CLI

Usage

Usage: make [options] [target] ...

e.g.

$ make foo
$ make f  # alias
$ make -n foo
$ make foo bar  # Two targets
$ FOO=1 make foo  # Pass env variable.
$ make foo FOO=1  # Pass env variable alternative.

Flags summary

Dry run

  -n, --just-print, --dry-run, --recon
                              Don't actually run any commands; just print them.

Given install: as the default target and h help: as another target.

$ make -n
pip install pip --upgrade
pip install -r requirements-dev.txt --upgrade

$ make -n help
egrep '(^\S)|^$' Makefile

You can use the alias and you can move the option to the end.

Verbosity

  -d                          Print lots of debugging information.
  --debug[=FLAGS]             Print various types of debugging information.
  -s, --silent, --quiet       Don't echo commands.

Warnings

  --warn-undefined-variables  Warn when an undefined variable is referenced.

Input

  -f FILE, --file=FILE, --makefile=FILE
                              Read FILE as a makefile.
  -I DIRECTORY, --include-dir=DIRECTORY
                              Search DIRECTORY for included makefiles.

Concurrent jobs

You can pass multiple targets to make. They will be run in a sequence.

$ make abc def

But if you want to run them concurrently, using the jobs flag. This can be useful for independent tasks, such as some install commands, or starting multiple servers. This saves having to have two terminal tabs open and makes it easy to stop and start everything at once from one terminal with one comamnd.

The output will be intervleaved from the two commands so it may look confusing.

Allow infinite jobs:

$ make -j abc def

Allow max of N jobs - here using N of 2.

$ make -j=2 abc def ghi xyz

$ make -j=4 abc def ghi xyz

A more practical example, using the make command inside a Makefile. We start the backend and frontend and also open the web browser.

backend:
	server/gradlew run -t

frontend:
	cd client && yarn serve

open:
	open http://localhost:8081

s serve:
	$(MAKE) -j backend frontend open

Call the target in the shell:

$ make serve 

Output from a dry run:

$ make --dry-run serve 
/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/usr/bin/make backend frontend
server/gradlew run -t
cd client && yarn serve

Help

$ make --help

Output on macOS:

Usage: make [options] [target] ...
Options:
  -b, -m                      Ignored for compatibility.
  -B, --always-make           Unconditionally make all targets.
  -C DIRECTORY, --directory=DIRECTORY
                              Change to DIRECTORY before doing anything.
  -d                          Print lots of debugging information.
  --debug[=FLAGS]             Print various types of debugging information.
  -e, --environment-overrides
                              Environment variables override makefiles.
  -f FILE, --file=FILE, --makefile=FILE
                              Read FILE as a makefile.
  -h, --help                  Print this message and exit.
  -i, --ignore-errors         Ignore errors from commands.
  -I DIRECTORY, --include-dir=DIRECTORY
                              Search DIRECTORY for included makefiles.
  -j [N], --jobs[=N]          Allow N jobs at once; infinite jobs with no arg.
  -k, --keep-going            Keep going when some targets can't be made.
  -l [N], --load-average[=N], --max-load[=N]
                              Don't start multiple jobs unless load is below N.
  -L, --check-symlink-times   Use the latest mtime between symlinks and target.
  -n, --just-print, --dry-run, --recon
                              Don't actually run any commands; just print them.
  -o FILE, --old-file=FILE, --assume-old=FILE
                              Consider FILE to be very old and don't remake it.
  -p, --print-data-base       Print make's internal database.
  -q, --question              Run no commands; exit status says if up to date.
  -r, --no-builtin-rules      Disable the built-in implicit rules.
  -R, --no-builtin-variables  Disable the built-in variable settings.
  -s, --silent, --quiet       Don't echo commands.
  -S, --no-keep-going, --stop
                              Turns off -k.
  -t, --touch                 Touch targets instead of remaking them.
  -v, --version               Print the version number of make and exit.
  -w, --print-directory       Print the current directory.
  --no-print-directory        Turn off -w, even if it was turned on implicitly.
  -W FILE, --what-if=FILE, --new-file=FILE, --assume-new=FILE
                              Consider FILE to be infinitely new.
  --warn-undefined-variables  Warn when an undefined variable is referenced.
  -N OPTION, --NeXT-option=OPTION
                              Turn on value of NeXT OPTION.

This program built for i386-apple-darwin11.3.0
Report bugs to <bug-make@gnu.org>