Application File Generation

Purpose

Application file generation transforms .app.src (application resource source) files into .app (application resource) files by substituting variables, adding module lists, determining version numbers, ensuring required fields exist, and writing the final application specification to the ebin/ directory. This stage makes applications ready for deployment and release generation.

When It Executes

This stage executes within the compile/4 function in Source File Compilation, specifically in the compile_app_files/3 sub-stage:

Sequence:

1. Source files compiled → .beam files created
2. prepare_app_file: Pre-hooks executed
3. compile_app_files: This stage
4. finalize_app_file: Post-hooks executed

Prerequisites

• .app.src or .app.src.script file exists
• Source files compiled to .beam files in ebin/
• Version information available (from config, git, or other sources)
• Application info record initialized

Outputs

• .app file in ebin/ directory
• Complete application specification with:
  • Accurate module list
  • Resolved version number
  • All required fields (registered, description)
  • Variable substitutions applied