What's the `Autoconf`? Why people use it? Should I use it?

Question

What's the Autoconf? Why people use it? Should I use it?

Autoconf introduction presentation: http://www.lrde.epita.fr/~adl/dl/autotools.pdf — eonil, Feb 28 '11 at 08:32

score 0 · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-28T09:37:36.510

0

I take it that you mean autoconf from autotools? I don't know what is there to say in general apart from what is said in, say, wikipedia. It's mature, it's been around for years, it does its job, it's widely adopted. It doesn't need (once everything's created) external tools (unlike cmake). Eg. myself - i'm developing a product to be compiled on several UNIX flavors - i use it (and automake with libtool) extensively to simplify my life.
Use it or not - that depends on your needs, maybe some different tool will be sufficient for you. I was considering other tools but finally i stick to autotools - maybe because i'm used to it, but i think mostly because i like the idea behind it.

edited Feb 28 '11 at 09:37

answered Feb 28 '11 at 08:20

Could you tell me about the core `idea` in the programs? – eonil Feb 28 '11 at 08:27
@Eonil: In which programs? autoconf? – Feb 28 '11 at 09:39
autotools! I felt some general conception is underlying the tool chain. – eonil Feb 28 '11 at 09:40
@Eonil: Well, i cannot possibly grasp and even less explain the whole conception - it could have deviated from the primary goal, i'm not into the history, i'm very userish in this case. The things i like and ideas that are still kept within are pretty mundane - that it depends on POSIX.2 only, that it's GNU-guidelines compliant, that it hides the subtleties of shared library creation from the end-user... – Feb 28 '11 at 13:43

What's the `Autoconf`? Why people use it? Should I use it?

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