Configure

Configure refers to the step in building software from source that prepares the build environment for compilation. It typically involves a script named configure, most commonly part of the GNU build system, which probes the host system for compilers, libraries, and features. The script is often generated by Autoconf from a configure.ac file and, if successful, produces a Makefile and configuration headers tailored to the system.

Usage usually follows the pattern: ./configure [options]. The script checks for required tools and dependencies, tests for available features, and records its findings. Options can specify installation locations with --prefix, enable or disable optional features with --enable/--disable, and request specific dependencies with --with/--without. Environment variables such as CC, CFLAGS, LDFLAGS, and LIBS can also influence the configuration process.

Outcome and next steps typically involve running make and make install after a successful configure. The generated Makefile encodes the chosen options and system-specific paths, while config.h or similar files reflect feature test results for conditional compilation.

Context and scope: Configure is central to portability in Unix-like environments, enabling software to adapt to different compilers, libraries, and directory layouts. It is not universal; some projects use alternative build systems with their own configuration steps. While strongly associated with Autotools, the broader idea of pre-build configuration appears in other systems and scenarios, including cross-compilation and packaging workflows.

See also: Autoconf, Makefile, GNU build system, cross-compilation, CMake, Meson.