SuffixMakefile

SuffixMakefile is a build automation approach in which rules are expressed as transformations between file suffixes rather than explicit file names. The system uses a configuration file named SuffixMakefile that defines how one suffix can transform into another, for example from .c to .o or from .o to an executable. Dependencies and targets are derived by matching suffixes of input and output files, enabling compact rules for large collections of similar file types.

Rules are implicit and chained; when a target is requested, the system searches for a chain of suffix transformations that can produce the target from existing sources. Each transformation associates a command template with a pair of input and output suffixes. Users can override or extend these rules with explicit entries and can include other configuration files.

Usage involves placing source files in a project directory along with a SuffixMakefile that describes common transformations. The tool scans the directory, resolves the necessary suffix chain for the targets, and executes the corresponding commands in a deterministic order. It emphasizes portability and is well suited to projects with uniform suffix-based workflows.

Relation to other tools: SuffixMakefile draws on the historical concept of suffix rules from early Unix make but provides a modern, file-oriented interface. It can operate as a standalone build system or integrate with existing toolchains that use suffix-based conventions. Limitations include reduced expressiveness for complex dependencies and potential ambiguity when multiple suffix paths exist for a single target.

See also: make, suffix rules, build automation.