(configure.info.gz) Host and Target

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(configure.info.gz) Cross Compilation Concepts

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(configure.info.gz) Using the Host Type

 
 Host and Target
 ===============
 
    When building cross compilation tools, there are two different
 systems involved: the system on which the tools will run, and the
 system for which the tools generate code.
 
    The system on which the tools will run is called the "host" system.
 
    The system for which the tools generate code is called the "target"
 system.
 
    For example, suppose you have a compiler which runs on a GNU/Linux
 system and generates ELF programs for a MIPS embedded system.  In this
 case the GNU/Linux system is the host, and the MIPS ELF system is the
 target.  Such a compiler could be called a GNU/Linux cross MIPS ELF
 compiler, or, equivalently, a `i386-linux-gnu' cross `mips-elf'
 compiler.
 
    Naturally, most programs are not cross compilation tools.  For those
 programs, it does not make sense to speak of a target.  It only makes
 sense to speak of a target for tools like `gcc' or the `binutils' which
 actually produce running code.  For example, it does not make sense to
 speak of the target of a tool like `bison' or `make'.
 
    Most cross compilation tools can also serve as native tools.  For a
 native compilation tool, it is still meaningful to speak of a target.
 For a native tool, the target is the same as the host.  For example, for
 a GNU/Linux native compiler, the host is GNU/Linux, and the target is
 also GNU/Linux.
 

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(configure.info.gz) Cross Compilation Concepts

(configure.info.gz) Cross Compilation Tools

(configure.info.gz) Using the Host Type