A Makefile is a specialized script used by the `make` build automation tool to manage the build process of a software project. It is particularly prevalent in Unix-based systems and is essential for developers working with complex software systems, ensuring consistent and efficient builds. Makefiles define a set of rules and dependencies for compiling and linking source code files into executables or libraries. At its core, a Makefile specifies how to derive the target program from its source files, providing instructions for when and how each file should be compiled. This process often involves compiling code, linking libraries, and cleaning up temporary files. Developers can optimize build times by using conditional statements and macros to define repetitive tasks, setting default values, and running shell commands. Utilizing Makefiles effectively can greatly streamline the build process as they automatically track changes to source code and rebuild only what is necessary, thus saving time during development cycles.
View the most prominent open source makefile projects in the list below. Click on a specific project to view its alternative or complementary packages. Make comparisons and find the best package for your app.
- A fast, cross-platform build tool inspired by Make, designed for modern workflows.☆15,111Updated this week
- 🔥 A cross-platform build utility based on Lua☆11,816Updated this week
- mal - Make a Lisp☆10,591Oct 22, 2025Updated 4 months ago
- A cross-platform suite of tools for building and deploying software for iOS and other platforms.☆4,822Updated this week
- learning cmake☆3,294Feb 24, 2021Updated 5 years ago
- Markdown driven task runner.☆2,038Jun 26, 2022Updated 3 years ago
- Smaller, easier, more powerful, and more reliable than make. An implementation of djb's redo.☆1,840Nov 7, 2023Updated 2 years ago
- Modern Make☆1,738Jul 1, 2023Updated 2 years ago
- Tool for generating Clang's JSON Compilation Database files for make-based build systems.☆1,618Mar 23, 2025Updated 11 months ago
- An R-focused pipeline toolkit for reproducibility and high-performance computing☆1,341Dec 4, 2024Updated last year
- MXE (M cross environment)☆1,302Mar 13, 2026Updated last week
- Dotfiles for macOS☆1,207Oct 13, 2025Updated 5 months ago
- Linter/analyzer for Makefiles☆1,178Updated this week
- Programmatic generation of high-quality CVs☆1,154Aug 2, 2024Updated last year
- 🚀 Your next Python package needs a bleeding-edge project structure.☆1,094Sep 13, 2023Updated 2 years ago
- GENie - Project generator tool☆973Updated this week
- 你见过的最简单的 GCC/CLANG 项目构建工具，定义式构建，比命令式更简单☆914Aug 27, 2025Updated 6 months ago
- Enhanced GNU Make - tracing, error reporting, debugging, profiling and more☆846Feb 1, 2026Updated last month
- RPM sources for the DisplayLink USB display adapters☆758Feb 13, 2026Updated last month
- mbake is a Makefile formatter and linter. It only took 50 years!☆734Feb 4, 2026Updated last month
- Simple automated LaTeX invoicing system☆724Jul 31, 2024Updated last year
- Template repository to build PyTorch projects from source on any version of PyTorch/CUDA/cuDNN.☆722Jan 11, 2025Updated last year
- This project aims to create a crystal clear tutorial on a cryptic topic.☆688Sep 17, 2025Updated 6 months ago
- My template for new Python libraries.☆671Mar 20, 2025Updated last year
- A boilerplate for flask restful web service☆663Feb 15, 2023Updated 3 years ago
- Makefile templates for different sized projects☆657Sep 6, 2023Updated 2 years ago
- Bake — the strangely familiar workflow utility.☆639Nov 25, 2024Updated last year
- A build tool for Erlang that just works.☆588Nov 6, 2025Updated 4 months ago
- 🔰🦸 Template to start developing a REST API with Node.js (Express), TypeScript, Ts.ED, ESLint, Prettier, Husky, Prisma, etc.☆587Nov 25, 2025Updated 3 months ago
- Go application GitHub repository template.☆556Updated this week
- A sbt plugin for creating distributable Scala packages.☆504Updated this week
- Blueprint/Boilerplate For Golang Projects☆499Jan 6, 2023Updated 3 years ago
- Task runner that helps you easily manage and invoke small scripts and wrappers☆494Oct 5, 2025Updated 5 months ago
- Finest letter typesetting from the command line☆456Aug 2, 2024Updated last year
- An example of a golang-based monorepo.☆405Sep 6, 2025Updated 6 months ago
- A scheduler for GPU/CPU tasks☆399Mar 6, 2024Updated 2 years ago
- mkdkr = Makefile + Docker☆381May 27, 2021Updated 4 years ago
- Simple task/command runner with declarative goals and dependencies☆364Jan 30, 2026Updated last month
- Collection of Makefiles to facilitate building Golang projects, Dockerfiles, Helm charts, and more☆364Jan 14, 2026Updated 2 months ago
- ARM Linux 的学习历程。包括应用、驱动、设备树，GCC, Make, CMake, Bash, Vim, Git 等等大集合内容。文章遵守 CC BY NC SA 4.0 协议。☆328Feb 12, 2026Updated last month