Automake vs Meson

Struggling to choose between Automake and Meson? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Automake is a Development solution with tags like make, automake, build, gnu.

It boasts features such as Automatically generates Makefile.am files from Makefile.in files, Supports automatic dependency tracking and parallel builds, Integrates with Autoconf to provide a full build environment, Supports various languages like C, C++, Fortran, Java, Objective-C, Handles library dependencies and subdirectories seamlessly, Allows overriding defaults and customization through config files and pros including Saves time by automating Makefile creation, Promotes standardization and best practices for builds, Simplifies build configuration for large, complex projects, Easy to integrate with build tools like Autoconf and Libtool, Actively maintained and well-documented.

On the other hand, Meson is a Development product tagged with build-system, compiler, open-source.

Its standout features include Fast build times, Intuitive syntax, Cross-platform support, Integration with popular build tools and languages, Dependency management, Support for tests and benchmarks, Customizable build configuration, and it shines with pros like Very fast compared to other build systems, Simple configuration using Python DSL, Easy to use and learn, Detects changes quickly to avoid unnecessary rebuilds, Good error messages, Lightweight with few dependencies.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Automake

Automake

Automake is a tool for automatically generating Makefile.am files that comply with the GNU coding standards. It simplifies the creation and maintenance of Makefiles for complex software projects.

Categories:
make automake build gnu

Automake Features

  1. Automatically generates Makefile.am files from Makefile.in files
  2. Supports automatic dependency tracking and parallel builds
  3. Integrates with Autoconf to provide a full build environment
  4. Supports various languages like C, C++, Fortran, Java, Objective-C
  5. Handles library dependencies and subdirectories seamlessly
  6. Allows overriding defaults and customization through config files

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Saves time by automating Makefile creation

Promotes standardization and best practices for builds

Simplifies build configuration for large, complex projects

Easy to integrate with build tools like Autoconf and Libtool

Actively maintained and well-documented

Cons

Yet another build tool to learn

Limited flexibility compared to handwritten Makefiles

Not as feature-rich as some alternatives like CMake

Requires GNU build tools and may not work on all platforms

Can have a steep learning curve


Meson

Meson

Meson is an open-source build system focused on speed and ease of use. It is designed to optimize the build process by detecting changes in projects faster and providing useful error messages. Meson supports many languages and build tools.

Categories:
build-system compiler open-source

Meson Features

  1. Fast build times
  2. Intuitive syntax
  3. Cross-platform support
  4. Integration with popular build tools and languages
  5. Dependency management
  6. Support for tests and benchmarks
  7. Customizable build configuration

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Very fast compared to other build systems

Simple configuration using Python DSL

Easy to use and learn

Detects changes quickly to avoid unnecessary rebuilds

Good error messages

Lightweight with few dependencies

Cons

Limited adoption outside C/C++ projects

Less flexibility than some other build tools

Lacks some advanced features of tools like CMake

Less third-party integration compared to older systems