64 source build guide to prepare the cross compiler on x86_64.

Configure cross prefixes and runners in .package-toolchains.json at the repository root. This machine-local file is excluded from Git and source archives. packaging/toolchains/example.json describes both architecture entries:

{
  "aarch64": {
    "prefix": "/absolute/path/to/ocaml-aarch64",
    "runner": ["qemu-aarch64", "-L", "/usr/aarch64-linux-gnu"]
  }
}

On an AArch64 host, configure the x86_64 entry instead. Prefixes must be absolute and contain executable bin/ocamlc and bin/ocamlopt. Only the non-native architecture uses its configured prefix and runner. An empty runner uses direct execution and requires a compatible host or kernel binary handler. Without configuration, cross prefixes default to /opt/ocaml-aarch64 and /opt/ocaml-x86_64, with direct execution. Select another file with PACKAGE_TOOLCHAINS=/path/to/toolchains.json.

The build checks OCaml versions, system and architecture before invoking Dune. Missing or mismatched toolchains fail; requested architectures are never omitted. Dune uses native default and cross package_<architecture> contexts, with host default for build-time tools. It requests compiler/main.exe directly without promoting over compiler/dist/xen.

Binary distribution commands

make package
make package VERSION=0.1.0-demo.2
make package-build
make package PACKAGE_ARCHS=x86_64
make package PACKAGE_ARCHS=aarch64

package-build builds both compilers without packaging. PACKAGE_ARCHS explicitly selects a subset; arm64 aliases aarch64. Each bundled compiler must match the requested ELF architecture and report the requested version. All requested artifacts are completed before existing release artifacts are replaced.

For one selected context or an existing binary:

make package-one
make package-one DUNE_WORKSPACE=packaging/toolchains/dune-workspace.arm64 \
  PACKAGE_CONTEXT=arm64 PACKAGE_ARCH=aarch64 \
  PACKAGE_RUNNER='["qemu-aarch64","-L","/usr/aarch64-linux-gnu"]'
make package-one PACKAGE_BINARY=/path/to/xen

Adjust the workspace’s two prefix paths before using the explicit context. PACKAGE_BINARY skips Dune. For compatibility, nonempty PACKAGE_BINARY, PACKAGE_CONTEXT, DUNE_WORKSPACE or PACKAGE_ARCH also select single mode when passed to make package. PACKAGE_NAME and PACKAGE customize the name or output file in single mode with one format selected. Debian PACKAGE_NAME changes only the output filename; its installed package name remains xen-lang. DIST_DIR selects the artifact directory in either mode.

Debian packages

Install build tools with sudo apt install dpkg-dev. Native packaging is the simplest route; select PACKAGE_ARCHS=x86_64 or PACKAGE_ARCHS=aarch64 on each native builder. Cross packaging also requires target libraries and their Debian package metadata, in addition to OCaml and the version-check runner. For example, on an amd64 Debian/Ubuntu builder, install the foreign runtime using sudo dpkg --add-architecture arm64, sudo apt update and sudo apt install libc6:arm64 (configure matching arm64 apt sources first where required). dpkg-shlibdeps must resolve every linked target library; missing metadata fails the package rather than guessing dependencies.

The package is named xen-lang and installs /usr/bin/xen, runtime modules under /usr/lib/xen, and examples/notices under /usr/share/doc/xen-lang. Both target profiles are bundled. No environment variables or maintainer scripts are needed. All package files belong to root, including when built by an ordinary user. Minimal OS images may exclude documentation using their dpkg configuration.

The following amd64 example assumes dist/ contains one matching package. Use _arm64.deb on arm64. See installation for CPU selection and checksum verification.

sudo apt install ./dist/xen-lang_*_amd64.deb
xen version
xen run hello.xen
sudo apt remove xen-lang

Debian versions must start with a digit. _ and - suffix separators become ~, and packaging revision -1 is appended: 0.1.0-demo.2 becomes 0.1.0~demo.2-1, which sorts before 0.1.0-1. Legacy 0.1.0_1-demo versions map to 0.1.0~1~demo-1. The compiler’s version and bundled VERSION retain the original text. Dependency versions are calculated from the actual ELF with dpkg-shlibdeps; rebuilding on a newer OS can raise the minimum required glibc version. See Debian’s version rules and dpkg-shlibdeps.

GitHub releases

The release workflow builds natively on Ubuntu 22.04 for amd64 and arm64, using OCaml 5.5.0 and Dune 3.24.2. This builds both the OCaml runtime and Xen against the older system libraries. Packages must pass installation, stdlib discovery, check/build/run/test and removal in clean Debian 12/13 and Ubuntu 22.04/24.04/26.04 containers on each CPU. ARM hardware validation of other compiler features remains subject to the project’s existing experimental-support scope. Other derivatives are not separately certified.

1. Set VERSION, commit the release changes, and push the matching v<VERSION> tag.
2. Both architecture jobs build tar.gz and .deb assets and run installation checks.
3. Assembly requires exactly both binary archives, both .deb files and one source archive, then generates SHA256SUMS.
4. Only a tag push publishes a GitHub release. It creates a draft, uploads all six assets, then publishes it. Versions with _ or - suffixes, or alpha/beta/rc markers, are marked as prereleases. A failed upload leaves a draft for inspection; delete that draft before rerunning the publish job. Published releases are not overwritten.

workflow_dispatch and packaging pull requests build and validate artifacts without publishing. Download the release-assets Actions artifact for review. Local validation uses python3 scripts/test.py --suite packaging. Build a complete local asset set in an empty output directory (both compiler toolchains and target Debian metadata must be configured):

make release-package DIST_DIR=dist/release
make source-package DIST_DIR=dist/release
python3 -m packaging.github.release --directory dist/release
(cd dist/release && sha256sum --check SHA256SUMS)

release-package itself creates four binary packages. The source archive and checksum manifest are separate steps; the GitHub workflow performs all of them. After committing the release changes, publish the matching tag:

XEN_RELEASE_TAG="v$(cat VERSION)"
git tag "$XEN_RELEASE_TAG"
git push origin "$XEN_RELEASE_TAG"

To validate an assembled local directory, run python3 -m packaging.github.release --directory /path/to/assets --tag v<VERSION>. The asset directory must contain only the five release packages (and optionally an existing SHA256SUMS); stale files are rejected.

Source distribution

make source-package VERSION=0.1.0-demo.2

This exports xen-<version>-source.tar.gz with compiler and standard library sources, build files, packaging/, release workflows, scripts, tests, documentation, examples and license notices. It does not build compilers or include Git history, machine-local toolchains or generated build outputs. Compiler build guides are included in this archive.