| # Skylark |
| |
| #### A simple way to write custom build rules |
| |
| Skylark is a work-in-progress project, which allows extending Bazel with new |
| rules or macros (composition of rules and macros). |
| |
| ## Goals |
| |
| * **Power to the user**. We want to allow users to write new rules in a simple |
| language without having to understand all of Bazel's internals. The core |
| contributors have to write or review all changes to native Bazel rules (both |
| inside and outside of Google). This is a lot of work and we have to push back |
| on new rules. |
| * **Simplicity**. Skylark has been designed to be as simple as possible. Contrary |
| to native rules, the code is very short and does not rely on complex |
| inheritance. |
| |
| * **Faster development**. With Skylark, rules are stored in the source tree. Modify one |
| rule file and run Bazel to see the result immediately. Before Skylark, we |
| had to rebuild and restart Bazel before seeing a change, this slowed down the |
| development process a lot. |
| |
| * **Faster release cycle**. Update one rule file, commit the changes to |
| version control and everyone will use it when they sync. No need to wait for |
| a native rule to be released with the next Bazel binary. |
| |
| ## Getting started |
| |
| Read the [concepts](concepts.md) behind Skylark and try the |
| [cookbook examples](cookbook.md). To go further, read about the |
| [standard library](lib/globals.html). |
| |
