Autoconf
Autoconf is an extensible package of M4 macros that produce shell scripts to automatically configure software source code packages. It can adapt the software to many kinds of Unix-like systems without manual user intervention.
configuration
portability
automation
Autoconf: Extensible Configuration Tool for Software
Autoconf is an extensible package of M4 macros that produce shell scripts to automatically configure software source code packages. It can adapt the software to many kinds of Unix-like systems without manual user intervention.
What is Autoconf?
Autoconf is an extensible package of M4 macros that produce shell scripts to automatically configure software source code packages. It was created in 1994 to simplify the compilation of GNU software on a variety of Unix and Unix-like systems.
Autoconf generates a configuration script for a package from template files that list the operating system features that the package can use. This configuration script can then automatically adapt the package to the caller's system. Autoconf was designed to address the limitations in older systems for building and installing packages, whereconfigure scripts were lacking or non-portable.
Some key capabilities of Autoconf include:
- Helps package maintainers write portable configure scripts
- Builds unified configuration scripts that work across many systems
- Adapts software to the most esoteric Unix variants
- Automatic dependency tracking and feature detection
- Support for autogenerated manual pages from embedded documentation
Overall, Autoconf has become an essential part of the GNU build system for producing software that compiles and installs out-of-the-box on a wide variety of systems. It helps reduce tedious manual configuration while enhancing portability.
Autoconf Features
Features
- Portability
- Extensibility
- Automatic dependency tracking
- Support for conditional compilation
- Built-in caching
- Macro language
Pricing
- Open Source
Pros
Makes software portable across Unix-like systems
Allows customization through macros
Automates tedious configuration tasks
Avoids manual editing of configuration files
Reuses previous configuration results
Cons
Complex macro language has steep learning curve
Hard to debug issues
Can produce convoluted configuration scripts
Limited support on non-Unix platforms
Official Links
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