How do I install the Building skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add conceptual-machines/building in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Building safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Capability flags: docs only. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Building?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Building free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Building?

Conceptual-Machines (@conceptual-machines) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Building by conceptual-machines — Agent Skill

Name: Building
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: Conceptual-Machines

File contents

Building MAGDA

Always use Makefile targets. Never use cmake or ninja directly.

Build Commands

Command	Purpose
`make debug`	Debug build (default)
`make release`	Release build
`make configure`	Force CMake reconfigure
`make clean`	Remove all build artifacts
`make rebuild`	Clean + debug build

Test Commands

Command	Purpose
`make test`	Build and run all tests
`make test-build`	Build tests only
`make test-verbose`	Run tests with verbose output
`make test-list`	List all available tests
`make test-window`	Plugin window tests only
`make test-shutdown`	Shutdown sequence tests only
`make test-threading`	Thread safety tests only

Run Commands

Command	Purpose
`make run`	Build and launch app (GUI)
`make run-console`	Build and run with stdout visible
`make run-profile`	Run with performance profiling

Code Quality

Command	Purpose
`make format`	clang-format all source files
`make lint`	clang-tidy on all sources
`make lint-changed`	clang-tidy on modified files only
`make lint-file FILE=path`	clang-tidy on a specific file

Build Directories

Debug: cmake-build-debug/
Release: cmake-build-release/

Key Notes

Debug build directory is cmake-build-debug, NOT build/
Test binary is at cmake-build-debug/tests/magda_tests
App bundle is at cmake-build-debug/magda/daw/magda_daw_app_artefacts/Debug/MAGDA.app
Pre-commit hooks run clang-format automatically; if commit fails due to formatting, re-stage and commit again

When to Build

Small cosmetic / non-logic changes (UI sizes, paddings, colors, icon swaps, layout tweaks, comment edits, gitignore, etc.): do NOT build automatically. The user prefers to build these themselves. Just make the change and stop.
Logic changes (new functions, control flow, state management, threading, audio code, refactors, anything that could compile-fail or introduce bugs): always build to verify it compiles and to catch errors early.
When unsure, ask the user whether they want you to build.

---name: buildingdescription: Build, test, and run MAGDA DAW. Use when compiling, running tests, or launching the app. Always use Makefile commands, never raw cmake/ninja.---# Building MAGDAAlways use Makefile targets. Never use `cmake` or `ninja` directly.## Build Commands| Command | Purpose ||---------|---------|| `make debug` | Debug build (default) || `make release` | Release build || `make configure` | Force CMake reconfigure || `make clean` | Remove all build artifacts || `make rebuild` | Clean + debug build |## Test Commands| Command | Purpose ||---------|---------|| `make test` | Build and run all tests || `make test-build` | Build tests only || `make test-verbose` | Run tests with verbose output || `make test-list` | List all available tests || `make test-window` | Plugin window tests only || `make test-shutdown` | Shutdown sequence tests only || `make test-threading` | Thread safety tests only |## Run Commands| Command | Purpose ||---------|---------|| `make run` | Build and launch app (GUI) || `make run-console` | Build and run with stdout visible || `make run-profile` | Run with performance profiling |## Code Quality| Command | Purpose ||---------|---------|| `make format` | clang-format all source files || `make lint` | clang-tidy on all sources || `make lint-changed` | clang-tidy on modified files only || `make lint-file FILE=path` | clang-tidy on a specific file |## Build Directories- Debug: `cmake-build-debug/`- Release: `cmake-build-release/`## Key Notes- Debug build directory is `cmake-build-debug`, NOT `build/`- Test binary is at `cmake-build-debug/tests/magda_tests`- App bundle is at `cmake-build-debug/magda/daw/magda_daw_app_artefacts/Debug/MAGDA.app`- Pre-commit hooks run clang-format automatically; if commit fails due to formatting, re-stage and commit again## When to Build- **Small cosmetic / non-logic changes** (UI sizes, paddings, colors, icon swaps, layout tweaks, comment edits, gitignore, etc.): do NOT build automatically. The user prefers to build these themselves. Just make the change and stop.- **Logic changes** (new functions, control flow, state management, threading, audio code, refactors, anything that could compile-fail or introduce bugs): always build to verify it compiles and to catch errors early.- When unsure, ask the user whether they want you to build.

Frequently asked questions

Building