---
name: "autoreconf2.13"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "autoconf2.13"
version: "2.13-69"
release: "Debian 12 (Bookworm)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/autoreconf2.13"
---

# autoreconf2.13(1)

update configure scripts

## NAME

autoreconf2.13 - update configure scripts

## SYNOPSIS

**autoreconf2.13** \[ **--help** \| **-h** \] \[ **--force** \| **-f** \] \[ **--localdir=dir** \| **-l dir** \] \[ **--macrodir=dir** \| **-m dir** \] \[ **--verbose** \] \[ **--version** \]

## DESCRIPTION

If you have a lot of Autoconf-generated  **configure** scripts, the **autoreconf2.13** program can save you some work.  It runs  **autoconf2.13** (and **autoheader2.13**, where appropriate) repeatedly to remake the Autoconf **configure** scripts and configuration header templates in the directory tree rooted at the current directory.  By default, it only remakes those files that are older than their  **configure.in** or (if present) **aclocal.m4**. Since  **autoheader2.13** does not change the timestamp of its output file if the file wouldn't be changing, this is not necessarily the minimum amount of work.  If you install a new version of Autoconf, you can make  **autoreconf2.13** remake  *all* of the files by giving it the **--force** option.

If you give  **autoreconf2.13** the  **--macrodir=DIR** or  **--localdir=DIR** options, it passes them down to  **autoconf2.13** and  **autoheader2.13** (with relative paths adjusted properly).

**autoreconf2.13** does not support having, in the same directory tree, both directories that are parts of a larger package (sharing **aclocal.m4** and  **acconfig.h**), and directories that are independent packages (each with their own  **aclocal.m4** and  **acconfig.h**). It assumes that they are all part of the same package, if you use **--localdir**, or that each directory is a separate package, if you don't use it.  This restriction may be removed in the future.

**autoreconf2.13** accepts the following options:

- **--help**

  - **-h**

  Print a summary of the command line options and exit.

- **--force**

  - **-f**

  Remake even  **configure** scripts and configuration headers that are newer than their input files (**configure.in** and, if present, **aclocal.m4**).

- **--localdir=DIR**

  - **-l DIR**

  Look for the package file  **aclocal.m4** in directory DIR instead of in the current directory.

- **--macrodir=DIR**

  - **-m DIR**

  Look for the installed macro files in directory DIR.  You can also set the  **AC\_MACRODIR** environment variable to a directory; this option overrides the environment variable.

- **--verbose**

  Print the name of each directory where  **autoreconf2.13** runs **autoconf2.13** (and  **autoheader2.13**, if appropriate).

- **--version**

  Print the version number of Autoconf and exit.

## SEE ALSO

[**autoconf2.13**(1)](/autoconf2.13/1.md), [**autoheader2.13**(1)](/autoheader2.13/1.md), [**autoscan2.13**(1)](/autoscan2.13/1.md), [**autoupdate2.13**(1)](/autoupdate2.13/1.md), [**ifnames2.13**(1)](/ifnames2.13/1.md)

## AUTHORS

David MacKenzie, with help from Franc,ois Pinard, Karl Berry, Richard Pixley, Ian Lance Taylor, Roland McGrath, Noah Friedman, David D. Zuhn, and many others.  This manpage written by Ben Pfaff \<pfaffben@debian.org\> for the Debian GNU/Linux **autoconf2.13** package.