What is a Makefile and how do I use it?

What is a Makefile and how do I use it?

A Makefile is a special file used to control the build process of a project. It defines how to compile and link the program.

Can you give me a simple example of a Makefile?

Sure! Here's a basic example:

CC=gcc
CFLAGS=-I.

all: myprogram

myprogram: main.o utils.o
	$(CC) -o myprogram main.o utils.o

main.o: main.c
	$(CC) -c main.c $(CFLAGS)

utils.o: utils.c
	$(CC) -c utils.c $(CFLAGS)

What do the different parts of the Makefile mean?

In this example, CC is the compiler, CFLAGS are the flags for the compiler, and the rules define how to build the targets.

How do I run the Makefile?

You can run the Makefile by simply typing make in the terminal in the directory where the Makefile is located.