</sect1>
<sect1 id="static-dynamic-flags">
- <title>Static vs. Dynamic options</title>
+ <title>Static, Dynamic, and Mode options</title>
<indexterm><primary>static</primary><secondary>options</secondary>
</indexterm>
<indexterm><primary>dynamic</primary><secondary>options</secondary>
</indexterm>
+ <indexterm><primary>mode</primary><secondary>options</secondary>
+ </indexterm>
<para>Each of GHC's command line options is classified as either
- <firstterm>static</firstterm> or <firstterm>dynamic</firstterm>.
- A static flag may only be specified on the command line, whereas a
- dynamic flag may also be given in an <literal>OPTIONS_GHC</literal>
- pragma in a source file or set from the GHCi command-line with
- <literal>:set</literal>.</para>
-
- <para>As a rule of thumb, options which relate to filenames are
- static, and the rest are dynamic. The flag reference tables (<xref
+ <firstterm>static</firstterm> or <firstterm>dynamic</firstterm> or
+ <firstterm>mode</firstterm>:</para>
+
+ <variablelist>
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>Mode flags</term>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>For example, <option>--make</option> or <option>-E</option>.
+ There may be only a single mode flag on the command line. The
+ available modes are listed in <xref linkend="modes">.</para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>Dynamic Flags</term>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>Most non-mode flags fall into this category. A dynamic flag
+ may be used on the command line, in a
+ <literal>GHC_OPTIONS</literal> pragma in a source file, or set
+ using <literal>:set</literal> in GHCi.</para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+ <varlistentry>
+ <term>Static Flags</term>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>A few flags are "static", which means they can only be used on
+ the command-line, and remain in force over the entire GHC/GHCi
+ run.</para>
+ </listitem>
+ </varlistentry>
+ </variablelist>
+
+ <para>The flag reference tables (<xref
linkend="flag-reference"/>) lists the status of each flag.</para>
</sect1>