# 7.18. Autotools configuration data cache - siteinfo.bbclass

## 7.18. Autotools configuration data cache - `siteinfo.bbclass`

Autotools can require tests that must execute on the target hardware. Since this is not possible in general when cross compiling, site information is used to provide cached test results so these tests can be skipped over but still make the correct values available. The `meta/site directory` contains test results sorted into different categories such as architecture, endianness, and the `libc` used. Site information provides a list of files containing data relevant to the current build in the `CONFIG_SITE` variable that Autotools automatically picks up.

The class also provides variables like `SITEINFO_ENDIANNESS` and `SITEINFO_BITS` that can be used elsewhere in the metadata.

Because this class is included from `base.bbclass`, it is always active.