
	  distcc -- a free distributed C/C++ compiler system

		       http://distcc.samba.org/

		    by Martin Pool <mbp@samba.org>


distcc is a program to distribute compilation of C or C++ code across
several machines on a network. distcc should always generate the same
results as a local compile, is simple to install and use, and is often
two or more times faster than a local compile.

Unlike other distributed build systems, distcc does not require all
machines to share a filesystem, have synchronized clocks, or to have
the same libraries or header files installed. Machines can be running
different operating systems, as long as they have compatible binary
formats or cross-compilers.

distcc sends the complete preprocessed source code across the network
for each job, so all it requires of the volunteer machines is that
they be running the distccd daemon, and that they have an appropriate
compiler installed.

distcc is not itself a compiler, but rather a front-end to the GNU
C/C++ compiler (gcc), or another compiler of your choice. All the
regular gcc options and features work as normal.

distcc is designed to be used with GNU make's parallel-build feature
(-j). Shipping files across the network takes time, but few cycles on
the client machine. Any files that can be built remotely are
essentially "for free" in terms of client CPU.

distcc is now reasonably stable and can successfully compile the Linux kernel,
rsync, KDE, GNOME (via GARNOME), Samba and Ethereal.  distcc is nearly
linearly scalable for small numbers of machines: for a typical case, three
machines are 2.6 times faster than one.

distcc is distributed under the GNU General Public Licence v2.
