Arx Compiler CLI

The arxlang distribution installs the arx command. It can inspect frontend and lowering stages, compile native artifacts, run executables, and execute compiled tests.

Command forms

arx [input_files ...] [options]
arx run [input_files ...] [options]
arx test [paths ...] [options]

run is an alternate spelling of --run. test is a separate subcommand.

Inspection modes

arx --show-tokens program.x
arx --show-ast program.x
arx --show-llvm-ir program.x
Option Output
--show-tokens lexer tokens and source positions
--show-ast parser output expressed as ASTx nodes
--show-llvm-ir LLVM IR after IRx analysis and lowering

These modes stop after printing the requested representation.

Build and run

arx program.x --output-file program
arx --run program.x
arx run program.x

The compiler emits an executable when the module defines main. Without a native entry point, or with --lib, it emits an object artifact instead.

Option Purpose
--output-file PATH select the object or executable path
--lib emit a library/object artifact
--run build and run an executable
--link-mode MODE use auto, pie, or no-pie linking
--version print the installed version
--shell reserved; the interactive shell is not implemented

Compiling multiple input files in one invocation is not currently supported. Use project-aware imports to compile a module graph from one entry file.

Output path

--output-file accepts the requested artifact path. If it is omitted, the compiler derives a name from the entry source file and otherwise falls back to a.out.

Tests

The arx test subcommand has its own discovery and execution options. See Compiled Tests.

API boundary

CLI argument handling lives in Arx. Semantic diagnostics, LLVM lowering, artifact building, and runtime feature activation are provided by IRx.

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