Automake vs Ninja Build

Struggling to choose between Automake and Ninja Build? 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, Ninja Build is a Development product tagged with compiler, build-system, cc.

Its standout features include Fast build system, Built-in dependency analysis, Parallel execution, Minimal project configuration, Cross-platform support, and it shines with pros like Very fast build times, Simple and easy to use, Good for small to medium sized projects, Active development and support.

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


Ninja Build

Ninja Build

Ninja is a small, fast build system designed for compiling code quickly. It focuses on speed and supports parallel execution for very fast builds using multiple CPU cores.

Categories:
compiler build-system cc

Ninja Build Features

  1. Fast build system
  2. Built-in dependency analysis
  3. Parallel execution
  4. Minimal project configuration
  5. Cross-platform support

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Very fast build times

Simple and easy to use

Good for small to medium sized projects

Active development and support

Cons

Limited features compared to larger build tools

Less customizable than other build tools

Lacks GUI or IDE integration