The insty compiler

Command-line reference for the insty compiler — output modes, targets, and OS-dev flags.

The insty binary compiles .ins source to native executables (or objects, ASTs, and tokens).

Basic usage

insty src/main.ins -o app          # compile + link an executable
insty -c src/main.ins              # emit an object file
insty --check src/main.ins         # type-check only, no output
insty --emit-ast src/main.ins      # print the AST
insty --emit-tokens src/main.ins   # print the token stream

Targets

insty --target x86_64_linux src/main.ins -o app
insty --target x86_64_windows src/main.ins -o app.exe
insty --target x86_64_instantos src/main.ins -o app
insty --target targets/x86_64-unknown-none.toml --freestanding src/main.ins -o kernel.elf

Built-in targets include x86_64_linux, x86_64_windows, x86_64_instantos, and x86_64_efi. Custom targets are described by a TOML file — see the OS development guide.

Useful flags

Flag	Purpose
`--target <name-or-file>`	Built-in target or custom target TOML
`--freestanding`, `--no-std`	Disable hosted assumptions
`--allocator none\\|runtime\\|external`	Select the heap strategy (default `none`)
`--entry <symbol>`	Linker entry symbol
`--linker <path>` / `--linker-script <file>`	Override the linker / use a script
`--sysroot <dir>`	Use a target sysroot
`--output-format executable\\|elf\\|raw-binary\\|pe\\|uefi`	Link output format
`--raw-binary`	Emit a flat binary for ELF targets
`--multiboot2`	Add a Multiboot2 header for x86 kernels
`--panic abort\\|handler`	Panic strategy
`--bounds-check`	Emit runtime range checks on slice/array indexing

Allocator modes

The allocator defaults to none: any heap-backed feature (new, delete, array literals that need heap storage, string-interpolation buffers, @malloc / @free / @realloc) is a compile-time error until you pass --allocator runtime or --allocator external.