OS Manuals

/usr/bin/autoconf

GNU tool for generating configure scripts

From autoconf 2.73-r1 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running autoconf --help (exit 0). permalink

Usage: /usr/bin/autoconf [OPTION]... [TEMPLATE-FILE]

Generate a configuration script from a TEMPLATE-FILE if given, or
'configure.ac' if present, or else 'configure.in'.  Output is sent
to the standard output if TEMPLATE-FILE is given, else into
'configure'.

Operation modes:
  -h, --help                print this help, then exit
  -V, --version             print version number, then exit
  -v, --verbose             verbosely report processing
  -d, --debug               don't remove temporary files
  -f, --force               consider all files obsolete
  -o, --output=FILE         save output in FILE (stdout is the default)
  -W, --warnings=CATEGORY   report the warnings falling in CATEGORY
                            (comma-separated list accepted)

Warning categories are:
  cross                  cross compilation issues
  gnu                    GNU coding standards (default in gnu and gnits modes)
  obsolete               obsolete features or constructions (default)
  override               user redefinitions of Automake rules or variables
  portability            portability issues (default in gnu and gnits modes)
  portability-recursive  nested Make variables (default with -Wportability)
  extra-portability      extra portability issues related to obscure tools
  syntax                 dubious syntactic constructs (default)
  unsupported            unsupported or incomplete features (default)

-W also understands:
  all                    turn on all the warnings
  none                   turn off all the warnings
  no-CATEGORY            turn off warnings in CATEGORY
  error                  treat all enabled warnings as errors

Library directories:
  -B, --prepend-include=DIR  prepend directory DIR to search path
  -I, --include=DIR          append directory DIR to search path

Tracing:
  -t, --trace=MACRO[:FORMAT]  report the list of calls to MACRO
  -i, --initialization        also trace Autoconf's initialization process

In tracing mode, no configuration script is created.  FORMAT defaults
to '$f:$l:$n:$%'; see 'autom4te --help' for information about FORMAT.

Report bugs in the tracker at <https://savannah.gnu.org/projects/autoconf>
or by email to <bug-autoconf@gnu.org>.

The full documentation for Autoconf can be read via 'info autoconf',
or on the Web at <https://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf/manual/>.
Options (11)
OptionDescriptionSource
-h, --helpprint this help, then exithelp + man
-V, --versionprint version number, then exithelp + man
-v, --verboseverbosely report processinghelp + man
-d, --debugdon't remove temporary fileshelp + man
-f, --forceconsider all files obsoletehelp + man
-o, --output FILEsave output in FILE (stdout is the default)help + man
-W, --warnings CATEGORYreport the warnings falling in CATEGORY (comma-separated list accepted)help + man
-B, --prepend-include DIRprepend directory DIR to search pathhelp + man
-I, --include DIRappend directory DIR to search pathhelp + man
-t, --trace MACRO[:FORMATreport the list of calls to MACROhelp
-i, --initializationalso trace Autoconf's initialization processhelp + man

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.