This package provides a way to automatically trigger recompilation when associated source buffer changes. ; Installation: The easiest and preferred way to install recompile-on-save is to use the package available on MELPA. Manual installation: Save recompile-on-save.el to a directory on your load-path (e.g., ~/.emacs.d/elisp), then add the following to your .emacs file: (require 'recompile-on-save) ; Using recompile-on-save: You should have at least one source buffer and one compilation buffer. When you run M-x recompile-on-save in the source buffer it will ask you for a compilation buffer which you want to associate with it. After that, each save of the source buffer will trigger recompilation in the associated compilation buffer. To make this process even easier you might advice any compilation function (e.g., compile) using recompile-on-save-advice. (recompile-on-save-advice compile) This way source <-> compilation buffer association will happen automatically when you run M-x compile. To (temporarily) disable automatic recompilation turn off recompile-on-save-mode. To reset compilation buffers associations for current source buffer use M-x reset-recompile-on-save