--- name: "remake" section: "1" platform: "linux" package: "remake" version: "4.3+dbg1.6-3" release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/remake" --- # remake(1) GNU make utility to maintain groups of programs ## NAME remake - GNU make utility to maintain groups of programs ## SYNOPSIS **remake** \[*OPTION*\]... \[*TARGET*\]... ## DESCRIPTION The *remake* utility will determine automatically which pieces of a large program need to be recompiled, and issue the commands to recompile them. The manual describes the GNU implementation of **make** from which remake is derived, which was written by Richard Stallman and Roland McGrath, and is currently maintained by Paul Smith. Extended error reporting, debugger, and profiling extensions were written by Rocky Bernstein. Our examples show C programs, since they are very common, but you can use **remake** with any programming language whose compiler can be run with a shell command. In fact, **remake** or **make** are 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. To prepare to use **remake**, you must write a file called the *makefile* that describes the relationships among files in your program, and the states the commands for updating each file. In a program, typically the executable file is updated from object files, which are in turn made by compiling source files. Once a suitable makefile exists, each time you change some source files, this simple shell command: **remake** suffices to perform all necessary recompilations. The **remake** program uses the makefile description and the last-modification times of the files to decide which of the files need to be updated. For each of those files, it issues the commands recorded in the makefile. **remake** executes commands in the *makefile* to update one or more target *names*, where *name* is typically a program. If no **-f** option is present, **remake** will look for the makefiles *GNUmakefile*, *makefile*, and *Makefile*, in that order. Normally you should call your makefile either *makefile* or *Makefile*. (We recommend *Makefile* because it appears prominently near the beginning of a directory listing, right near other important files such as *README*.) The first name checked, *GNUmakefile*, is not recommended for most makefiles. You should use this name if you have a makefile that is specific to GNU **remake,** and will not be understood by other versions of **remake**. If *makefile* is '-', the standard input is read. **remake** updates a target if it depends on prerequisite files that have been modified since the target was last modified, or if the target does not exist. ## OPTIONS Below we give options that are specific to **remake**. For the other options, please refer to the GNU Make documentation - **-c**, **--search-parent** if a Makefile or goal target isn't found in the current directory, **remake** will search in the parent directory for a Makefile. On finding a parent the closest parent directory with a Makefile, **remake** will set its current working directory to the directory where the Makefile was found. In this respect the short option '-c', is like '-C' except no directory need to be specified. - **-!**, **--post-mortem** Go into the debugger on an error. This is the Same as options: --debugger --debugger-stop=error - **-P, --profile \[=TYPE\]** Enables timing and dependency profiling output using the specified *TYPE* for formatting. *TYPE* can be either *callgrind* or *json*. If omitted, it defaults to *callgrind*. Files generated using *callgrind* can be analyzed with kcachegrind, callgrind\_annotate, or gprof2dot. Files generated with *json* have the format specified in the *info* manual. - **--profile-directory=\[PATH\]** Specifies the *PATH* that profiling files should be written to. Must exist before running *make*. It is assumed to be a relative path to the initial directory where *make* is called, unless it begins with a ~ or /. - **--targets** Print a list of explicitly-named targets found in read-in makefiles. - **--tasks** Print a list of explicitly-named targets found in read-in makefiles which have description comments. A description comment is added by putting a single comment before the target that starts with '#:'. - **-x, --trace \[=FLAGS\]** Set trace flags If the *FLAGS* are omitted, then the behavior is the same as if **--trace=normal** was specified. *FLAGS* may be *read* for tracing Makefiles read in, *noshell* which is like *normal* but shell tracing is disabled, or *full* for maximum tracing. - **-X, --debugger \[=TYPE\]** Enter debugger with If the *TYPE* are omitted, then the behavior is the same as if **--debugger=normal** was specified. *TYPE* may be *goal* for all tracing Makefiles read *preread* which stop before any Makefiles are read *goal* which stops after the goal target is built *normal* which is the same as given no option *preaction* which is like *normal* but shell tracing is disabled *full* for maximum tracing. It is the same as giving all of the options except "normal" . *fatal* for entering the debugger on a fatal error, *error* for entering the debugger on an error ## SEE ALSO The full documentation for **remake** is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the **info** and **remake** programs are properly installed at your site, the command - **info remake** should give you access to the **remake** manual. ## BUGS Since this is derived from GNU Make, it most of its bugs. See the chapter \`\`Problems and Bugs'' in *The GNU Make Manual*. For **remake** -specifc bugs see *https://github.com/rocky/remake/issues/*. ## AUTHORS The *GNU make* from which *remake* is derived, was written by Richard Stallman and Roland McGrath, and is currently maintained by Paul Smith. However *remake* is the brainstorm of Rocky Bernstein. The help of others though has been, and is, greatly appreciated. Michael Lord Welles however thought of the name, *remake*. ## COPYRIGHT Copyright © 1992-1993, 1996-2020 Free Software Foundation, Inc. This file is part of *GNU make*. GNU Make is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version. GNU Make is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program. If not, see *http://www.gnu.org/licenses/*.