Byte compile setup

Question

What byte compile setup can I use when writing my init files?

Have been doing M-x byte-compile-file directly. Would like to do a function that calls byte-compile-file on the current buffer.

Answer 1

For an initial compilation I would either M-x byte-compile-file M-n RET, or else use B in dired.¹

For automatically maintaining the .elc file thereafter, I highly recommend using the auto-compile package:

https://github.com/emacscollective/auto-compile

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¹ More usually C-xC-jB -- refer to C-hig (dired-x)Optional Installation Dired Jump