GNU Make

A Program for Directing Recompilation

GNU make Version 3.77.

May 1998

The GNU make utility automatically determines which pieces of a large program need to be recompiled, and issues the commands to recompile them.

This edition of the GNU Make Manual, last updated 20 May 1998, documents GNU make Version 3.77.

This manual describes make and contains the following chapters:

• Overview of make
  • How to Read This Manual
  • Problems and Bugs
• An Introduction to Makefiles
  • What a Rule Looks Like
  • A Simple Makefile
  • How make Processes a Makefile
  • Variables Make Makefiles Simpler
  • Letting make Deduce the Commands
  • Another Style of Makefile
  • Rules for Cleaning the Directory
• Writing Makefiles
  • What Makefiles Contain
  • What Name to Give Your Makefile
  • Including Other Makefiles
  • The Variable MAKEFILES
  • How Makefiles Are Remade
  • Overriding Part of Another Makefile
• Writing Rules
  • Rule Syntax
  • Using Wildcard Characters in File Names
    • Wildcard Examples
    • Pitfalls of Using Wildcards
    • The Function wildcard
  • Searching Directories for Dependencies
    • VPATH: Search Path for All Dependencies
    • The vpath Directive
    • How Directory Searches are Performed
    • Writing Shell Commands with Directory Search
    • Directory Search and Implicit Rules
    • Directory Search for Link Libraries
  • Phony Targets
  • Rules without Commands or Dependencies
  • Empty Target Files to Record Events
  • Special Built-in Target Names
  • Multiple Targets in a Rule
  • Multiple Rules for One Target
  • Static Pattern Rules
    • Syntax of Static Pattern Rules
    • Static Pattern Rules versus Implicit Rules
  • Double-Colon Rules
  • Generating Dependencies Automatically
• Writing the Commands in Rules
  • Command Echoing
  • Command Execution
  • Parallel Execution
  • Errors in Commands
  • Interrupting or Killing make
  • Recursive Use of make
    • How the MAKE Variable Works
    • Communicating Variables to a Sub-make
    • Communicating Options to a Sub-make
    • The `--print-directory' Option
  • Defining Canned Command Sequences
  • Using Empty Commands
• How to Use Variables
  • Basics of Variable References
  • The Two Flavors of Variables
  • Advanced Features for Reference to Variables
    • Substitution References
    • Computed Variable Names
  • How Variables Get Their Values
  • Setting Variables
  • Appending More Text to Variables
  • The override Directive
  • Defining Variables Verbatim
  • Variables from the Environment
  • Target-specific Variable Values
  • Pattern-specific Variable Values
• Conditional Parts of Makefiles
  • Example of a Conditional
  • Syntax of Conditionals
  • Conditionals that Test Flags
• Functions for Transforming Text
  • Function Call Syntax
  • Functions for String Substitution and Analysis
  • Functions for File Names
  • The foreach Function
  • The origin Function
  • The shell Function
• How to Run make
  • Arguments to Specify the Makefile
  • Arguments to Specify the Goals
  • Instead of Executing the Commands
  • Avoiding Recompilation of Some Files
  • Overriding Variables
  • Testing the Compilation of a Program
  • Summary of Options
• Using Implicit Rules
  • Using Implicit Rules
  • Catalogue of Implicit Rules
  • Variables Used by Implicit Rules
  • Chains of Implicit Rules
  • Defining and Redefining Pattern Rules
    • Introduction to Pattern Rules
    • Pattern Rule Examples
    • Automatic Variables
    • How Patterns Match
    • Match-Anything Pattern Rules
    • Canceling Implicit Rules
  • Defining Last-Resort Default Rules
  • Old-Fashioned Suffix Rules
  • Implicit Rule Search Algorithm
• Using make to Update Archive Files
  • Archive Members as Targets
  • Implicit Rule for Archive Member Targets
    • Updating Archive Symbol Directories
  • Dangers When Using Archives
  • Suffix Rules for Archive Files
• Features of GNU make
• Incompatibilities and Missing Features
• Makefile Conventions
  • General Conventions for Makefiles
  • Utilities in Makefiles
  • Variables for Specifying Commands
  • Variables for Installation Directories
  • Standard Targets for Users
  • Install Command Categories
• Quick Reference
• Errors Generated by Make
• Complex Makefile Example
• Index of Concepts
• Index of Functions, Variables, & Directives

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