automake: Why Autotools

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1 2.3 How Autotools Help
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1 There are several reasons why you may not want to implement the GNU
1 Build System yourself (read: write a ‘configure’ script and ‘Makefile’s
1 yourself).
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11    • As we have seen, the GNU Build System has a lot of features (⇒
      Use Cases).  Some users may expect features you have not
1      implemented because you did not need them.
1    • Implementing these features portably is difficult and exhausting.
1      Think of writing portable shell scripts, and portable ‘Makefile’s,
11      for systems you may not have handy.  ⇒Portable Shell
      Programming (autoconf)Portable Shell, to convince yourself.
1    • You will have to upgrade your setup to follow changes to the GNU
1      Coding Standards.
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1    The GNU Autotools take all this burden off your back and provide:
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1    • Tools to create a portable, complete, and self-contained GNU Build
1      System, from simple instructions.  _Self-contained_ meaning the
1      resulting build system does not require the GNU Autotools.
1    • A central place where fixes and improvements are made: a bug-fix
1      for a portability issue will benefit every package.
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1    Yet there also exist reasons why you may want NOT to use the
1 Autotools...  For instance you may be already using (or used to) another
1 incompatible build system.  Autotools will only be useful if you do
1 accept the concepts of the GNU Build System.  People who have their own
1 idea of how a build system should work will feel frustrated by the
1 Autotools.
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