automake
Generate Makefile.in templates from Makefile.am
TLDR
SYNOPSIS
automake [--add-missing] [--copy] [options] [Makefile...]
DESCRIPTION
automake generates Makefile.in templates from Makefile.am files. It works with autoconf to create the complete GNU Build System, handling compilation, installation, and distribution tasks.Automake provides portable makefiles that work across Unix-like systems.
PARAMETERS
-a, --add-missing
Add missing standard auxiliary files (install-sh, missing, etc.).-c, --copy
Copy auxiliary files instead of symlinking them.--force-missing
Replace standard auxiliary files even if they already exist.-W category, --warnings=category
Report warnings for the given category (e.g. all, none, error, portability).--gnu
Require conformance to GNU coding standards (the default).--foreign
Relax checks; allow files that GNU standards require to be absent.--gnits
Apply the stricter GNU Gnits standards.-i, --ignore-deps
Disable generation of automatic dependency tracking.
WORKFLOW
1. Write Makefile.am2. Run automake to generate Makefile.in3. Run autoconf to generate configure4. Users run ./configure to generate Makefile
INSTALL
CAVEATS
Steep learning curve. Generated Makefiles are complex. Requires understanding of autotools conventions. Many projects now use CMake or Meson instead.
HISTORY
Automake was created by David MacKenzie and Tom Tromey, first released in 1994 to complement autoconf with makefile generation.
SEE ALSO
autoconf(1), autoreconf(1), make(1)
