From 968a81caeb2ab8402e54caa16c3cb3b423993d32 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: =?UTF-8?q?Antonin=20D=C3=A9cimo?= <antonin.decimo@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2026 18:51:50 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] Idiomatic use of LN_S in configure and Makefiles

LN_S is the variable produced by Autoconf's AC_PROG_LN_S. It is less
surprising, and more idiomatic to find this spelling than LN.

https://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf/manual/autoconf-2.71/html_node/Particular-Programs.html#index-AC_005fPROG_005fLN_005fS-1
---
 Makefile                          | 28 ++++++++++++++--------------
 Makefile.build_config.in          |  2 +-
 Makefile.common                   |  8 ++++----
 Makefile.cross                    | 12 ++++++------
 aclocal.m4                        |  4 ++--
 configure                         |  9 ++++-----
 configure.ac                      |  4 ++--
 testsuite/in_prefix/Makefile.test |  4 ++--
 tools/opam/generate.ml            |  2 +-
 9 files changed, 36 insertions(+), 37 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index e79162992138..f0a0593424d8 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -718,7 +718,7 @@ coldstart: boot/ocamlrun$(EXE) runtime/libcamlrun.$(A)
 	$(MAKE) -C stdlib OCAMLRUN='$$(ROOTDIR)/$<' USE_BOOT_OCAMLC=true all
 	rm -f $(addprefix boot/, libcamlrun.$(A) $(LIBFILES))
 	cp $(addprefix stdlib/, $(LIBFILES)) boot
-	cd boot; $(LN) ../runtime/libcamlrun.$(A) .
+	cd boot && $(LN_S) ../runtime/libcamlrun.$(A) .
 
 # Recompile the core system using the bootstrap compiler
 .PHONY: coreall
@@ -911,7 +911,7 @@ flexlink.opt$(EXE): \
 	  flexlink.exe
 	cp $(FLEXDLL_SOURCE_DIR)/flexlink.exe $@
 	rm -f $(OPT_BINDIR)/flexlink$(EXE)
-	cd $(OPT_BINDIR); $(LN) $(call ROOT_FROM, $(OPT_BINDIR))/$@ flexlink$(EXE)
+	cd $(OPT_BINDIR) && $(LN_S) $(call ROOT_FROM, $(OPT_BINDIR))/$@ flexlink$(EXE)
 
 else
 
@@ -1102,7 +1102,7 @@ endif
 # to add otherlibs/dynlink/native to the search path as well
 
 otherlibs/dynlink/dynlink.cmx : otherlibs/dynlink/native/dynlink.cmx
-	cd otherlibs/dynlink; $(LN) native/dynlink.cmx .
+	cd otherlibs/dynlink && $(LN_S) native/dynlink.cmx .
 
 DYNLINK_DEPEND_DUMMY_FILES = \
   otherlibs/dynlink/dynlink.ml \
@@ -1147,28 +1147,28 @@ beforedepend:: lambda/runtimedef.ml
 # Choose the right machine-dependent files
 
 asmcomp/arch.mli: asmcomp/$(ARCH)/arch.mli
-	@cd asmcomp; $(LN) $(ARCH)/arch.mli .
+	@cd asmcomp && $(LN_S) $(ARCH)/arch.mli .
 
 asmcomp/arch.ml: asmcomp/$(ARCH)/arch.ml
-	@cd asmcomp; $(LN) $(ARCH)/arch.ml .
+	@cd asmcomp && $(LN_S) $(ARCH)/arch.ml .
 
 asmcomp/proc.ml: asmcomp/$(ARCH)/proc.ml
-	@cd asmcomp; $(LN) $(ARCH)/proc.ml .
+	@cd asmcomp && $(LN_S) $(ARCH)/proc.ml .
 
 asmcomp/selection.ml: asmcomp/$(ARCH)/selection.ml
-	@cd asmcomp; $(LN) $(ARCH)/selection.ml .
+	@cd asmcomp && $(LN_S) $(ARCH)/selection.ml .
 
 asmcomp/CSE.ml: asmcomp/$(ARCH)/CSE.ml
-	@cd asmcomp; $(LN) $(ARCH)/CSE.ml .
+	@cd asmcomp && $(LN_S) $(ARCH)/CSE.ml .
 
 asmcomp/reload.ml: asmcomp/$(ARCH)/reload.ml
-	@cd asmcomp; $(LN) $(ARCH)/reload.ml .
+	@cd asmcomp && $(LN_S) $(ARCH)/reload.ml .
 
 asmcomp/scheduling.ml: asmcomp/$(ARCH)/scheduling.ml
-	@cd asmcomp; $(LN) $(ARCH)/scheduling.ml .
+	@cd asmcomp && $(LN_S) $(ARCH)/scheduling.ml .
 
 asmcomp/stackframe.ml: asmcomp/$(ARCH)/stackframe.ml
-	@cd asmcomp; $(LN) $(ARCH)/stackframe.ml .
+	@cd asmcomp && $(LN_S) $(ARCH)/stackframe.ml .
 
 # Preprocess the code emitters
 cvt_emit = tools/cvt_emit$(EXE)
@@ -1693,7 +1693,7 @@ runtime: stdlib/libcamlrun.$(A)
 .PHONY: makeruntime
 makeruntime: runtime-all
 stdlib/libcamlrun.$(A): runtime-all
-	cd stdlib; $(LN) ../runtime/libcamlrun.$(A) .
+	cd stdlib && $(LN_S) ../runtime/libcamlrun.$(A) .
 clean::
 	rm -f $(addprefix runtime/, *.o *.obj *.a *.lib *.so *.dll)
 	rm -f $(addprefix runtime/, ocamlrun ocamlrund ocamlruni ocamlruns sak)
@@ -1711,9 +1711,9 @@ runtimeopt: stdlib/libasmrun.$(A)
 .PHONY: makeruntimeopt
 makeruntimeopt: runtime-allopt
 stdlib/libasmrun.$(A): runtime-allopt
-	cd stdlib; $(LN) ../runtime/libasmrun.$(A) .
+	cd stdlib && $(LN_S) ../runtime/libasmrun.$(A) .
 stdlib/libcomprmarsh.$(A): runtime/libcomprmarsh.$(A)
-	cd stdlib; $(LN) ../runtime/libcomprmarsh.$(A) .
+	cd stdlib && $(LN_S) ../runtime/libcomprmarsh.$(A) .
 
 clean::
 	rm -f stdlib/libasmrun.a stdlib/libasmrun.lib
diff --git a/Makefile.build_config.in b/Makefile.build_config.in
index e2fb0309e076..2e1d6f0a1e21 100644
--- a/Makefile.build_config.in
+++ b/Makefile.build_config.in
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ ZINC_RUNTIME_ID_HI = @zinc_runtime_id_hi@
 ZINC_RUNTIME_ID = @zinc_runtime_id_lo@$(ZINC_RUNTIME_ID_HI)
 
 # Platform-dependent command to create symbolic links
-LN = @ln@
+LN_S = @LN_S@
 
 # Tool to generate manifests for managed assemblies and unmanaged side-by-side
 # assemblies, for the Windows targets.
diff --git a/Makefile.common b/Makefile.common
index a66fbcbda22e..cc7014ef8792 100644
--- a/Makefile.common
+++ b/Makefile.common
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ INSTALL_DESPATCH_install_MKDIR = \
 
 MK_LINK = \
   (cd "$(INSTALL_SECTION_$(2))$(addprefix /,$(3))" && \
-    $(LN) $(call QUOTE_SINGLE,$(1)) $(call QUOTE_SINGLE,$(4)))
+    $(LN_S) $(call QUOTE_SINGLE,$(1)) $(call QUOTE_SINGLE,$(4)))
 
 INSTALL_DESPATCH_install_ITEM = \
   $(INSTALL_CMD_$(2)) $(1) \
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ INSTALL_DESPATCH_display_MKDIR = \
     -> MKDIR $(INSTALL_SECTION_$(1))$(addprefix /,$(2))) $(SH_AND)
 
 MKLINK_display = \
-  echo $(call QUOTE_SINGLE,-> LN \
+  echo $(call QUOTE_SINGLE,-> LN_S \
          $(abspath $(INSTALL_SECTION_$(2))$(addprefix /,$(3))/$(1)) -> \
          $(if $(4),$(4),$(notdir $(1))))
 
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ ADD_LINE = $(call INVOKE, echo, $(2)) >> $(1)
 # These can then be munged to a cd + ln combination in the fixup script.
 # If symlinks are not supported, $1 is instead used to create an additional copy
 # of the file, using the .install file.
-ifeq "$(firstword $(LN))" "ln"
+ifeq "$(firstword $(LN_S))" "ln"
 RECORD_SYMLINK_TO_INSTALL = \
   $(call ADD_LINE, $(ROOTDIR)/create-symlinks, \
     $(patsubst lib%,lib,$(2))$(addprefix /,$(3)) $(4) $(5))
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ INSTALL_DESPATCH_opam_BEGIN = \
 # then munge clone-* and create-symlinks into the fixup script.
 INSTALL_DESPATCH_opam_END = \
   $(OCAMLRUN) ./ocaml$(EXE) $(STDLIBFLAGS) \
-    tools/opam/generate.ml $(INSTALL_MODE) $(OPAM_PACKAGE_NAME) '$(LN)'
+    tools/opam/generate.ml $(INSTALL_MODE) $(OPAM_PACKAGE_NAME) '$(LN_S)'
 
 # Generate $(OPAM_PACKAGE_NAME)-clone.sh (INSTALL_MODE=clone)
 
diff --git a/Makefile.cross b/Makefile.cross
index 71a15b0bd2ef..ba06974032dd 100644
--- a/Makefile.cross
+++ b/Makefile.cross
@@ -99,13 +99,13 @@ cross-flexdll: | $(BYTE_BINDIR) $(OPT_BINDIR)
 	rm -f $(FLEXDLL_SOURCE_DIR)/flexlink.exe
 	$(MAKE) -C $(FLEXDLL_SOURCE_DIR) $(FLEXLINK_BUILD_ENV) \
 	  NATDYNLINK=false LINKFLAGS= flexlink.exe support
-	$(LN) $(FLEXDLL_SOURCE_DIR)/flexlink.exe flexlink.opt.exe
-	$(LN) flexlink.opt.exe flexlink.byte.exe
+	$(LN_S) $(FLEXDLL_SOURCE_DIR)/flexlink.exe flexlink.opt.exe
+	$(LN_S) flexlink.opt.exe flexlink.byte.exe
 	cp flexlink.byte.exe $(BYTE_BINDIR)/flexlink
-	cd $(BYTE_BINDIR) && $(LN) flexlink flexlink.exe
+	cd $(BYTE_BINDIR) && $(LN_S) flexlink flexlink.exe
 	cp $(addprefix $(FLEXDLL_SOURCE_DIR)/, $(FLEXDLL_OBJECTS)) $(ROOTDIR)
 	cp flexlink.opt.exe $(OPT_BINDIR)/flexlink
-	cd $(OPT_BINDIR) && $(LN) flexlink flexlink.exe
+	cd $(OPT_BINDIR) && $(LN_S) flexlink flexlink.exe
 
 INSTALL_OVERRIDES=build_ocamldoc=false WITH_DEBUGGER= OCAMLRUN=ocamlrun
 
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ installcross:
 	  $(addprefix toplevel/, \
 	    $(foreach ext,cmi cmt cmti cmx, native/nat__dummy__.$(ext)) \
 	      all__dummy__.cmx topstart.o native/tophooks.cmi)
-	$(LN) `command -v ocamllex` lex/ocamllex.opt$(EXE)
-	$(LN) `command -v ocamlyacc` yacc/ocamlyacc.opt$(EXE)
+	cd lex && $(LN_S) `command -v ocamllex` ocamllex.opt$(EXE)
+	cd yacc && $(LN_S) `command -v ocamlyacc` ocamlyacc.opt$(EXE)
 	# Real installation
 	$(MAKE) install $(INSTALL_OVERRIDES)
diff --git a/aclocal.m4 b/aclocal.m4
index a1db7c2cc42d..c268dae9f70e 100644
--- a/aclocal.m4
+++ b/aclocal.m4
@@ -633,8 +633,8 @@ AC_DEFUN([OCAML_CHECK_LN_ON_WINDOWS], [
   AS_IF([m4_normalize(MSYS=winsymlinks:nativestrict
                       CYGWIN=winsymlinks:nativestrict
                       ln -sf configure conftestLink 2>/dev/null)],
-    [ln='ln -sf'],
-    [ln='cp -pf']
+    [LN_S='ln -sf'],
+    [LN_S='cp -pRf']
   )
   AC_MSG_RESULT([$ln])
 ])
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 60be943b5ae1..c609beb0183b 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -756,7 +756,6 @@ ac_ct_AR
 DLLTOOL
 OBJDUMP
 FILECMD
-LN_S
 NM
 ac_ct_DUMPBIN
 DUMPBIN
@@ -925,7 +924,7 @@ syslib
 outputobj
 outputexe
 ocamlyacc_wstr_module
-ln
+LN_S
 unix_or_win32
 ocamlsrcdir
 systhread_support
@@ -15295,9 +15294,9 @@ case $cygwin_build_env,$host in #(
 printf %s "checking for a workable solution for ln -sf... " >&6; }
   if MSYS=winsymlinks:nativestrict CYGWIN=winsymlinks:nativestrict ln -sf configure conftestLink 2>/dev/null
 then :
-  ln='ln -sf'
+  LN_S='ln -sf'
 else $as_nop
-  ln='cp -pf'
+  LN_S='cp -pRf'
 
 fi
   { printf "%s\n" "$as_me:${as_lineno-$LINENO}: result: $ln" >&5
@@ -15305,7 +15304,7 @@ printf "%s\n" "$ln" >&6; }
 
     ocamlsrcdir="$(LC_ALL=C.UTF-8 cygpath -w -- "$srcdir_abs")" ;; #(
   *) :
-    ln='ln -sf'
+    LN_S='ln -sf'
   ocamlsrcdir="$srcdir_abs" ;;
 esac
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 57f4d79b1d80..22436497b83d 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ AC_SUBST([oc_native_cppflags])
 AC_SUBST([systhread_support])
 AC_SUBST([ocamlsrcdir])
 AC_SUBST([unix_or_win32])
-AC_SUBST([ln])
+AC_SUBST([LN_S])
 AC_SUBST([ocamlyacc_wstr_module])
 AC_SUBST([outputexe])
 AC_SUBST([outputobj])
@@ -945,7 +945,7 @@ AS_CASE([$cygwin_build_env,$host],
   [true,*-w64-mingw32*|true,*-pc-windows],
     [OCAML_CHECK_LN_ON_WINDOWS
     ocamlsrcdir="$(LC_ALL=C.UTF-8 cygpath -w -- "$srcdir_abs")"],
-  [ln='ln -sf'
+  [LN_S='ln -sf'
   ocamlsrcdir="$srcdir_abs"])
 
 # Whether ar supports @FILE arguments
diff --git a/testsuite/in_prefix/Makefile.test b/testsuite/in_prefix/Makefile.test
index 16ffe3a30dd6..a458ce4fb265 100644
--- a/testsuite/in_prefix/Makefile.test
+++ b/testsuite/in_prefix/Makefile.test
@@ -55,10 +55,10 @@ endif
 
 test-in-prefix: $(DRIVER) ../tools/main_in_c.$(O) ../tools/poisonedruntime$(EXE)
 	@rm -f ocamlrun*
-	@$(LN) $(ROOTDIR)/runtime/ocamlrun$(EXE) test-$(RUNTIME_NAME)
+	@$(LN_S) $(ROOTDIR)/runtime/ocamlrun$(EXE) test-$(RUNTIME_NAME)
 	@$(MKDIR) poisoned-runtime
 	@cd poisoned-runtime \
-	  && $(LN) ../../tools/poisonedruntime$(EXE) $(RUNTIME_NAME)
+	  && $(LN_S) ../../tools/poisonedruntime$(EXE) $(RUNTIME_NAME)
 	@$< $(DRIVER_ARGS)
 	@rm -rf poisoned-runtime
 	@rm -f test-ocamlrun*
diff --git a/tools/opam/generate.ml b/tools/opam/generate.ml
index d0084d9b2ee8..d259b2eda237 100644
--- a/tools/opam/generate.ml
+++ b/tools/opam/generate.ml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
    Parameters are the following Makefile variables:
      $1 = $(INSTALL_MODE) (opam or clone)
      $2 = $(OPAM_PACKAGE_NAME)
-     $3 = $(LN) *)
+     $3 = $(LN_S) *)
 
 let exit_because fmt = Printf.ksprintf (fun s -> prerr_endline s; exit 1) fmt
 

From 4c084008918b62093c3254169d67a4ee937ec542 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: =?UTF-8?q?Antonin=20D=C3=A9cimo?= <antonin.decimo@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2026 18:52:29 +0100
Subject: [PATCH 2/2] Makefile.config: define AR rather than ARCMD, define
 ARFLAGS

Both AR and ARFLAGS are GNU Make variables used by implicit rules and
are commonly used to select a build toolchain, as in:

    ./configure AR=llvm-ar ARFLAGS=rcvs

Deprecate ARCMD, which is not "standard". Export AR and ARFLAGS into
Makefile.config.

- https://www.gnu.org/software/make/manual/html_node/Implicit-Variables.html#index-AR
- https://www.gnu.org/software/make/manual/html_node/Implicit-Variables.html#index-ARFLAGS
---
 Makefile.config.in |  7 ++++++-
 configure          | 13 +++++++++++--
 configure.ac       |  8 ++++++--
 3 files changed, 23 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/Makefile.config.in b/Makefile.config.in
index 9771c9a6fbd7..092fce6f6302 100644
--- a/Makefile.config.in
+++ b/Makefile.config.in
@@ -75,7 +75,8 @@ LDFLAGS?=@LDFLAGS@
 CPP=@CPP@
 
 ### How to invoke ar
-ARCMD=@AR@
+AR=@AR@
+ARFLAGS=@ARFLAGS@
 
 ### Extension of object files
 O=@OBJEXT@
@@ -226,6 +227,10 @@ NATIVE_RUNTIME_ID=@native_runtime_id@
 
 # Deprecated variables
 
+## Variables deprecated since OCaml 5.5
+
+ARCMD=@AR@
+
 ## Variables deprecated since OCaml 5.3
 
 OCAMLC_CFLAGS=@bytecode_cflags@
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index c609beb0183b..9ed7fe1a0182 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -893,6 +893,7 @@ natdynlinkopts
 natdynlink
 supports_shared_libraries
 mklib
+ARFLAGS
 AR
 launch_method_target
 launch_method
@@ -1084,6 +1085,8 @@ enable_libtool_lock
       ac_precious_vars='build_alias
 host_alias
 target_alias
+AR
+ARFLAGS
 AS
 ASPP
 PARTIALLD
@@ -1815,6 +1818,8 @@ Optional Packages:
   --with-odoc
 
 Some influential environment variables:
+  AR          Archive-maintaining program
+  ARFLAGS     Flags to give the archive-maintaining program
   AS          which assembler to use
   ASPP        which assembler (with preprocessor) to use
   PARTIALLD   how to build partial (relocatable) object files
@@ -3571,6 +3576,7 @@ LINEAR_MAGIC_NUMBER=Caml1999L038
 
 
 
+
 
 
  # TODO: rename this variable
@@ -4064,6 +4070,8 @@ esac
 
 
 
+
+
 # Command-line arguments to configure
 
 # Check whether --enable-debug-runtime was given.
@@ -15183,7 +15191,7 @@ case $target in #(
   # In config/Makefile.mingw*, we had:
   # TARGET=i686-w64-mingw32 and x86_64-w64-mingw32
   # TOOLPREF=$(TARGET)-
-  # ARCMD=$(TOOLPREF)ar
+  # AR=$(TOOLPREF)ar
   # However autoconf and libtool seem to use ar
   # So we let them do, at the moment
   *-pc-windows) :
@@ -15201,7 +15209,8 @@ fi
      ;; #(
   *) :
 
-    mklib="rm -f \$(1) && ${AR} rc \$(1) \$(2)"
+    : ${ARFLAGS:=rc}
+    mklib="rm -f \$(1) && ${AR} ${ARFLAGS} \$(1) \$(2)"
    ;;
 esac
 
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 22436497b83d..1546b2670e30 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -198,6 +198,7 @@ AC_SUBST([shebangscripts])
 AC_SUBST([launch_method])
 AC_SUBST([launch_method_target])
 AC_SUBST([AR])
+AC_SUBST([ARFLAGS])
 AC_SUBST([mklib])
 AC_SUBST([supports_shared_libraries])
 AC_SUBST([natdynlink])
@@ -461,6 +462,8 @@ AS_CASE([$target],
 
 # Environment variables that are taken into account
 
+AC_ARG_VAR([AR], [Archive-maintaining program])
+AC_ARG_VAR([ARFLAGS], [Flags to give the archive-maintaining program])
 AC_ARG_VAR([AS], [which assembler to use])
 AC_ARG_VAR([ASPP], [which assembler (with preprocessor) to use])
 AC_ARG_VAR([PARTIALLD], [how to build partial (relocatable) object files])
@@ -881,7 +884,7 @@ AS_CASE([$target],
   # In config/Makefile.mingw*, we had:
   # TARGET=i686-w64-mingw32 and x86_64-w64-mingw32
   # TOOLPREF=$(TARGET)-
-  # ARCMD=$(TOOLPREF)ar
+  # AR=$(TOOLPREF)ar
   # However autoconf and libtool seem to use ar
   # So we let them do, at the moment
   [*-pc-windows],
@@ -895,7 +898,8 @@ AS_CASE([$target],
       mklib="link -lib -nologo $machine /out:\$(1) \$(2)"
     ],
   [
-    mklib="rm -f \$(1) && ${AR} rc \$(1) \$(2)"
+    : ${ARFLAGS:=rc}
+    mklib="rm -f \$(1) && ${AR} ${ARFLAGS} \$(1) \$(2)"
   ])
 
 ## In cross-compilation mode, can we run executables produced?