Edk2 compiler cache enabling steps on Linux - shijunjing/edk2 GitHub Wiki

GCC and CLANG support, based on ccache: https://ccache.samba.org/. Clean build performance can be improved 60+% and even more!

Fit for both individual and CI (continue integration) build usage scenario

Useful links

Build ccache

Download source and build latest ccache-3.5:

$ wget ccache-3.5 source https://www.samba.org/ftp/ccache/ccache-3.5.tar.bz2
$ tar -xf ccache-3.5.tar.bz2
$ cd ccache-3.5
$ sudo apt-get install autoconf gperf asciidoc
$ ./autogen.sh
$ ./configure
$ make
$ sudo make install (optional)

You can also directly install ccache from your OS distribution
$ sudo apt-get install ccache

Create edk2 build tool bin symbolic links in ccache build folder and map compiler to ccache

$ cd ccache-3.5
$ ln -s ccache gcc
$ ln -s ccache g++
$ ln -s ccache clang
$ ln -s ccache clang++
$ ln -s /usr/bin/objcopy objcopy (check your local path, if you build&install compiler by yourself, you might need ln -s /usr/local/bin/objcopy objcopy. Same for below tool bins)
$ ln -s /usr/bin/gcc-ar gcc-ar
$ ln -s /usr/bin/ar ar
$ ln -s /usr/bin/llvm-ar llvm-ar

Set edk2 build bin path to ccache build folder. Below is my example. Then build edk2 as normal.

export CLANG38_BIN=~/wksp_efi/ccache/ccache-3.5/
export GCC5_BIN=~/wksp_efi/ccache/ccache-3.5/
export GCC49_BIN=~/wksp_efi/ccache/ccache-3.5/

Frequently asked questions

Does ccache support Compiling In Different Directories and share the same cache for the different directories?

Yes. You can specify a "base directory" by setting the CCACHE_BASEDIR variable to an absolute path to the directory. ccache will then rewrite absolute paths that are under the base directory (i.e., paths that have the base directory as a prefix) to relative paths when constructing the hash. More details see the "Compiling In Different Directories" section in https://linux.die.net/man/1/ccache

Can a group of developers share the cache directory to each other?

Yes. A group of developers can increase the cache hit rate by sharing a cache directory. To share a cache without unpleasant side effects, the following conditions should to be met.More details see the "Sharing A Cache" section in https://linux.die.net/man/1/ccache

Use the same CCACHE_DIR environment variable setting.
Unset the CCACHE_HARDLINK environment variable.
Make sure everyone sets the CCACHE_UMASK environment variable to 002. This ensures that cached files are accessible to everyone in the group.
Make sure that all users have write permission in the entire cache directory (and that you trust all users of the shared cache).
Make sure that the setgid bit is set on all directories in the cache. This tells the filesystem to inherit group ownership for new directories. The command "find $CCACHE_DIR -type d | xargs chmod g+s" might be useful for this.

Does ccache support to set different cache folder for different project?

Yes. The CCACHE_DIR environment variable specifies where ccache will keep its cached compiler output. The default is $HOME/.ccache.

Does ccache support to set different maximum size of the files stored in the cache?

Yes. Set option -M, --max-size=SIZE is to set the maximum size of the files stored in the cache. You can specify a value in gigabytes, megabytes or kilobytes by appending a G, M or K to the value.

Build performance data (Build 5 times for every platform, first is ccache disabled, others are ccache enabled.)

CLANG38+NOOPT

export CCACHE_DISABLE=1 // disable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t CLANG38 -a IA32 -a X64 -b NOOPT -n 5
real 1m33.076s
user 3m12.913s
sys 0m37.689s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t CLANG38 -a IA32 -a X64 -b NOOPT -n 5
real 2m2.072s
user 4m4.150s
sys 0m58.894s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t CLANG38 -a IA32 -a X64 -b NOOPT -n 5
real 0m31.758s
user 0m39.712s
sys 0m13.123s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t CLANG38 -a IA32 -a X64 -b NOOPT -n 5
real 0m33.002s
user 0m39.591s
sys 0m13.335s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t CLANG38 -a IA32 -a X64 -b NOOPT -n 5
real 0m31.718s
user 0m39.512s
sys 0m13.362s

CLANG38+DEBUG

export CCACHE_DISABLE=1 // disable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t CLANG38 -a IA32 -a X64 -b DEBUG -n 5
real 2m2.667s
user 5m57.243s
sys 0m39.721s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t CLANG38 -a IA32 -a X64 -b DEBUG -n 5
real 2m27.909s
user 6m36.979s
sys 0m57.632s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t CLANG38 -a IA32 -a X64 -b DEBUG -n 5
real 0m59.107s
user 2m28.691s
sys 0m14.924s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t CLANG38 -a IA32 -a X64 -b DEBUG -n 5
real 1m2.329s
user 2m32.836s
sys 0m15.145s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t CLANG38 -a IA32 -a X64 -b DEBUG -n 5
real 0m58.419s
user 2m31.057s
sys 0m14.991s

CLANG38+RELEASE

export CCACHE_DISABLE=1 // disable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t CLANG38 -a IA32 -a X64 -b RELEASE -n 5
real 2m1.673s
user 5m30.296s
sys 0m39.266s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t CLANG38 -a IA32 -a X64 -b RELEASE -n 5
real 2m27.049s
user 6m12.606s
sys 1m0.264s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t CLANG38 -a IA32 -a X64 -b RELEASE -n 5
real 0m53.605s
user 2m4.319s
sys 0m15.554s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t CLANG38 -a IA32 -a X64 -b RELEASE -n 5
real 0m51.757s
user 2m4.821s
sys 0m15.136s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t CLANG38 -a IA32 -a X64 -b RELEASE -n 5
real 0m55.083s
user 2m10.031s
sys 0m15.622s

GCC5+NOOPT

export CCACHE_DISABLE=1
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC5 -a IA32 -a X64 -b NOOPT -n 5
real 1m35.062s
user 3m57.638s
sys 0m30.266s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC5 -a IA32 -a X64 -b NOOPT -n 5
real 2m1.809s
user 4m56.289s
sys 0m41.580s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC5 -a IA32 -a X64 -b NOOPT -n 5
real 0m32.727s
user 0m37.567s
sys 0m12.200s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC5 -a IA32 -a X64 -b NOOPT -n 5
real 0m32.511s
user 0m37.323s
sys 0m11.907s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC5 -a IA32 -a X64 -b NOOPT -n 5
real 0m31.636s
user 0m37.591s
sys 0m11.718s

GCC5+DEBUG

export CCACHE_DISABLE=1 // disable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC5 -a IA32 -a X64 -b DEBUG -n 5
real 2m56.388s
user 9m30.974s
sys 0m42.456s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
ccache -C // clear the cache completely
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC5 -a IA32 -a X64 -b DEBUG -n 5
real 3m25.597s
user 10m54.142s
sys 0m56.322s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC5 -a IA32 -a X64 -b DEBUG -n 5
real 1m49.702s
user 5m38.929s
sys 0m22.409s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC5 -a IA32 -a X64 -b DEBUG -n 5
real 1m39.818s
user 5m4.784s
sys 0m20.968s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC5 -a IA32 -a X64 -b DEBUG -n 5
real 1m41.136s
user 5m4.463s
sys 0m20.925s

GCC5+RELEASE

export CCACHE_DISABLE=1 // disable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC5 -a IA32 -a X64 -b RELEASE -n 5
real 2m26.923s
user 7m41.147s
sys 0m39.726s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC5 -a IA32 -a X64 -b RELEASE -n 5
real 2m37.894s
user 8m17.724s
sys 0m50.524s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC5 -a IA32 -a X64 -b RELEASE -n 5
real 1m28.608s
user 4m15.156s
sys 0m21.183s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC5 -a IA32 -a X64 -b RELEASE -n 5
real 1m29.328s
user 4m19.114s
sys 0m21.348s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC5 -a IA32 -a X64 -b RELEASE -n 5
real 1m33.035s
user 4m25.023s
sys 0m21.752s

GCC49+DEBUG

export CCACHE_DISABLE=1 // disable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC49 -a IA32 -a X64 -b DEBUG -n 5
real 2m40.643s
user 7m59.878s
sys 0m33.698s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC49 -a IA32 -a X64 -b DEBUG -n 5
real 3m7.480s
user 9m0.065s
sys 0m45.559s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC49 -a IA32 -a X64 -b DEBUG -n 5
real 0m34.040s
user 0m37.513s
sys 0m12.291s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC49 -a IA32 -a X64 -b DEBUG -n 5
real 0m33.151s
user 0m38.046s
sys 0m12.518s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC49 -a IA32 -a X64 -b DEBUG -n 5
real 0m33.084s
user 0m37.719s
sys 0m12.602s

GCC49+RELEASE

export CCACHE_DISABLE=1 // disable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC49 -a IA32 -a X64 -b RELEASE -n 5
real 2m26.955s
user 7m19.728s
sys 0m33.801s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC49 -a IA32 -a X64 -b RELEASE -n 5
real 3m0.185s
user 8m17.908s
sys 0m45.666s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC49 -a IA32 -a X64 -b RELEASE -n 5
real 0m31.884s
user 0m36.345s
sys 0m11.683s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC49 -a IA32 -a X64 -b RELEASE -n 5
real 0m33.044s
user 0m36.137s
sys 0m11.900s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC49 -a IA32 -a X64 -b RELEASE -n 5
real 0m32.632s
user 0m36.281s
sys 0m11.774s

GCC49+NOOPT

export CCACHE_DISABLE=1 // disable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC49 -a IA32 -a X64 -b NOOPT -n 5
real 1m36.715s
user 4m5.113s
sys 0m30.563s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE
ccache -C // clear the cache completely
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC49 -a IA32 -a X64 -b NOOPT -n 5
real 2m3.280s
user 4m55.942s
sys 0m41.884s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC49 -a IA32 -a X64 -b NOOPT -n 5
real 0m33.510s
user 0m37.192s
sys 0m11.953s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC49 -a IA32 -a X64 -b NOOPT -n 5
real 0m33.033s
user 0m37.074s
sys 0m12.325s
export -n CCACHE_DISABLE // enable ccache
rm Build -r
time build -p OvmfPkg/OvmfPkgIa32X64.dsc -t GCC49 -a IA32 -a X64 -b NOOPT -n 5
real 0m34.066s
user 0m37.381s
sys 0m11.759s