Autotoolsbased

Autotools-based refers to software projects that use the GNU Build System, commonly known as Autotools, to prepare, configure, and build the software. The core components are Autoconf, Automake, and Libtool, often used together to generate portable configure scripts and Makefiles. Projects described as autotools-based typically rely on Autoconf to detect system features and on Automake to generate portable Makefile rules, with Libtool providing portable shared library support.

A conventional autotools-based project includes files such as configure.ac (or configure.in) and Makefile.am, which define the build configuration and the Makefile generation process. The build sequence usually begins with running a script like ./configure to probe the system for libraries, headers, and features, followed by make to compile, and make install to install. Developers may distribute a generated configure script or maintain the sources that can regenerate it via tools like autoreconf.

Portability is a primary goal of Autotools, enabling builds across a wide range of Unix-like environments. Windows support is possible through environments such as MSYS2, Cygwin, or the Windows Subsystem for Linux, though native Windows builds are less common. Benefits of the autotools approach include broad compatibility, a standardized workflow, and mature support in many open-source ecosystems. Drawbacks include a steeper learning curve, more complex maintenance of the configuration scripts, and sometimes slower iteration when compared with newer build systems.

In practice, the term autotools-based is used to describe projects built with the GNU Build System or those that rely on Autoconf, Automake, and Libtool to achieve portability and automation. It is a common pattern in established open-source projects but may be less common in newer projects that prefer alternative build systems.