TBLGEN(1)

💅 TBLGEN(1) — Description to C++ Code 💅

bestie, welcome to the LLVM manual page for TBLGEN(1) — aka the *-tblgen family. this page is long, so here's the first chunk, and every single flag is coming with us. 💖

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💖 NAME 💖

tblgen — Description to C++ Code 🎀

🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

clang-tblgen [options] [filename]

lldb-tblgen [options] [filename]

llvm-tblgen [options] [filename]

mlir-tblgen [options] [filename]

🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

okay so *-tblgen is a whole little family of programs, and the way that they work is: they translate target description files — the .td files — into C++ code and other output formats. slay. most users of LLVM will not need to use this program, no cap: it's only for writing parts of the compiler, debugger, and LLVM target backends.

the details of the input and output of the *-tblgen programs are beyond the scope of this short introduction. peep the TableGen Overview for an introduction and for references to additional TableGen documents. 💅

the filename argument specifies the name of the Target Description (.td) file that TableGen processes.

okay but fr, if you're not building a compiler/debugger/backend, this is probably not your main character moment. 💀

🌈 OPTIONS 🌈

🌸 General Options 🌸

• -help — prints a description of the command line options. 🫶
• -help-list — prints a description of the command line options in a simple list format.
• -D=macroname — names a macro to define. the name gets defined, but it has no particular value. 🎀
• -d=filename — names the dependency filename.
• -debug — turns debug output on.
• -dump-json — dumps a JSON representation of all records, suitable for further automated processing. ✨
• -I directory — tells TableGen where to find other target description files for inclusion. directory should be a full or partial path to a directory that contains target description files.
• -null-backend — parses the source files and builds the records, but runs no backend at all. useful for timing the frontend. ⏱️
• -o filename — sets the output file name. if filename is -, then *-tblgen sends its output to standard output.
• -print-records — prints all classes and records to standard output. this is the default backend option, bestie. 💅
• -print-detailed-records — prints a detailed report of all global variables, classes, and records to standard output.
• -stats — prints a report with any statistics collected by the backend. 📊
• -time-phases — times the parser and backend phases and prints a report.
• -version — shows the version number of the program. 🏷️
• -write-if-changed — writes the output file only if it is new or has changed. iconic.

🎀 clang-tblgen Options 🎀

here's the clang-tblgen menu, bestie — every single flag, in the order the page gives them. 💖

• -gen-clang-attr-classes — makes Clang attribute classes. 🎀
• -gen-clang-attr-parser-string-switches — emits all parser-related attribute string switches.
• -gen-clang-attr-subject-match-rules-parser-string-switches — emits all parser-related attribute subject match rule string switches.
• -gen-clang-attr-impl — makes Clang attribute implementations.
• -gen-clang-attr-list" — makes a Clang attribute list. 💅
• -gen-clang-attr-subject-match-rule-list — makes a Clang attribute subject match rule list.
• -gen-clang-attr-pch-read — makes a Clang PCH attribute reader.
• -gen-clang-attr-pch-write — makes a Clang PCH attribute writer.
• -gen-clang-attr-has-attribute-impl — makes a Clang attribute spelling list.
• -gen-clang-attr-spelling-index — makes a Clang attribute spelling index.
• -gen-clang-attr-ast-visitor — makes a recursive AST visitor for Clang attributes.
• -gen-clang-attr-template-instantiate — makes a Clang template instantiate code.
• -gen-clang-attr-parsed-attr-list — makes a Clang parsed attribute list.
• -gen-clang-attr-parsed-attr-impl — makes the Clang parsed attribute helpers.
• -gen-clang-attr-parsed-attr-kinds — makes a Clang parsed attribute kinds.
• -gen-clang-attr-text-node-dump — makes a Clang attribute text node dumper.
• -gen-clang-attr-node-traverse — makes a Clang attribute traverser.
• -gen-clang-diags-defs — makes Clang diagnostics definitions.
• -clang-component component — only use warnings from the specified component.
• -gen-clang-diag-groups — makes Clang diagnostic groups.
• -gen-clang-diags-index-name — makes a Clang diagnostic name index.
• -gen-clang-basic-reader — makes Clang BasicReader classes.
• -gen-clang-basic-writer — makes Clang BasicWriter classes.
• -gen-clang-comment-nodes — makes Clang AST comment nodes.
• -gen-clang-decl-nodes — makes Clang AST declaration nodes.
• -gen-clang-stmt-nodes — makes Clang AST statement nodes.
• -gen-clang-type-nodes — makes Clang AST type nodes.
• -gen-clang-type-reader — makes the Clang AbstractTypeReader class.
• -gen-clang-type-writer — makes the Clang AbstractTypeWriter class.
• -gen-clang-opcodes — makes Clang constexpr interpreter opcodes.
• -gen-clang-sa-checkers — makes Clang static analyzer checkers. 🔍
• -gen-clang-comment-html-tags — makes efficient matchers for HTML tag names that are used in documentation comments.
• -gen-clang-comment-html-tags-properties — makes efficient matchers for HTML tag properties.
• -gen-clang-comment-html-named-character-references — makes a function to translate named character references to UTF-8 sequences.
• -gen-clang-comment-command-info — makes command properties for commands that are used in documentation comments.
• -gen-clang-comment-command-list — makes a list of commands that are used in documentation comments.
• -gen-clang-opencl-builtins — makes OpenCL builtin declaration handlers.
• -gen-arm-neon — writes arm_neon.h for Clang.
• -gen-arm-fp16 — writes arm_fp16.h for Clang.
• -gen-arm-bf16 — writes arm_bf16.h for Clang.
• -gen-arm-neon-sema — makes ARM NEON sema support for Clang.
• -gen-arm-neon-test — makes ARM NEON tests for Clang.
• -gen-arm-immcheck-types — writes arm_immcheck_types.inc for Clang.
• -gen-arm-sve-header — writes arm_sve.h for Clang.
• -gen-arm-sve-builtins — writes arm_sve_builtins.inc for Clang.
• -gen-arm-sve-builtin-codegen — writes arm_sve_builtin_cg_map.inc for Clang.
• -gen-arm-sve-typeflags — writes arm_sve_typeflags.inc for Clang.
• -gen-arm-sve-sema-rangechecks — writes arm_sve_sema_rangechecks.inc for Clang.
• -gen-arm-mve-header — writes arm_mve.h for Clang.
• -gen-arm-mve-builtin-def — makes ARM MVE builtin definitions for Clang.
• -gen-arm-mve-builtin-sema — makes ARM MVE builtin sema checks for Clang.
• -gen-arm-mve-builtin-codegen — makes ARM MVE builtin code-generator for Clang.
• -gen-arm-mve-builtin-aliases — makes a list of valid ARM MVE builtin aliases for Clang.
• -gen-arm-cde-header — writes arm_cde.h for Clang.
• -gen-arm-cde-builtin-def — makes ARM CDE builtin definitions for Clang.
• -gen-arm-cde-builtin-sema — makes ARM CDE builtin sema checks for Clang.
• -gen-arm-cde-builtin-codegen — makes ARM CDE builtin code-generator for Clang.
• -gen-arm-cde-builtin-aliases — makes a list of valid ARM CDE builtin aliases for Clang.
• -gen-riscv-vector-header — writes riscv_vector.h for Clang.
• -gen-riscv-vector-builtins — writes riscv_vector_builtins.inc for Clang.
• -gen-riscv-vector-builtin-codegen — writes riscv_vector_builtin_cg.inc for Clang.
• -gen-riscv-sifive-vector-builtins — writes riscv_sifive_vector_builtins.inc for Clang.
• -gen-riscv-sifive-vector-builtin-codegen — writes riscv_sifive_vector_builtin_cg.inc for Clang.
• -gen-attr-docs — makes attribute documentation.
• -gen-diag-docs — makes diagnostic documentation.
• -gen-opt-docs — makes option documentation.
• -gen-clang-data-collectors — makes data collectors for AST nodes.
• -gen-clang-test-pragma-attribute-supported-attributes — makes a list of attributes supported by #pragma Clang attribute for testing purposes. 🧪

🫶 lldb-tblgen Options 🫶

three options, and bestie, these are written without a leading dash in the page — keeping them exactly like that. 💖

• gen-lldb-option-defs — makes lldb OptionDefinition values.
• gen-lldb-property-defs — makes lldb PropertyDefinition values.
• gen-lldb-property-enum-defs — makes lldb PropertyDefinition enum values.

🔥 llvm-tblgen Options 🔥

• -gen-asm-matcher — makes the assembly instruction matcher.
• -match-prefix=prefix — makes -gen-asm-matcher match only instructions with the given prefix.
• -gen-asm-parser — makes the assembly instruction parser.
• -asmparsernum=n — makes -gen-asm-parser emit assembly parser number n.
• -gen-asm-writer — makes the assembly writer.
• -asmwriternum=n — makes -gen-asm-writer emit assembly writer number n.
• -gen-attrs — makes attributes.
• -gen-automata — makes generic automata.
• -gen-callingconv — makes calling convention descriptions.
• -gen-compress-inst-emitter — makes RISC-V compressed instructions.
• -gen-ctags — makes a ctags-compatible index.
• -gen-dag-isel — makes a DAG (directed acyclic graph) instruction selector.
• -instrument-coverage — makes -gen-dag-isel generate tables to help identify the patterns matched.
• -omit-comments — makes -gen-dag-isel omit comments; the default is false.
• -gen-dfa-packetizer — makes a DFA Packetizer for VLIW targets.
• -gen-directive-decl — makes directive related declaration code (header file).
• -gen-directive-gen — makes the directive related implementation code part.
• -gen-directive-impl — makes directive related implementation code.
• -gen-disassembler — makes the disassembler.
• -gen-emitter — makes the machine code emitter.
• -gen-exegesis — makes llvm-exegesis tables.
• -gen-fast-isel — makes a "fast" instruction selector.
• -gen-global-isel — makes the GlobalISel selector.
• -gisel-coverage-file=filename — sets the file from which to retrieve coverage information.
• -instrument-gisel-coverage — makes -gen-global-isel generate coverage instrumentation.
• -optimize-match-table — makes -gen-global-isel generate an optimized version of the match table.
• -warn-on-skipped-patterns — makes -gen-global-isel explain why a pattern was skipped for inclusion. 💅
• -gen-global-isel-combiner — bestie this one generates the GlobalISel combiner, that's it, that's the whole vibe ✨
• -combiners=list — tells -gen-global-isel-combiner which combiners to actually emit, like handing it a guest list 🎀
• -gicombiner-debug-cxxpreds — adds debug comments to every single C++ predicate that -gen-global-isel-combiner spits out. living for the documentation crumbs ngl 💅
• -gicombiner-stop-after-parse — makes -gen-global-isel-combiner stop processing right after it parses the rules, then dumps the state. quitting while you're ahead, iconic 🫶
• -gen-instr-info — generates instruction descriptions 📝
• -gen-instr-docs — generates instruction documentation 📚
• -gen-intrinsic-enums — generates intrinsic enums 🌸
• -intrinsic-prefix=prefix — makes -gen-intrinsic-enums generate intrinsics using this target prefix 🎯
• -gen-intrinsic-impl — generates intrinsic information 💜
• -gen-opt-parser-defs — generates options definitions ⚙️
• -gen-opt-rst — generates option RST 📄
• -gen-pseudo-lowering — generates pseudo instruction lowering 🌈
• -gen-register-bank — generates register bank descriptions 🏦
• -gen-register-info — generates registers and register classes info 👑
• -register-info-debug — makes -gen-register-info dump register information for debugging. detective mode fr 🔍
• -gen-searchable-tables — generates generic searchable tables. the page says see TableGen BackEnds for a detailed description — go read that bestie, iykyk 📖
• -gen-subtarget — generates subtarget enumerations 🧚
• -gen-x86-EVEX2VEX-tables — generates X86 EVEX to VEX compress tables. yes the casing is exactly like that, don't come for me 💀
• -gen-x86-fold-tables — generates X86 fold tables 🗂️
• -long-string-literals — when emitting large string tables, prefer string literals over comma-separated char literals. the page says this can be a readability and compile-time performance win, but it upsets some compilers 😭 so like. proceed with caution babes
• -print-enums — prints enumeration values for a class 🔢
• -class=classname — makes -print-enums print the enumeration list for the specified class. tell it which one or it's just guessing 🎀
• -print-sets — prints expanded sets for testing DAG exprs. testing only, main character energy for a debug flag honestly 🦋

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🧚 mlir-tblgen Options 🧚

okay so these are the mlir-tblgen ones, different menu, same girlboss 💖

• -gen-avail-interface-decls — generates availability interface declarations ✨
• -gen-avail-interface-defs — generates op interface definitions. (that's what the page says, yes, op interface — not my words, don't shoot the messenger 🙈)
• -gen-dialect-doc — generates dialect documentation 📜
• -dialect — the dialect to generate. you gotta tell it which dialect, it's not a mind reader 🔮
• -gen-directive-decl — generates declarations for directives (OpenMP, etc.) 🧵
• -gen-enum-decls — generates enum utility declarations 🔤
• -gen-enum-defs — generates enum utility definitions 🔡
• -gen-enum-from-llvmir-conversions — generates conversions of EnumAttrs from LLVM IR ⬅️
• -gen-enum-to-llvmir-conversions — generates conversions of EnumAttrs to LLVM IR ➡️ — see what they did there, cute little pair 🥺
• -gen-llvmir-conversions — generates LLVM IR conversions 🔄
• -gen-llvmir-intrinsics — generates LLVM IR intrinsics ⚡
• -llvmir-intrinsics-filter — only keeps the intrinsics with the specified substring in their record name. filtering, we love a curated feed 💅
• -dialect-opclass-base — the base class for the ops in the dialect we are to emit 🏗️
• -gen-op-decls — generates operation declarations 📣
• -gen-op-defs — generates operation definitions 🧱
• -asmformat-error-is-fatal — emits a fatal error if format parsing fails. dramatic? yes. correct? also yes 💀
• -op-exclude-regex — regular expression of name of ops to exclude (no filter if empty) 🚫
• -op-include-regex — regular expression of name of ops to include (no filter if empty) ✅
• -gen-op-doc — generates operation documentation 📖
• -gen-pass-decls — the page literally says "Generate operation documentation." for this one. it is what it is, i'm not fixing the manpage bestie 😭
• -name namestring — the name of this group of passes 🏷️
• -gen-pass-doc — generates pass documentation 📝
• -gen-rewriters — generates pattern rewriters 🔁
• -gen-spirv-avail-impls — generates SPIR-V operation utility definitions 🌀
• -gen-spirv-capability-implication — generates a utility function to return implied capabilities for a given capability 🧠
• -gen-spirv-enum-avail-decls — generates SPIR-V enum availability declarations 🎐
• -gen-spirv-enum-avail-defs — generates SPIR-V enum availability definitions 🎏
• -gen-spirv-op-utils — generates SPIR-V operation utility definitions 🛠️
• -gen-spirv-serialization — generates SPIR-V (de)serialization utilities and functions 📦
• -gen-struct-attr-decls — generates struct utility declarations 🧩
• -gen-struct-attr-defs — generates struct utility definitions 🧮
• -gen-typedef-decls — generates TypeDef declarations 🏛️
• -gen-typedef-defs — generates TypeDef definitions 🧱
• -typedefs-dialect name — generates types for this dialect 🌟

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🫶 EXIT STATUS 🫶

if *-tblgen succeeds, it exits with 0. slay, clean exit, no notes 💖

otherwise, if an error occurs, it will exit with a non-zero value. so if the number isn't zero, something went sideways babe, go read the output 😭

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👑 AUTHOR 👑

maintained by the LLVM Team (https://llvm.org/). shoutout the maintainers fr fr 💜

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📜 COPYRIGHT 📜

2003-2026, LLVM Project

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and that's the whole page bestie 🎀 TBLGEN(1), LLVM version 23, dated 2026-10-06 — go forth and generate some tables, i believe in you 💅✨