The GNU Make Book

GNU make is the most widely used build automation tool, but it can be challenging to master and its terse language can be tough to parse for even experienced programmers. Those who run into difficulties face a long, involved struggle, often leaving unsolved problems behind and GNU make’s vast potential untapped.

The GNU Make Book demystifies GNU make and shows you how to use its best features. You’ll find a fast, thorough rundown of the basics of variables, rules, targets, and makefiles. Learn how to fix wastefully long build times and other common problems, and gain insight into more advanced capabilities, such as complex pattern rules. With this utterly pragmatic manual and cookbook, you’ll make rapid progress toward becoming a more effective user.

You’ll also learn how to:

• Master user-defined functions, variables, and path handling
• Weigh the pitfalls and advantages of GNU make parallelization
• Handle automatic dependency generation, rebuilding, and non-recursive make
• Modify the GNU make source and take advantage of the GNU Make Standard Library
• Create makefile assertions and debug makefiles

GNU make is known for being tricky to use, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re looking for a deeper understanding of this indispensable tool, you’ll find The GNU Make Book to be an indispensable guide.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1. The Basics Revisited
Chapter 2. Makefile Debugging
Chapter 3. Building and Rebuilding
Chapter 4. Pitfalls and Problems
Chapter 5. Pushing the Envelope
Chapter 6. The GNU Make Standard Library