makefile
GNU Make automation and build system guidance. Use when creating or maintaining Makefiles, writing Make targets and recipes, or configuring GNU Make build automation. Keywords: Makefile, GNU Make, targets, recipes, build automation.
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Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/itechmeat/llm-code --skill makefile- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads makefile automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
Makefile Skill
Guidance for creating and maintaining GNU Make build automation.
Quick Navigation
| Topic | Reference |
|---|---|
| Rules, prerequisites, targets | syntax.md |
| Variable types and assignment | variables.md |
| Built-in functions | functions.md |
| Special and phony targets | targets.md |
| Recipe execution, parallel | recipes.md |
| Implicit and pattern rules | implicit.md |
| Common practical patterns | patterns.md |
Core Concepts
Rule Structure
target: prerequisites
recipe
Critical: Recipe lines MUST start with TAB character.
File vs Phony Targets
# File target - creates/updates a file
build/app.o: src/app.c
$(CC) -c $< -o $@
# Phony target - action, not a file
.PHONY: clean test install
clean:
rm -rf build/
Variable Assignment
| Operator | Name | When Expanded |
|---|---|---|
:= | Simple | Once, at definition |
?= | Conditional | If not already set |
= | Recursive | Each use (late binding) |
+= | Append | Adds to existing value |
CC := gcc # Immediate
CFLAGS ?= -O2 # Default, overridable
DEBUG = $(VERBOSE) # Late binding
CFLAGS += -Wall # Append
Automatic Variables
| Variable | Meaning |
|---|---|
$@ | Target |
$< | First prerequisite |
$^ | All prerequisites (unique) |
$? | Prerequisites newer than target |
$* | Stem in pattern rules |
Essential Patterns
Self-Documenting Help
.DEFAULT_GOAL := help
help: ## Show available targets
@grep -E '^[a-zA-Z_-]+:.*?## .*$$' $(MAKEFILE_LIST) | \
awk 'BEGIN {FS = ":.*?## "}; {printf " %-15s %s\n", $$1, $$2}'
install: ## Install dependencies
uv sync
test: ## Run tests
uv run pytest
Platform Detection
UNAME_S := $(shell uname -s)
ifeq ($(UNAME_S),Darwin)
OPEN := open
else ifeq ($(UNAME_S),Linux)
OPEN := xdg-open
endif
Build Directory
BUILDDIR := build
SOURCES := $(wildcard src/*.c)
OBJECTS := $(patsubst src/%.c,$(BUILDDIR)/%.o,$(SOURCES))
$(BUILDDIR)/%.o: src/%.c | $(BUILDDIR)
$(CC) -c $< -o $@
$(BUILDDIR):
mkdir -p $@
Environment Export
export PYTHONPATH := $(PWD)/src
export DATABASE_URL
test:
pytest tests/ # sees exported variables
Common Targets
Quality Checks
.PHONY: lint format check test
lint: ## Run linters
ruff check .
mypy src/
format: ## Format code
ruff format .
check: format lint test ## All quality checks
Cleanup
.PHONY: clean clean-all
clean: ## Remove build artifacts
rm -rf build/ dist/ *.egg-info
find . -type d -name __pycache__ -exec rm -rf {} + 2>/dev/null || true
clean-all: clean ## Remove all generated files
rm -rf .venv .pytest_cache .mypy_cache
Docker Integration
IMAGE := myapp
VERSION := $(shell git describe --tags --always)
docker-build: ## Build Docker image
docker build -t $(IMAGE):$(VERSION) .
docker-run: ## Run container
docker run -d -p 8000:8000 $(IMAGE):$(VERSION)
Recipe Execution
Each Line = Separate Shell
# Won't work - cd lost between lines
bad:
cd subdir
pwd # Still in original dir!
# Correct - combine commands
good:
cd subdir && pwd
# Or use line continuation
also-good:
cd subdir && \
pwd && \
make
Silent and Error Handling
target:
@echo "@ suppresses command echo"
-rm -f maybe.txt # - ignores errors
Parallel Execution
make -j4 # 4 parallel jobs
make -j4 lint test # Run lint and test in parallel
Output Discipline
One line in, one line out. Avoid echo spam.
# ❌ Too chatty
start:
@echo "Starting services..."
docker compose up -d
@echo "Waiting..."
@sleep 3
@echo "Done!"
# ✅ Concise
start: ## Start services
@echo "Starting at http://localhost:8000 ..."
@docker compose up -d
@echo "Logs: docker compose logs -f"
Conditionals
DEBUG ?= 0
ifeq ($(DEBUG),1)
CFLAGS += -g -O0
else
CFLAGS += -O2
endif
ifdef CI
TEST_FLAGS := --ci
endif
Including Files
# Required include (error if missing)
include config.mk
# Optional include (silent if missing)
-include local.mk
-include .env
Common Pitfalls
| Pitfall | Problem | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Spaces in recipes | Recipes need TAB | Use actual TAB character |
| Missing .PHONY | make test fails if test file exists | Declare .PHONY: test |
| cd in recipes | Each line is new shell | Use cd dir && command |
= vs := confusion | Unexpected late expansion | Use := by default |
| Unexported vars | Subprocesses don't see vars | export VAR |
| Complex shell in make | Hard to maintain | Move to external script |
Quick Reference
# Makefile Template
.DEFAULT_GOAL := help
SHELL := /bin/bash
.SHELLFLAGS := -ec
.PHONY: help install test lint format clean
help: ## Show this help
@grep -E '^[a-zA-Z_-]+:.*?## .*$$' $(MAKEFILE_LIST) | \
awk 'BEGIN {FS = ":.*?## "}; {printf " %-15s %s\n", $$1, $$2}'
install: ## Install dependencies
uv sync --extra dev
test: ## Run tests
uv run pytest tests/ -v
lint: ## Run linters
uv run ruff check .
format: ## Format code
uv run ruff format .
clean: ## Clean artifacts
rm -rf build/ dist/ .pytest_cache
Links
See Also
- patterns.md - Extended patterns and recipes
FAQ
What does the makefile skill do?
GNU Make automation and build system guidance. Use when creating or maintaining Makefiles, writing Make targets and recipes, or configuring GNU Make build automation. Keywords: Makefile, GNU Make, targets, recipes, build automation.
How do I install makefile?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/itechmeat/llm-code --skill makefile in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/makefile/ (personal) or .claude/skills/makefile/ (project).
Which AI agents can use makefile?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is makefile safe to install?
No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.
Who maintains makefile?
It is published by itechmeat in itechmeat/llm-code. It has 173 recorded installs.
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