Info Catalog make: Overview make: Top make: Makefiles

make: Introduction

 
 2 An Introduction to Makefiles
 ******************************
 
 You need a file called a "makefile" to tell 'make' what to do.  Most
 often, the makefile tells 'make' how to compile and link a program.
 
    In this chapter, we will discuss a simple makefile that describes how
 to compile and link a text editor which consists of eight C source files
 and three header files.  The makefile can also tell 'make' how to run
 miscellaneous commands when explicitly asked (for example, to remove
 certain files as a clean-up operation).  To see a more complex example
 of a makefile, see Complex Makefile.
 
    When 'make' recompiles the editor, each changed C source file must be
 recompiled.  If a header file has changed, each C source file that
 includes the header file must be recompiled to be safe.  Each
 compilation produces an object file corresponding to the source file.
 Finally, if any source file has been recompiled, all the object files,
 whether newly made or saved from previous compilations, must be linked
 together to produce the new executable editor.
 

Menu

 
· Rule Introduction           What a rule looks like.
· Simple Makefile             A simple makefile.
· How Make Works              How 'make' processes this makefile.
· Variables Simplify          Variables make makefiles simpler.
· make Deduces                Letting 'make' deduce the recipes.
· Combine By Prerequisite     Another style of makefile.
· Cleanup                     Rules for cleaning the directory.
 

Info Catalog make: Overview make: Top make: Makefiles