GNU Make vs Automake

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

GNU Make is a Development solution with tags like build, automation, make, compiler.

It boasts features such as 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 pros including Widely used and well-supported, Mature and stable, Powerful dependency tracking, Built-in parallelism, Portable across platforms, Integrates well with other tools.

On the other hand, Automake is a Development product tagged with make, automake, build, gnu.

Its standout features include 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 it shines with pros like 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.

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.

GNU Make

GNU Make

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.

Categories:
build automation make compiler

GNU Make Features

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

Pricing

  • Open Source

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


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