---
name: "ml-build"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "smlnj"
version: "110.99.9-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ml-build"
---

# ml-build(1)

command-line build tool for SML/NJ programs

## NAME

ml-build - command-line build tool for SML/NJ programs

## SYNOPSIS

**ml-build** \[*OPTIONS*\] *group.cm* \[*main* \[*heap-image*\]\]

## DESCRIPTION

**ML-Build** is a command-line tool for building applications from SML source files using the Compilation Manager and SML/NJ compiler.

## OPTIONS

- **-C***ctl*=*value*

  set the control *ctl* to *value*.

- **-D***name*=*value*

  define the CM variable *name* to have the given value.

**-D**'name

define the CM variable *name* to have the value 1.

- **-U***name*

  remove any definition of the CM variable *name*.

- **-S** *setup.cm*

  load and execute the code specified by the CM file *setup.cm* prior to the main build process.  This option allows one to customize the compiler via side-effect.

## EXAMPLES

`ml-build foo.cm`

builds the program `foo` assuming a main function named `Test.main`.

`ml-build foo.cm Main.main`

builds the program `foo` with main function named `Main.main`.

`ml-build sources.cm Main.main prog`

builds the program `prog` with main function named `Main.main`.

## AUTHOR

**ML-Build** was written by Matthias Blume.

## SEE-ALSO

[**ml-makedepend**(1)](/ml-makedepend/1.md), [**sml**(1)](/sml/1.md), [**smlnj**(7)](/smlnj/7.md)

## COPYING

Copyright © 2020 The Fellowship of SML/NJ

This is free software; see the source for copying  conditions.   There  is  NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.