CMake vs GNU Make

Struggling to choose between CMake and GNU Make? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

CMake is a Development solution with tags like build, compile, crossplatform, open-source.

It boasts features such as Cross-platform build system, Generate native makefiles and workspaces, Support multiple compilers and IDEs, Modular architecture, Customizable and extensible and pros including Simplifies build process across platforms, Compiler-independent builds, Large user and developer community, Widely used and well-supported, Highly customizable.

On the other hand, GNU Make is a Development product tagged with build, automation, make, compiler.

Its standout features include Dependency tracking - Automatically determines dependencies between files, Parallel builds - Can build independent targets simultaneously, Built-in functions - Many built-in functions for common build tasks, Recursive builds - Can build targets in subdirectories recursively, Pattern rules - General rules can be applied based on pattern matching, Conditionals - Supports if/else conditionals in makefiles, and it shines with pros like Widely used and well-supported, Mature and stable, Powerful dependency tracking, Built-in parallelism, Portable across platforms, Integrates well with other tools.

Feature	CMake	GNU Make
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Development	Development

Product Overview

CMake

Description: CMake is an open-source, cross-platform tool designed to build, test, and package software. It works by generating native makefiles and workspaces to automate the build process using a compiler-independent method.

GNU Make

Description: GNU Make is a utility that automatically builds executable programs and libraries from source code by reading files called Makefiles which specify how to derive the target program. It allows users to easily compile large projects without manually issuing the compilation commands.

Key Features Comparison

CMake Features

• Cross-platform build system
• Generate native makefiles and workspaces
• Support multiple compilers and IDEs
• Modular architecture
• Customizable and extensible

GNU Make Features

• Dependency tracking - Automatically determines dependencies between files
• Parallel builds - Can build independent targets simultaneously
• Built-in functions - Many built-in functions for common build tasks
• Recursive builds - Can build targets in subdirectories recursively
• Pattern rules - General rules can be applied based on pattern matching
• Conditionals - Supports if/else conditionals in makefiles

Pros & Cons Analysis

CMake

Pros

• Simplifies build process across platforms
• Compiler-independent builds
• Large user and developer community
• Widely used and well-supported
• Highly customizable

Cons

• Steep learning curve
• Complex syntax and concepts
• Poor documentation
• Limited IDE integration on some platforms
• Build times can be slow for large projects

GNU Make

Pros

• Widely used and well-supported
• Mature and stable
• Powerful dependency tracking
• Built-in parallelism
• Portable across platforms
• Integrates well with other tools

Cons

• Cryptic syntax
• Difficult for complex builds
• Only rebuilds out-of-date targets
• Not suitable for all project types
• Limited to makefile build process

Pricing Comparison

CMake

• Open Source

GNU Make

• Open Source