Tech riderRev. 9 Oct 2026
- 1Runs onLinux, Mac, Windows
- 2CostsFree plan
- 3Build as codeYes
- 4Artifact packagingYes
- 5Supported operating systemsmulti-platform
5 lines stated Written from the maker's own pages: gn.googlesource.com
Overview
GN is ranked #14 of 40 in build automation software on Specifiction. It runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. There is a free plan.
GN plans and pricing
All plansGN Free No charge stated; source repository and binary downloads are provided by Google. No stable version for all projects · Developers select a compatible commit or build from source gn.googlesource.com · 9 Oct 2026
Compared on build automation software
- Free plan
- Yesgn.googlesource.com
- Build as code
- Yesgn.googlesource.com
- Artifact packaging
- Yesgn.googlesource.com
- Supported operating systems
- multi-platformgn.googlesource.com
Facts
- Purpose
- GN is a meta-build system that generates build files for Ninja.gn.googlesource.com · 9 Oct 2026
- Use cases
- GN is used as the build system for Chromium, Fuchsia, and related projects.gn.googlesource.com · 9 Oct 2026
- Scale
- It is designed to scale to thousands of build files and tens of thousands of source files.gn.googlesource.com · 9 Oct 2026
- Platform builds
- GN supports multi-platform projects and can target multiple platforms in a single build invocation.gn.googlesource.com · 9 Oct 2026
- Parallel configurations
- It supports multiple output directories with separate configurations so developers can maintain builds for different platforms or build types in parallel.gn.googlesource.com · 9 Oct 2026
- Languages
- GN generates Ninja files for C, C++, Rust, Objective C, and Swift; other languages can use script-based action rules.gn.googlesource.com · 9 Oct 2026
- Build checks
- GN checks dependencies, inputs, and outputs where possible, and includes tools such as `gn check`, `testonly`, and `assert_no_deps`.gn.googlesource.com · 9 Oct 2026
- Toolchain integration
- GN generates Ninja build files and can integrate with compiler and linker settings defined by a project’s build configuration.gn.googlesource.com · 9 Oct 2026
- Build directory workflow
- Users configure build directories and arguments, and Ninja files are regenerated automatically when they are out of date.gn.googlesource.com · 9 Oct 2026
- Cross-compilation
- The quick start documents cross-compiling by setting target OS and CPU build arguments, including Android and ChromeOS examples.gn.googlesource.com · 9 Oct 2026
- Downloads
- The project provides GN binaries for Linux, macOS, and Windows, and also documents building GN from source with a C++23 compiler.gn.googlesource.com · 9 Oct 2026
- Versioning limit
- GN has no current stable version intended to work for all projects; projects are expected to choose a compatible GN version.gn.googlesource.com · 9 Oct 2026
- Compatibility limit
- GN does not guarantee backward compatibility for new versions and has no versioning scheme beyond commits to the main branch.gn.googlesource.com · 9 Oct 2026
- Support
- Users can report bugs in the GN bug database and ask questions or follow development on the Chromium GN developers Google Group.gn.googlesource.com · 9 Oct 2026
- Security and compliance
- The project page links contributors to Google’s Contributor License Agreement; it does not state a security certification or compliance program.gn.googlesource.com · 9 Oct 2026
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Where it ranks on Specifiction
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Sources
- gn.googlesource.com/gn/· checked 9 Oct 2026
- gn.googlesource.com/gn/%2B/main/docs/quick_start.md· checked 9 Oct 2026