GNU `make'

Node:Rule Example, Next:Rule Syntax, Previous:Rules, Up:Rules

### Rule Example

Here is an example of a rule:

         foo.o : foo.c defs.h       # module for twiddling the frobs
                 cc -c -g foo.c

Its target is `foo.o` and its prerequisites are `foo.c` and `defs.h`. It has one command, which is `cc -c -g foo.c`. The command line starts with a tab to identify it as a command.

This rule says two things:

- How to decide whether `foo.o` is out of date: it is out of date if it does not exist, or if either `foo.c` or `defs.h` is more recent than it.
- How to update the file `foo.o`: by running `cc` as stated. The command does not explicitly mention `defs.h`, but we presume that `foo.c` includes it, and that that is why `defs.h` was added to the prerequisites.