AUTOMAKE(1) User Commands AUTOMAKE(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

automake - Generate Makefile.in files for configure from Makefile.am

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**automake** \[*OPTION*]... \[*Makefile*]...

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

Generate Makefile.in for configure from Makefile.am.

## [Operation modes:](#Operation_modes:)

[**--help**](#help)

print this help, then exit

[**--version**](#version)

print version number, then exit

[**-v**, **--verbose**](#v)

verbosely list files processed

[**--no-force**](#no)

only update Makefile.in's that are out of date

[**-W**, **--warnings**=*CATEGORY*](#W)

report the warnings falling in CATEGORY

## [Dependency tracking:](#Dependency_tracking:)

[**-i**, **--ignore-deps**](#i)

disable dependency tracking code

[**--include-deps**](#include)

enable dependency tracking code

## [Flavors:](#Flavors:)

[**--foreign**](#foreign)

set strictness to foreign

[**--gnits**](#gnits)

set strictness to gnits

**--gnu**

set strictness to gnu

## [Library files:](#Library_files:)

[**-a**, **--add-missing**](#a)

add missing standard files to package

[**--libdir**=*DIR*](#libdir)

set directory storing library files

[**--print-libdir**](#print)

print directory storing library files

[**-c**, **--copy**](#c)

with **-a**, copy missing files (default is symlink)

[**-f**, **--force-missing**](#f)

force update of standard files

## [Warning categories are:](#Warning_categories_are:)

[cross](#cross)

cross compilation issues

[gnu](#gnu)

GNU coding standards (default in gnu and gnits modes)

[obsolete](#obsolete)

obsolete features or constructions (default)

[override](#override)

user redefinitions of Automake rules or variables

[portability](#portability)

portability issues (default in gnu and gnits modes)

portability-recursive

nested Make variables (default with **-Wportability**)

[extra-portability](#extra)

extra portability issues related to obscure tools

[syntax](#syntax)

dubious syntactic constructs (default)

[unsupported](#unsupported)

unsupported or incomplete features (default)

## [-W also understands:](#-W_also_understands:)

[all](#all)

turn on all the warnings

[none](#none)

turn off all the warnings

[no-CATEGORY](#no~2)

turn off warnings in CATEGORY

[error](#error)

treat all enabled warnings as errors

## [Files automatically distributed if found (always):](#Files_automatically_distributed_if_found_%28always%29:)

[ABOUT-GNU](#ABOUT)

COPYING.LIB config.sub ltmain.sh

[ABOUT-NLS](#ABOUT~2)

COPYINGv2 depcomp mdate-sh

[BACKLOG](#BACKLOG)

COPYINGv3 install-sh missing

[COPYING](#COPYING)

TODO libversion.in mkinstalldirs

[COPYING.DOC](#COPYING.DOC)

ar-lib ltcf-c.sh py-compile

[COPYING.LESSER](#COPYING.LESSER)

compile ltcf-cxx.sh texinfo.tex

[COPYING.LESSERv2](#COPYING.LESSERv2)

config.guess ltcf-gcj.sh ylwrap

[COPYING.LESSERv3](#COPYING.LESSERv3)

config.rpath ltconfig

## [Files automatically distributed if found (as .md if needed):](#Files_automatically_distributed_if_found_%28as_.md_if_needed%29:)

[AUTHORS\[.md\]](#AUTHORS_.md_)

INSTALL\[.md] README\[.md] THANKS\[.md]

[ChangeLog\[.md\]](#ChangeLog_.md_)

NEWS\[.md]

## [Files automatically distributed if found (under certain conditions):](#Files_automatically_distributed_if_found_%28under_certain_conditions%29:)

[README-alpha\[.md\]](#README)

config.h.bot configure configure.in

[acconfig.h](#acconfig.h)

config.h.top configure.ac stamp-vti

aclocal.m4

# [AUTHOR](#AUTHOR)

Written by Tom Tromey <tromey@redhat.com>

and Alexandre Duret-Lutz <adl@gnu.org>.

# [REPORTING BUGS](#REPORTING_BUGS)

Report bugs to <bug-automake@gnu.org>.  
GNU Automake home page: <https://www.gnu.org/software/automake/>.  
General help using GNU software: <https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>.

Features: subsecond-mtime

# [COPYRIGHT](#COPYRIGHT)

Copyright © 2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv2+: GNU GPL version 2 or later

<https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html>

This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

The full documentation for **automake** is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If the **info** and **automake** programs are properly installed at your site, the command

**info automake**

should give you access to the complete manual.

October 2026 GNU automake 1.19

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Document: automake(1) from automake 1.19-r1 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/automake.git