Build Tool Professional Usage

build-tool-professional-usage

Registry Trigger

Use when

• Makefile make Ant Bazel Buck Pants Gradle Maven npm script pnpm yarn Turborepo Nx build graph generated artifact codegen strict deps remote cache remote execution hermetic build
• undeclared dependency, generated source, generated source declaration, generator output source of truth, reproducible artifact, checksum, digest, build cache, action key, toolchain pin, local CI mismatch, make parallel, phony target, order-only dependency, bazel sandbox, classpath, sourcepath, output directory

Do not use when

• no task-local build tool professional usage decision is required

Skill Role

Define build graph edges, source/generated authority, behavior inputs, toolchain identity, cache and parallel correctness, reproducibility, and evidence. Exclude package resolution and hosted pipelines.

High-Value Rules

• Own build-graph decisions and proof. This capability decides and proves graph edges, generated authority, cache/action identity, and affected-test selection, then hands accepted constraints to architecture-enforcement-tooling for diagnostics, exceptions, baselines, and gates.
• Model the target graph from real inputs and outputs. Name source, generated, configuration, schema, environment, toolchain, and dependency edges needed to rebuild each affected artifact.
• Declare source and generated authority. Bind output to its generator, inputs, destination, repository policy, drift check, and sole editable authority.
• Include behavior-affecting inputs in identity. Define cache and incremental keys from the toolchain, flags, environment, platform, schemas, plugins, generated inputs, and transitive dependencies that can change behavior.
• Prove parallel and incremental correctness. Remove hidden ordering, undeclared files, shared mutable outputs, timestamp assumptions, and accidental working-directory state through clean, repeated, and concurrent builds.
• Bound environment dependence. Identify network, credentials, locale, clock, filesystem case, executable metadata, host tools, and platform assumptions, then make accepted dependencies explicit and reproducible.
• Compare artifacts, not command success alone. Tie source revision and build inputs to expected outputs, checksums or semantic comparison, packaged contents, and consumer-visible behavior.
• Test failure and recovery paths. Exercise missing input, stale generated output, cache miss or corruption, partial output, interrupted build, and clean rebuild relevant to the changed graph.

Anti-Patterns

• Rely on command order, undeclared files, local caches, host-installed tools, or mutable shared output for a green build.
• Hand-edit generated artifacts or accept broad regeneration churn without source-to-output explanation.
• Treat local command success as proof of hosted enforcement, cross-platform reproducibility, or deployed artifact identity.

Stop Conditions

Escalate unknown source authority, undeclared graph or cache inputs, irreproducible or racing output, unexpected network credentials, or unproved artifact equivalence.

Output Contract

• build decision with graph edges, source and generated authority, input and toolchain identity, cache and parallel correctness, artifact comparison, failure evidence, and proof limits

Targeted References