Autotools
Autotools is a suite of build automation tools, primarily consisting of Autoconf, Automake, and Libtool, used to create portable and configurable software packages for Unix-like systems. It generates configuration scripts (configure) and Makefiles from templates, allowing software to adapt to different system environments and dependencies. This toolchain is widely used in open-source projects to simplify compilation and installation across diverse platforms.
Developers should learn Autotools when working on C/C++ projects that need to be distributed as source code and compiled on various Unix-like systems, such as Linux, macOS, or BSD. It is essential for ensuring portability and handling system-specific differences, like library versions or compiler options, making it a standard in many legacy and open-source software builds. Use cases include packaging software for distribution, managing cross-platform builds, and automating dependency checks during installation.