diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 00000000..cf87ba90 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,15 @@ +Waf is a Python-based framework for configuring, compiling and installing applications. Here are perhaps the most important features of Waf: + + * *Automatic build order*: the build order is computed from input and output files, among others + * *Automatic dependencies*: tasks to execute are detected by hashing files and commands + * *Performance*: tasks are executed in parallel automatically, the startup time is meant to be fast (separation between configuration and build) + * *Flexibility*: new commands and tasks can be added very easily through subclassing, bottlenecks for specific builds can be eliminated through dynamic method replacement + * *Extensibility*: though many programming languages and compilers are already supported by default, many others are available as extensions + * *IDE support*: Eclipse, Visual Studio and Xcode project generators (waflib/extras/) + * *Documentation*: the application is based on a robust model documented in [The Waf Book](http://docs.waf.googlecode.com/git/book_17/single.html) and in the [API docs](http://docs.waf.googlecode.com/git/apidocs_17/index.html) + * *Python compatibility*: cPython 2.5 to 3.4, Jython 2.5, IronPython, and Pypy + +Waf is used in particular by innovative companies such as [Avalanche Studios](http://www.avalanchestudios.se) and by open-source projects such as [the Samba project](http://www.samba.org/). Learn more about Waf by reading [The Waf Book](http://docs.waf.googlecode.com/git/book_17/single.html). + +For researchers and build system writers, Waf also provides a framework for creating [custom build systems](http://code.google.com/p/waf/source/browse/build_system_kit/) and [package distribution systems](http://code.google.com/p/waf/source/browse/playground/distnet/README.rst). +