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<chapter>
  <header>
    <copyright>
      <year>2003</year><year>2021</year>
      <holder>Ericsson AB. All Rights Reserved.</holder>
    </copyright>
    <legalnotice>
      Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
      you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
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          http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0

      Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
      distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
      WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
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    <title>Compilation and Code Loading</title>
    <prepared></prepared>
    <docno></docno>
    <date></date>
    <rev></rev>
    <file>code_loading.xml</file>
  </header>
  <p>How code is compiled and loaded is not a language issue, but
    is system-dependent. This section describes compilation and
    code loading in Erlang/OTP with references to relevant parts of
    the documentation.</p>

  <section>
    <title>Compilation</title>
    <p>Erlang programs must be <em>compiled</em> to object code.
      The compiler can generate a new file that contains the object
      code. The current abstract machine, which runs the object code, is
      called BEAM, therefore the object files get the suffix
      <c>.beam</c>. The compiler can also generate a binary which can
      be loaded directly.</p>
    <p>The compiler is located in the module <c>compile</c> (see the
      <seeerl marker="compiler:compile">compile(3)</seeerl> manual page in
      Compiler).</p>
    <pre>
compile:file(Module)
compile:file(Module, Options)</pre>
    <p>The Erlang shell understands the command <c>c(Module)</c> which
      both compiles and loads <c>Module</c>.</p>
    <p>There is also a module <c>make</c>, which provides a set of
      functions similar to the UNIX type Make functions, see the
      <seeerl marker="tools:make">make(3)</seeerl>
      manual page in Tools.</p>
    <p>The compiler can also be accessed from the OS prompt, see the
      <seecom marker="erts:erl">erl(1)</seecom> manual page in ERTS.</p>
    <pre>
% erl -compile <input>Module1</input>...<input>ModuleN</input>
% erl -make</pre>
    <p>The <c>erlc</c> program provides an even better way to compile
      modules from the shell, see the
      <seecom marker="erts:erlc">erlc(1)</seecom> manual page in ERTS.
      It understands a
      number of flags that can be used to define macros, add search
      paths for include files, and more.</p>
    <pre>
% erlc <input>&lt;flags&gt;</input> <input>File1.erl</input>...<input>FileN.erl</input></pre>
  </section>

  <section>
    <marker id="loading"></marker>
    <title>Code Loading</title>
    <p>The object code must be <em>loaded</em> into the Erlang runtime
      system. This is handled by the <em>code server</em>, see the
      <seeerl marker="kernel:code">code(3)</seeerl>
      manual page in Kernel.</p>
    <p>The code server loads code according to a code loading strategy,
      which is either <em>interactive</em> (default) or
      <em>embedded</em>. In interactive mode, code is searched for in
      a <em>code path</em> and loaded when first referenced. In
      embedded mode, code is loaded at start-up according to a
      <em>boot script</em>. This is described in
      <seeguide marker="system/system_principles:system_principles#code_loading">
      System Principles </seeguide>.</p>
  </section>

  <section>
    <title>Code Replacement</title>
    <p>Erlang supports change of code in a running system. Code
      replacement is done on module level.</p>
    <p>The code of a module can exist in two variants in a system:
      <em>current</em> and <em>old</em>. When a module is loaded into
      the system for the first time, the code becomes 'current'. If then
      a new instance of the module is loaded, the code of the previous
      instance becomes 'old' and the new instance becomes 'current'.</p>
    <p>Both old and current code is valid, and can be evaluated
      concurrently. Fully qualified function calls always refer to
      current code. Old code can still be evaluated because of processes
      lingering in the old code.</p>
    <p>If a third instance of the module is loaded, the code server
      removes (purges) the old code and any processes lingering in it is
      terminated. Then the third instance becomes 'current' and
      the previously current code becomes 'old'.</p>
    <p>To change from old code to current code, a process must make a
      fully qualified function call.</p>
      <p><em>Example:</em></p>
    <pre>
-module(m).
-export([loop/0]).

loop() ->
    receive
        code_switch ->
            m:loop();
        Msg ->
            ...
            loop()
    end.</pre>
    <p>To make the process change code, send the message
      <c>code_switch</c> to it. The process then makes a fully
      qualified call to <c>m:loop()</c> and changes to current code.
      Notice that <c>m:loop/0</c> must be exported.</p>
    <p>For code replacement of funs to work, use the syntax
      <c>fun Module:FunctionName/Arity</c>.</p>
  </section>

  <section>
    <marker id="on_load"></marker>
    <title>Running a Function When a Module is Loaded</title>

    <p>The <c>-on_load()</c> directive names a function that is to
    be run automatically when a module is loaded.</p>
    <p>Its syntax is as follows:</p>

<pre>
-on_load(Name/0).</pre>

    <p>It is not necessary to export the function. It is called in a
    freshly spawned process (which terminates as soon as the function
    returns).</p>

    <p>The function must return <c>ok</c> if the module is to
    become the new current code for the module and become
    callable.</p>

    <p>Returning any other value or generating an exception
    causes the new code to be unloaded. If the return value is not an
    atom, a warning error report is sent to the error logger.</p>

    <p>If there already is current code for the module, that code will
    remain current and can be called until the <c>on_load</c> function
    has returned. If the <c>on_load</c> function fails, the current
    code (if any) will remain current. If there is no current code for
    a module, any process that makes an external call to the module
    before the <c>on_load</c> function has finished will be suspended
    until the <c>on_load</c> function have finished.</p>

    <note>
      <p>Before OTP 19, if the <c>on_load</c> function failed, any
      previously current code would become old, essentially leaving
      the system without any working and reachable instance of the
      module.  That problem has been eliminated in OTP 19.</p>
    </note>

    <p>In embedded mode, first all modules are loaded.
      Then all <c>on_load</c> functions are called. The system is
      terminated unless all of the <c>on_load</c> functions return
      <c>ok</c>.</p>

    <p><em>Example:</em></p>

    <pre>
-module(m).
-on_load(load_my_nifs/0).

load_my_nifs() ->
    NifPath = ...,    %Set up the path to the NIF library.
    Info = ...,       %Initialize the Info term
    erlang:load_nif(NifPath, Info).</pre>

    <p>If the call to <c>erlang:load_nif/2</c> fails, the module
      is unloaded and a  warning report is sent to
      the error loader.</p>

  </section>

</chapter>

