zccache
zccache is a free, open-source local-first compiler cache for C, C++, and Rust, described as a drop-in replacement for sccache and ccache.
What zccache is
zccache is a free, open-source local-first compiler cache for C, C++, and Rust, described as a drop-in replacement for sccache and ccache. A persistent daemon, filesystem watching, and in-memory file metadata are used to speed cache lookups. Listed build support includes Emscripten, wasm-ld, clang-tidy, include-what-you-use, rustfmt, and clippy. It integrates with Ninja, CMake, Meson, Make, Cargo through RUSTC_WRAPPER, and Python tools such as setuptools-rust, maturin, and scikit-build-core. Its composite GitHub Action provides compilation and Cargo registry cache layers, with optional target snapshots and cache warming. Storage options include the local filesystem and GitHub Actions Cache; S3, Google Cloud Storage, Redis, Memcached, Azure Blob, and distributed build farms are unsupported. The project provides shell and PowerShell installers, release archives, PyPI wheels, and crates.io packages. Cache retention uses a default artifact budget of 5% of filesystem capacity, clamped to 40–200 GiB and adjusted for free space. zccache supports Linux, macOS, and Windows and is licensed under AGPL-3.0-only.
Good
- Supports C, C++, Rust, and Emscripten builds
- Integrates with Ninja, CMake, Meson, Make, and Cargo
- GitHub Action includes compilation and Cargo registry cache layers
- Free and open source under AGPL-3.0-only
Watch out
- CUDA/nvcc is unsupported
- MSVC cl.exe and link.exe support is partial
- Distributed build farms and several remote storage options are unsupported
- Target snapshot caching is disabled by default
Who it suits
zccache may suit developers using its supported languages and build systems who want local caching or GitHub Actions cache support. It can be self-hosted, but does not provide remote execution.
Verdict
zccache covers a range of local build workflows and offers a GitHub Actions cache integration. Check its compiler and storage limits against your build setup before choosing it.
The facts
Each one read from zccache's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Build integrations
- It documents integration with Ninja, CMake, Meson, Make, Cargo through RUSTC_WRAPPER, and Python build tools including maturin.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Cache architecture
- It uses a persistent daemon, filesystem watching, and in-memory file metadata to speed up cache lookups.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Cache design
- It uses a persistent daemon, filesystem watching, and in-memory file metadata to speed up cache lookups.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Cache limits
- The default artifact budget is 5% of filesystem capacity, clamped to 40–200 GiB, with configurable size overrides and LRU eviction.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Cache retention
- The daemon manages cache retention, with a default artifact budget of 5% of filesystem capacity clamped to 40–200 GiB, subject to free-space adjustments.checked 7 Oct 2026
- CI integration
- The project provides a composite GitHub Action with compilation and Cargo registry caching, plus optional target snapshots and cache warming.checked 8 Oct 2026
- GitHub Actions
- The project provides a composite GitHub Action with compilation and Cargo registry cache layers, plus an optional target snapshot cache.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Installation
- The README provides shell and PowerShell installers, platform-specific release archives, PyPI wheels, and crates.io packages.checked 7 Oct 2026
- Known coverage limit
- The feature matrix marks CUDA/nvcc unsupported and MSVC cl.exe/link.exe support as partial.checked 7 Oct 2026
- License
- The repository identifies its license as AGPL-3.0.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Maintenance and support
- The repository exposes GitHub Issues and Pull Requests for project discussion and contributions.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- zccache is a local-first compiler cache for C/C++ and Rust, described as a drop-in replacement for sccache and ccache.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Storage
- The feature comparison lists local filesystem storage and GitHub Actions Cache support, but marks S3, Google Cloud Storage, Redis, Memcached, Azure Blob, and distributed build farms unsupported.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Supported tools
- The README lists support for Emscripten, wasm-ld, clang-tidy, include-what-you-use, rustfmt, and clippy.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Target snapshot limit
- In the GitHub Action, target snapshot caching is disabled by default and its default maximum snapshot size is 2GiB.checked 7 Oct 2026
The company
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, United Stateschecked 28 Sep 2026
Where it runs
- Platforms
- The README lists Linux, macOS, and Windows binaries, including Linux aarch64, Apple Silicon, and Windows arm64 release archives.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Windows helper
- A Defender exclusion helper can check, add, or remove an exclusion for the cache directory; adding one requires elevated privileges.checked 8 Oct 2026
