Compiler Commands

Reference for all msc (MetaScript Compiler) commands.

Global Options

These options work with all commands:

msc [command] [options]

Options:
  -h, --help       Show help
  -v, --version    Show version number
  -q, --quiet      Suppress non-error output
  --verbose        Show detailed output
  --color          Force colored output
  --no-color       Disable colored output

Commands

msc build

Compile MetaScript to the target backend.

msc build [entry] [options]

Arguments:

Argument	Description	Default
`entry`	Entry file or directory	`src/`

Options:

Option	Description	Default
`-t, --target`	Compilation target (`js`, `c`, `erlang`)	`js`
`-o, --outDir`	Output directory	`dist/`
`--release`	Enable optimizations	`false`
`--sourceMaps`	Generate source maps	`true`
`--minify`	Minify output (JS only)	`false`
`--watch`	Watch for changes	`false`

Examples:

# Build to JavaScript
msc build

# Build to C with optimizations
msc build --target=c --release

# Build specific file
msc build src/main.ms -o build/

# Watch mode
msc build --watch

msc run

Build and execute the program.

msc run [entry] [options] -- [args]

Options:

Option	Description	Default
`-t, --target`	Compilation target	`js`
`--release`	Enable optimizations	`false`

Examples:

# Run with JavaScript
msc run src/main.ms

# Run with C backend
msc run --target=c src/main.ms

# Pass arguments
msc run src/main.ms -- --port 3000

msc check

Type-check without compiling.

msc check [files] [options]

Options:

Option	Description	Default
`--strict`	Enable strict mode	`true`
`--no-warnings`	Hide warnings	`false`

Examples:

# Check all files
msc check

# Check specific file
msc check src/main.ms

# Check with all warnings
msc check --strict

msc test

Run tests.

msc test [pattern] [options]

Options:

Option	Description	Default
`-t, --target`	Compilation target	`js`
`--watch`	Watch for changes	`false`
`--coverage`	Generate coverage report	`false`
`--filter`	Filter tests by name	-
`--parallel`	Run tests in parallel	`true`

Examples:

# Run all tests
msc test

# Run tests matching pattern
msc test "user*"

# Run with coverage
msc test --coverage

# Filter by name
msc test --filter "should handle errors"

msc expand

Show macro expansion output.

msc expand <file> [options]

Options:

Option	Description	Default
`--macro`	Expand specific macro only	-
`--line`	Expand macros at specific line	-

Examples:

# Expand all macros in file
msc expand src/models.ms

# Expand specific macro
msc expand src/models.ms --macro derive

# Expand at line
msc expand src/models.ms --line 42

msc fmt

Format source code.

msc fmt [files] [options]

Options:

Option	Description	Default
`--check`	Check formatting only	`false`
`--write`	Write changes to files	`true`
`--config`	Path to config file	-

Examples:

# Format all files
msc fmt

# Check formatting (CI)
msc fmt --check

# Format specific files
msc fmt src/main.ms src/utils.ms

msc lint

Run linter.

msc lint [files] [options]

Options:

Option	Description	Default
`--fix`	Auto-fix issues	`false`
`--config`	Path to config file	-

Examples:

# Lint all files
msc lint

# Lint and fix
msc lint --fix

# Lint specific directory
msc lint src/

msc init

Initialize a new project.

msc init [directory] [options]

Options:

Option	Description	Default
`--template`	Project template	`default`
`--name`	Project name	directory name

Templates:

default - Basic project
cli - CLI tool
lambda - AWS Lambda
otp - Erlang/OTP service
lib - Library package

Examples:

# Initialize in current directory
msc init

# Initialize with template
msc init my-cli --template cli

# Initialize library
msc init my-lib --template lib

msc add

Add dependencies.

msc add <packages...> [options]

Options:

Option	Description	Default
`-D, --dev`	Add as dev dependency	`false`

Examples:

# Add runtime dependency
msc add @metascript/http

# Add dev dependency
msc add -D @metascript/test

msc docs

Generate documentation.

msc docs [options]

Options:

Option	Description	Default
`-o, --outDir`	Output directory	`docs/`
`--serve`	Serve docs locally	`false`

Examples:

# Generate docs
msc docs

# Generate and serve
msc docs --serve

msc repl

Start interactive REPL.

msc repl [options]

Options:

Option	Description	Default
`-t, --target`	Compilation target	`js`
`--load`	Load file before starting	-

Examples:

# Start REPL
msc repl

# Start with C backend
msc repl --target=c

# Load file first
msc repl --load src/utils.ms

Environment Variables

Variable	Description
`MSC_TARGET`	Default compilation target
`MSC_OUT_DIR`	Default output directory
`MSC_CONFIG`	Path to config file
`MSC_CACHE_DIR`	Compiler cache directory
`MSC_NO_COLOR`	Disable colored output

Exit Codes

Code	Meaning
`0`	Success
`1`	General error
`2`	Type errors
`3`	Configuration error
`4`	Build error

Next Steps

Configuration - Project settings
Language Reference - Syntax guide
Standard Library - Built-in modules