please explain differences between "black magic" "unbootstrappable builds"
Black Magic vs Unbootstrappable Builds
"Black magic" and "unbootstrappable builds" are terms often used in software development, but they refer to different concepts:
- This term is used informally to describe code, techniques, or processes that seem mysterious, overly complex, or difficult to understand.
- It often implies that something is working, but developers don’t fully grasp why or how.
- Example: A deeply nested macro system in C that generates code dynamically in ways that aren't obvious.
- This refers to a build system that cannot build itself from scratch without external dependencies.
- In software, "bootstrapping" means compiling a system using only itself (or earlier, simpler versions of itself). If a build is unbootstrappable, it means that it depends on external prebuilt binaries or tools, making it harder to reproduce the build from source alone.
- Example: A compiler that requires a newer version of itself to be built but isn’t available in source form, creating a dependency loop.
- "Black magic" is about complexity and obscurity in code or techniques, while "unbootstrappable builds" refer to a fundamental issue in software compilation where a build cannot start from scratch without external dependencies.
- A build system could be black magic if it's overly complex, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it's unbootstrappable—it might still be able to rebuild itself.
Would you like specific examples or a deeper explanation of either?