One or more targets may be built as follows:

	env.Build(target = ['foo', 'bar'])
	

Note that specifying a directory (or other collective object) will cause all subsidiary/dependent objects to be built as well:

	env.Build(target = '.')

	env.Build(target = 'builddir')
	

By default, SCons explicitly removes a target file before invoking the underlying function or command(s) to build it.

A "cleanup" operation of removing generated (target) files is performed as follows:

	env.Clean(target = ['foo', 'bar'])
	

Like the Build method, the Clean method may be passed a directory or other collective object, in which case the subsidiary target objects under the directory will be removed:

	env.Clean(target = '.')

	env.Clean(target = 'builddir')
	

(The directories themselves are not removed.)

By default, SCons explicitly removes all build-targets when invoked to perform "cleanup". Files that should not be removed during "cleanup" can be specified via the NoClean method:

env.Library(target = 'libfoo.a', source = ['aaa.c', 'bbb.c', 'ccc.c'])
env.NoClean('libfoo.a')
  

The NoClean operation has precedence over the Clean operation. A target that is specified as both Clean and NoClean, will not be removed during a clean. In the following example, target 'foo' will not be removed during "cleanup":

env.Clean(target = 'foo')
env.NoClean('foo')
    

As mentioned, by default, SCons explicitly removes a target file before invoking the underlying function or command(s) to build it. Files that should not be removed before rebuilding can be specified via the Precious method:

	env.Library(target = 'libfoo.a', source = ['aaa.c', 'bbb.c', 'ccc.c'])
	env.Precious('libfoo.a')
	

The user may specify default targets that will be built if there are no targets supplied on the command line:

	env.Default('install', 'src')
	

Multiple calls to the Default method (typically one per SConscript file) append their arguments to the list of default targets.

Files may be installed in a destination directory:

	env.Install('/usr/bin', 'program1', 'program2')
	

Files may be renamed on installation:

	env.InstallAs('/usr/bin/xyzzy', 'xyzzy.in')
	

Multiple files may be renamed on installation by specifying equal-length lists of target and source files:

	env.InstallAs(['/usr/bin/foo', '/usr/bin/bar'],
	                ['foo.in', 'bar.in'])
	

In order to provide convenient "shortcut" target names that expand to a specified list of targets, aliases may be established:

	env.Alias(alias = 'install',
	          targets = ['/sbin', '/usr/lib', '/usr/share/man'])
	

In this example, specifying a target of install will cause all the files in the associated directories to be built (that is, installed).

An Alias may include one or more other Aliases in its list:

	env.Alias(alias = 'libraries', targets = ['lib'])
	env.Alias(alias = 'programs', targets = ['libraries', 'src'])