meson
A high performance build system
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes. Meson is production-stable, actively maintained, permissively licensed under Apache License, Version 2.0, and has no known security vulnerabilities. Install it if you need a build system for projects targeting Python 3.10 or newer. The main prerequisite is ensuring Python 3.10+ is available in your environment.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python 3.10 or newer.
- Requires version 1.8.2 or newer of an external build backend to execute generated build files.
- Installation is straightforward with no runtime dependencies.
License · maintenance · safety
Apache License, Version 2.0 (permissive) — Licensed under Apache License, Version 2.0 (permissive), which allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions.
last release 2026-08-10 (4 days) · last repo commit 2026-08-14 · 6,603 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 17,979,399 downloads/mo, #1,096 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install meson
# In your project directory with meson.build:
meson setup builddir
cd builddir
meson compile- Whether Meson's learning curve or configuration complexity is suitable for small projects versus large codebases.
- Performance characteristics compared to other build systems in typical project scenarios.
- Which languages and project types Meson is optimized for beyond the general build orchestration role.
What it is and what it does
Meson is a next-generation build system that reads declarative build definitions from meson.build files and generates build instructions. It emphasizes clarity and speed by using a modern configuration language and delegating execution to external build backends. The package itself is a Python tool that processes your build configuration and produces the necessary build artifacts.
You use Meson by creating a meson.build file in your project root that describes your targets and build options, then run `meson setup builddir` to generate a build directory. The system supports multiple operating systems including Linux, macOS, Windows, and BSD. It is classified as Production/Stable and has been actively maintained since its first release in 2016.
Use it for
- Set up build systems for projects that need to work identically across Linux, macOS, Windows, and BSD.
- Define and run unit tests as part of the build process after compilation.
- Manage projects with complex build configurations using a declarative, modern syntax.
- Automate build setup in continuous integration pipelines where reproducible builds are critical.
- Configure builds for projects requiring Python 3.10 or newer environments.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes.
Meson is production-stable, actively maintained, permissively licensed under Apache License, Version 2.0, and has no known security vulnerabilities. Install it if you need a build system for projects targeting Python 3.10 or newer. The main prerequisite is ensuring Python 3.10+ is available in your environment.
Install
meson on PyPI
Before you install
Installation is straightforward with no runtime dependencies. The project is actively maintained with a recent release (4 days since last release) and strong community engagement (6603 GitHub stars).
Requires Python 3.10 or newer. Requires version 1.8.2 or newer of an external build backend to execute generated build files.
License in practice
Licensed under Apache License, Version 2.0 (permissive), which allows commercial and private use with minimal restrictions.
Quickstart
pip install meson
# In your project directory with meson.build:
meson setup builddir
cd builddir
meson compileVerify before relying
- Whether Meson's learning curve or configuration complexity is suitable for small projects versus large codebases.
- Performance characteristics compared to other build systems in typical project scenarios.
- Which languages and project types Meson is optimized for beyond the general build orchestration role.
Package facts
| License | Apache License, Version 2.0 permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.10 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 4 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 17,979,399 / month, #1,096 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Development Status :: 5 - Production/StableEnvironment :: ConsoleIntended Audience :: DevelopersLicense :: OSI Approved :: Apache Software LicenseNatural Language :: EnglishOperating System :: MacOS :: MacOS XOperating System :: Microsoft :: WindowsOperating System :: POSIX :: BSDOperating System :: POSIX :: LinuxProgramming Language :: Python :: 3 :: OnlyProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.14Topic :: Software Development :: Build Tools |
Evidence: meson-1.12.0-py3-none-any.whl
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See also meson-python · spin · ninja · SCons · scikit-build-core · scan-build · json-timeseries · ansible-builder · pex · dwave-optimization