name: build_machine
long_name: Build machine information
description: |
  Provides information about the build machine -- the machine that is doing the actual compilation.
  See [Cross-compilation](Cross-compilation.md).

  Currently, these values are populated using
  [`platform.system()`](https://docs.python.org/3.10/library/platform.html#platform.system) and
  [`platform.machine()`](https://docs.python.org/3.10/library/platform.html#platform.machine).
  If you think the returned values for any of these are incorrect for
  your system or CPU, or if your OS is not in the linked table, please
  [file a bug](https://github.com/mesonbuild/meson/issues/new) report
  with details and we'll look into it.

methods:
- name: cpu_family
  returns: str
  description: |
    Returns the CPU family name.
    [This table](Reference-tables.md#cpu-families) contains
    all known CPU families. These are guaranteed to continue working.

- name: cpu
  returns: str
  description: Returns a more specific CPU name, such as `i686`, `armv8l`, etc.

- name: system
  returns: str
  description: |
    Returns the operating system name.
    [This table](Reference-tables.md#operating-system-names) lists
    all of the currently known operating system names. These are
    guaranteed to continue working.

- name: endian
  returns: str
  description: Returns `'big'` on big-endian systems and `'little'` on little-endian systems.

- name: kernel
  returns: str
  since: 1.2.0
  description: |
    Returns the name of the operating system kernel, such as `linux`, `xnu`, and
    `nt`. [See here for a more complete
    list](Reference-tables.md#kernel-names-since-120). These are more specific
    than `system`. If this cannot be detected (for the build machine), or is not
    set in the cross file (for the host machine when cross compiling), calling
    this method is fatal.

- name: subsystem
  returns: str
  since: 1.2.0
  description: |
    Returns the variant of the operating system, such as `ios` and `tvos`.  [See
    here for a more complete list](Reference-tables.md#subsystem-names-since-120).
    These are more specific than `system`. If this cannot be detected (for the
    build machine), or is not set in the cross file (for the host machine when
    cross compiling), calling this method is fatal.