autoconf

Generate configure scripts from templates

TLDR

Generate configure script

$ autoconf

Generate with specific template

$ autoconf -o [configure] [configure.ac]

Trace a specific macro in configure.ac

$ autoconf --trace=[AC_CHECK_LIB]

Show version

$ autoconf --version

autoconf generates configure scripts from templates (configure.ac or configure.in). These scripts probe the system for available features, libraries, and tools, producing Makefiles tailored to the build environment.Autoconf is part of the GNU Build System (autotools), used by thousands of open source projects.

PARAMETERS

-o file

Output file (default: configure)

-W category

Warning category

-I dir

Add directory to search path

-f, --force

Force regeneration

-v, --verbose

Verbose output

--trace=macro

Trace macro calls in configure.ac

-B dir

Prepend directory to search path

WORKFLOW

1. Write configure.ac2. Run autoconf to generate configure3. Distribute configure with source4. Users run ./configure to generate Makefile

CAVEATS

Requires M4 macro processor. Complex syntax based on M4. Generated configure scripts are large. Learning curve is steep.

HISTORY

Autoconf was created by David MacKenzie in 1991 to address the portability problems of Unix software. It became the standard build system for GNU and many other projects.