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build_variables.php

Path: build/build_variables.php | Language: PHP | Lines: ~5

Maintains shared state for tracking which files have been updated during the build process.

Overview​

This minimal file defines a single global array that acts as a registry of files modified during the build pipeline. It provides shared state that multiple build scripts can append to, allowing the build system to track which generated or versioned files were created or updated during a build run.

The $updated_files array is initialized empty and populated by scripts like version_asset_links.php when they write output files. This allows downstream scripts or logging mechanisms to report what changed, which is useful for debugging, caching invalidation, and build verification.

While simple, this shared state mechanism is important for coordinating between multiple PHP scripts that run in sequence during the build process. Each script can append to this array to communicate what it modified.

Key Variables​

  • $updated_files - Array that accumulates paths of files written/updated during build

Input/Output​

Input: None (initialized empty)

Output: Provides global $updated_files array for other scripts to populate

Usage​

Imported by build scripts that generate files:

require_once(__DIR__ . '/build_variables.php');
global $updated_files;

// After writing a file:
$updated_files[] = $versioned_file_path;

Used by:

  • version_asset_links.php - Appends versioned CSS file paths after generation
  • Potentially other build scripts that generate files and want to report what they created

The array can be inspected at the end of a build to log or display which files were updated.

See Also​