# tsoding/nob.h

Header only library for writing build recipes in C.

Repository: https://github.com/tsoding/nob.h
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/nobh
Language: C++
License: NOASSERTION
License Family: other
Last push: 2026-08-25T19:17:38+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 67/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 99, release rhythm 35, longevity 49
- inputs: {"age_days": 688, "days_push": 8, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_releases, no_license
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 3216, forks 210 (observed 2026-08-28T04:07:49.424029+00:00)

## What it is
nob.h is a single-header C library for writing build recipes (build systems) in plain C, requiring nothing but a C compiler to bootstrap. It replaces make/cmake/shell scripts with C code that compiles and builds your project.

## Use cases
- build a C project with only a C compiler
- replace make and cmake with a C build script
- write portable build recipes for Linux, macOS, and Windows
- bootstrap a build system from source
- reuse project code inside the build system
- write shell-script-like build automation in C

## When to choose
- you have a small-to-medium C/C++ project with few external dependencies
- you want zero build tooling beyond a C compiler
- you want highly portable builds across platforms
- you enjoy writing C and want build logic in the same language

## When to avoid
- your project relies on cmake with many dependency-finding modules
- you need a battle-tested, conventional build system
- your team is not comfortable writing C
- you are building in a language other than C/C++

## Facets
- artifact type: library
- maturity: active
- function: build-tool, cli, file-system
- domain: developer-tools
- platform: windows, bsd, cross-platform, c, cpp
- tags: header-only, nobuild, build-recipes, bootstrapping, c-build-system, no-dependencies, command-line, automation, linux, macos

## Member repositories
- tsoding/nob.h (main) score 67

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:07:49.424029+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-29T18:44:56.256281+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/tsoding/nob.h (fetched 2026-08-28T04:07:49.424029+00:00, sha d4c896d71ecf)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.