---
title: Makefile
prism_languages: [makefile]
category: CLI
---

### Var assignment

```makefile
foo  = "bar"
bar  = $(foo) foo  # dynamic (renewing) assignment
foo := "boo"       # one time assignment, $(bar) now is "boo foo"
foo ?= /usr/local  # safe assignment, $(foo) and $(bar) still the same
bar += world       # append, "boo foo world"
foo != echo fooo   # exec shell command and assign to foo
# $(bar) now is "fooo foo world"
```

`=` expressions are only evaluated when they're being used.

### Magic variables

```makefile
out.o: src.c src.h
  $@   # "out.o" (target)
  $<   # "src.c" (first prerequisite)
  $^   # "src.c src.h" (all prerequisites)

%.o: %.c
  $*   # the 'stem' with which an implicit rule matches ("foo" in "foo.c")

also:
  $+   # prerequisites (all, with duplication)
  $?   # prerequisites (new ones)
  $|   # prerequisites (order-only?)

  $(@D) # target directory
```

### Command prefixes

| Prefix | Description                                 |
| ------ | ------------------------------------------- |
| `-`    | Ignore errors                               |
| `@`    | Don't print command                         |
| `+`    | Run even if Make is in 'don't execute' mode |

```makefile
build:
    @echo "compiling"
    -gcc $< $@

-include .depend
```

### Find files

```makefile
js_files  := $(wildcard test/*.js)
all_files := $(shell find images -name "*")
```

### Substitutions

```makefile
file     = $(SOURCE:.cpp=.o)   # foo.cpp => foo.o
outputs  = $(files:src/%.coffee=lib/%.js)

outputs  = $(patsubst %.c, %.o, $(wildcard *.c))
assets   = $(patsubst images/%, assets/%, $(wildcard images/*))
```

### More functions

```makefile
$(strip $(string_var))

$(filter %.less, $(files))
$(filter-out %.less, $(files))
```

### Building files

```makefile
%.o: %.c
  ffmpeg -i $< > $@   # Input and output
  foo $^
```

### Includes

```makefile
-include foo.make
```

### Options

```sh
make
  -e, --environment-overrides
  -B, --always-make
  -s, --silent
  -j, --jobs=N   # parallel processing
```

### Conditionals

```makefile
foo: $(objects)
ifeq ($(CC),gcc)
  $(CC) -o foo $(objects) $(libs_for_gcc)
else
  $(CC) -o foo $(objects) $(normal_libs)
endif
```

### Recursive

```makefile
deploy:
  $(MAKE) deploy2
```

### Further reading

- [isaacs's Makefile](https://gist.github.com/isaacs/62a2d1825d04437c6f08)
- [Your Makefiles are wrong](https://tech.davis-hansson.com/p/make/)
- [Manual](https://www.gnu.org/software/make/manual/html_node/index.html)