# Default Build Script

If you use jME3 together with the jMonkeyPlatform (recommended) then you benefit from the provided build script. Every new project comes with a default Ant script. The toolbar buttons and clean/build/run actions in the jMonkeyPlatform are already pre-configured.

## Default Targets

The build script includes targets for the following tasks:

- clean – deletes the built classes and executables in the dist directory.
- jar – compiles the classes, builds the executable JAR in the dist directory, copies libraries.
- run – runs the executable JAR.
- javadoc – compiles javadoc from your java files into html files.
- debug – used by the jMonkeyPlatform Debugger plugin.
- test – Used by the jMonkeyPlatform JUnit Test plugin.

Usage on the command line:

    ant clean
    ant jar
    ant run

Recommended Usage: Use the menu items or toolbar buttons in the jMonkeyPlatform to trigger clean, build, and run actions.

## Browsing the Build Script

To see the build script and the predefined tasks

1. Open your project in the jMonkeyPlatform if it isn't already open (File > Open Project…)
2. Open the Files window (Window > Files)
3. Open the project node. You see `build.xml` listed.
   1. Double-click `build.xml` to see how the jme3-specify build targets were defined. You typically do not need to edit the existing ones, but you can.
   2. Click the triangle next to `build.xml` to see all targets.
      1. Double-click a target in the Files window, or the Navigator, to see how the target was defined.
         You will notice that the file `nbproject/build-impl.xml` opens. It contains very generic targets that you typically will never need to edit. Note that `build.xml` includes `build-impl.xml`!

## Adding Custom Targets

The build script is a non-proprietary Apache Ant script. It will work out-of-the-box, but if necessary, you can extend and customize it.

Read the comments in `build.xml`, they explain how to override targets, or extend them, to customize the build process without breaking the existing functionality.

view online version