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The definition of "to build", in software, is:

the process of converting source code files into standalone software artifact(s) that can be run on a computer

I'm working with a software development team and I'm struggling with specific software-related vocabulary.

There are a few potential direct translations of the verb "to build", in Mandarin: 建设 and 建造 seem related to physical construction. 构建 and 搭建 seem more abstract in use, though they sound like "to compose", "to put together".

The relevant Wikipedia page offers 组建 instead.

What is the correct technical translation for "to build" a software?

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You can say:

  • build server: 编译服务器

  • to build: 编译（编译整个工程)

  • a build: 一个版本的编译，编译的一个版本

  • a code drop: 一个代码实现 （minor milestone）

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    If you translate "build" to 编译, which word would you choose for "compile"? – Stan Jan 13 '14 at 0:20
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    I think in fact 编译 could be used on both compile and build, I don't think it is proper to translate it to other Chinese word. Of course you can use 生成 or other words, but 编译 is used most commonly, although build = compile + link, they are different things. Whereas no one uses 构建 I believe, you don't expect programmers as professional translators so that among Chinese IT books, there are different translations. – tomriddle_1234 Jan 13 '14 at 1:01
  • I just checked some online dictionary in Chinese, sometimes build is translated as 编连（编译和连接）. But I never heard of this word from people though. – tomriddle_1234 Jan 13 '14 at 1:06
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    On IDEs build are actually called 構建 to differentiate from 編譯(compile) but there's usually no such distinction in spoken language even among IT technicians. – phoeagon Jan 13 '14 at 11:08
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    For projects (build a project), the verb is 构建 instead of 编译. For packages (build a package), the more colloquial verb is 打 (打包). – ekd123 Jul 23 at 13:37
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Build means:

  1. setup 搭建
  2. compile 编译

Depending on the context:

  1. if the server is a Linux distribution, such as Ubuntu or CentOS, build server should be "搭建服务器".

  2. if the server is "MySQL" or other databases, we call it "搭建数据库服务器".

  3. if the server is Tomcat (a Java application server), we call it "搭建应用服务器" or "搭建后端服务器" (back-end server).

  4. if the server is Nginx, we call it "搭建前端服务器" (front-end server).

In China (Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai) we never say 构建. It seems that 构建 and 软体 are only spoken in Taiwan.

There's only one exception: if you are installing some software via the "configure - make - make/install" steps (also known as "build from source"), you can translate it as 以编译源代码的方式来安装某某软件。

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  • 这回答还可以，不过在OP的问题中”build server“为名词短语，指的是专门进行编译的服务器，而不是像“to build a server”动词+宾语 – blackgreen Jul 27 at 11:08
  • 需要一个专门的编译用服务器， 那这个项目很大啊。 – Siwei Shen 申思维 Jul 27 at 22:21
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BUILD SERVER 搭建服务器，for both hardware and software terms. A BUILD, depends on the context, can be translate as 一款软件建成的版本

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