Make is a utility found on Unix-like operating systems, designed to automate the building of executable programs and libraries from source code. It uses Makefiles to define the dependencies and rules for building these programs.
History
The make utility was initially developed by Stuart Feldman at Bell Laboratories in 1976, as part of the Research Unix operating system. It was designed to reduce the repetitive tasks involved in software development, especially when dealing with large projects. Here are some key points in its history:
- 1976: Initial release with Unix V7.
- 1978: Make was included in the first BSD release.
- 1990s: Introduction of GNU Make by the GNU Project, which added features like conditionals and variables, enhancing the original functionality.
Functionality
The core functionality of make revolves around:
- Dependency Tracking: It determines which parts of a program need to be recompiled or rebuilt based on file timestamps and dependency rules.
- Automatic Execution: Once dependencies are resolved, make automatically executes the necessary commands to build or update the software.
- Makefile Syntax: Makefiles use a specific syntax to describe the build process, including variables, targets, dependencies, and the rules to build those targets.
Usage
Developers typically use make by running commands like:
make [target]
Where target might be:
- all: Builds the entire project.
- clean: Removes all build files.
- install: Installs the software to a specified location.
Extensions and Variations
Over time, several extensions and variations of make have been developed:
- GNU Make - The GNU implementation, widely used in open-source projects.
- CMake - A cross-platform build system generator that can generate Makefiles for different platforms.
- Ninja - A small build system with a focus on speed.
External Links
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