Ninja Build vs Automake

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

Ninja Build is a Development solution with tags like compiler, build-system, cc.

It boasts features such as Fast build system, Built-in dependency analysis, Parallel execution, Minimal project configuration, Cross-platform support and pros including Very fast build times, Simple and easy to use, Good for small to medium sized projects, Active development and support.

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.

Feature	Ninja Build	Automake
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Development	Development

Product Overview

Ninja Build

Description: 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.

Automake

Description: 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.

Key Features Comparison

Ninja Build Features

• Fast build system
• Built-in dependency analysis
• Parallel execution
• Minimal project configuration
• Cross-platform support

Automake Features

• 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

Pros & Cons Analysis

Ninja Build

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

Automake

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

Pricing Comparison

Ninja Build

• Open Source

Automake

• Open Source