GNU Make vs Ninja Build

Struggling to choose between GNU Make and Ninja Build? 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, 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.

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


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