# Bootstrap compiler source code

**URL:** <https://discuss.ocaml.org/t/bootstrap-compiler-source-code/18377>\
**Category:** Learning\
**Created:** [July 21, 2026, 9:04pm UTC](https://discuss.ocaml.org/t/bootstrap-compiler-source-code/18377 "2026-07-21T21:04:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Piero\_Furiesi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discuss.ocaml.org/piero_furiesi/32/5482_2.png) [@Piero\_Furiesi](https://discuss.ocaml.org/u/Piero_Furiesi)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 9:04pm UTC](https://discuss.ocaml.org/t/bootstrap-compiler-source-code/18377/1 "2026-07-21T21:04:43Z")

</div>

Just for curiosity: why the source code of the OCaml boostrap compiler (in boot/ocamlc) are not distributed along with it? Is it published somewhere, or is there a paper explaining the requirements an OCaml boostrap compiler must comply with?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![octachron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/49beb7/32.png) [@octachron](https://discuss.ocaml.org/u/octachron)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 9:24pm UTC](https://discuss.ocaml.org/t/bootstrap-compiler-source-code/18377/2 "2026-07-21T21:24:33Z")

</div>

The source of the bootstrap compiler is distributed along with it since it is the same source as the compiler, with a lag of at most one version of the compiler.