# GNU `make'

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## Overview of `make`

The `make` utility automatically determines which pieces of a large program need to be recompiled, and issues commands to recompile them. This manual describes GNU `make`, which was implemented by Richard Stallman and Roland McGrath. Development since Version 3.76 has been handled by Paul Smith.

GNU `make` conforms to section 6.2 of IEEE Standard 1003.2-1992 (POSIX.2).

Our examples show C programs, since they are most common, but you can use `make` with any programming language whose compiler can be run with a shell command. Indeed, `make` is not limited to programs. You can use it to describe any task where some files must be updated automatically from others whenever the others change.