---
name: "sa-compile"
section: "1p"
platform: "linux"
package: "spamassassin"
version: "4.0.2-3"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/sa-compile"
---

# sa-compile(1p)

compile SpamAssassin ruleset into native code

## NAME

sa-compile - compile SpamAssassin ruleset into native code

## SYNOPSIS

**sa-compile** \[options\]

Options:

```
  --list                        Output base string list to STDOUT
  --sudo                        Use 'sudo' for privilege escalation
  --keep-tmps                   Keep temporary files instead of deleting
  -C path, --configpath=path, --config-file=path
                                Path to standard configuration dir
  -p prefs, --prefspath=file, --prefs-file=file
                                Set user preferences file
  --siteconfigpath=path         Path for site configs
                                (default: /usr/etc/mail/spamassassin)
  --updatedir=path              Directory to place updates
          (default: /var/lib/spamassassin/compiled/<perlversion>/4.000002)
  --cf='config line'            Additional line of configuration
  -D, --debug [area=n,...]      Print debugging messages
  -V, --version                 Print version
  -h, --help                    Print usage message
```

## DESCRIPTION

sa-compile uses `"re2c"` to compile the site-wide parts of the SpamAssassin ruleset. No part of user\_prefs or any files included from user\_prefs can be built into the compiled set.

This compiled set is then used by the  `"Mail::SpamAssassin::Plugin::Rule2XSBody"` plugin to speed up SpamAssassin's operation, where possible, and when that plugin is loaded.

`"re2c"` can match strings much faster than perl code, by constructing a DFA to match many simple strings in parallel, and compiling that to native object code.  Not all SpamAssassin rules are amenable to this conversion, however.

This requires `"re2c"` (see `"https://re2c.org/"`), and the C compiler used to build Perl XS modules, be installed.

Note that running this, and creating a compiled ruleset, will have no effect on SpamAssassin scanning speeds unless you also edit your `"v320.pre"` file and ensure this line is uncommented:

```
  loadplugin Mail::SpamAssassin::Plugin::Rule2XSBody
```

Additionally, "sa-compile" will not restart "spamd" or otherwise cause a scanner to reload the now-compiled ruleset automatically.

## OPTIONS

- **--list**

  Output the extracted base strings to STDOUT, instead of generating the C extension code.

- **--sudo**

  Use `sudo(8)` to run code as 'root' when writing files to the compiled-rules storage area (which is `"/var/lib/spamassassin/compiled/5.044/4.000002"` by default).

- **--quiet**

  Produce less diagnostic output.  Errors will still be displayed.

- **--keep-tmps**

  Keep temporary files after the script completes, instead of deleting them.

- **-C** *path*, **--configpath**=*path*, **--config-file**=*path*

  Use the specified path for locating the distributed configuration files. Ignore the default directories (usually `"/usr/share/spamassassin"` or similar).

- **--siteconfigpath**=*path*

  Use the specified path for locating site-specific configuration files.  Ignore the default directories (usually `"/etc/mail/spamassassin"` or similar).

- **--updatedir**

  By default, `"sa-compile"` will use the system-wide rules update directory:

  ```
          /var/lib/spamassassin/compiled/5.044/4.000002
  ```

  If the updates should be stored in another location, specify it here.

  Note that use of this option is not recommended; if sa-compile is placing the compiled rules the wrong directory, you probably need to rebuild SpamAssassin with different `"Makefile.PL"` arguments, instead of overriding sa-compile's runtime behaviour.

- **--cf='config line'**

  Add additional lines of configuration directly from the command-line, parsed after the configuration files are read.   Multiple **--cf** arguments can be used, and each will be considered a separate line of configuration.

- **-p** *prefs*, **--prefspath**=*prefs*, **--prefs-file**=*prefs*

  Read user score preferences from *prefs* (usually `"$HOME/.spamassassin/user_prefs"`) .

- **-D** \[*area,...*\], **--debug** \[*area,...*\]

  Produce debugging output.  If no areas are listed, all debugging information is printed.  Diagnostic output can also be enabled for each area individually; *area* is the area of the code to instrument.

  For more information about which areas (also known as channels) are available, please see the documentation at \<https://wiki.apache.org/spamassassin/DebugChannels\>.

- **-h**, **--help**

  Print help message and exit.

- **-V**, **--version**

  Print sa-compile version and exit.

## SEE ALSO

**Mail::SpamAssassin**(3) **spamassassin**(1) **spamd**(1)

## PREREQUISITES

`"Mail::SpamAssassin"` `"re2c"` `"Mail::SpamAssassin::Plugin::Rule2XSBody"`

## BUGS

See \<https://bz.apache.org/SpamAssassin/\>

## AUTHORS

The Apache SpamAssassin(tm) Project \<https://spamassassin.apache.org/\>

## LICENSE AND COPYRIGHT

SpamAssassin is distributed under the Apache License, Version 2.0, as described in the file `"LICENSE"` included with the distribution.

Copyright (C) 2015 The Apache Software Foundation