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GNU Autoconf

Autoconf is an extensible package of M4 (at least version 1.4.6) macros that produce shell scripts to automatically configure software source code packages.
The creator of a piece of software specifies the requirements in Makefile.am. Autoconf turns this Makefile.am into a portable Makefile.in.
Autoconf tests for available features rather than for installed versions.
Based on the input of a configure.ac file, Autoconf generates a shell script: ./configure.

autoconf

autoconf produces shell scripts that automatically configure software source code packages.
The produces shell script are not dependent on Autoconf being present, so they can be distributed to builders that compile the package on their machines.

autom4te

autom4te is the heart of Autoconf.

See also

GNU Build System
/usr/share/autoconf

Links

http://savannah.gnu.org/projects/autoconf/, https://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf/autoconf.html, http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/autoconf.git/

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