This post is an introduction to build automation in the context of software development.
The build instructions informs how to build software. It enables automation.
The build artifacts are objects that are created during or as a result of the building process. Example of artifacts are objects files, executable files and log files.
When sharing a project, the build instructions should be shared by
Build Automation Tools
Build automation tools categories:
- Build system
- Build executor
- Build system generator
- Build orchestration tool
Build System
A build system is a tool that defines how to compile and link source code. It executes build commands in a given order.
It requires a configuration file that contains the build commands to execute and the order. This file can be created manually by a user or by another program called build system generator.
Its design may flexibility and user-friendliness over prioritize speed and efficiency.
Modern application should consider build system generators before using build systems manually.
Build System Products
Build systems featured on this post:
- Make
- MSBuild
- SCons
Make
Make is a CLI command to perform actions in order. It is traditionally used for software building.
It uses a configuration file called makefile.
It is typical of Unix-based operating systems.
makefile may not be easily exported to different platforms because they use different filepath delimiters (/ vs \), compilers, compiler flags or other tools.
MSBuild
MSBuild is the build automation tools for .NET and Visual Studio.
It uses .vcxproj files.
SCons
SCons is FOSS, under a MIT license.
Build Executor
A build executor is a low-level tool that executes build commands efficiently, often used as a backend.
It is designed to be used together with a build system generator, and prioritize speed and efficiency over flexibility or user-friendliness.
Build executors are often considered build systems.
Build Executor Products
Build executor tools:
- Ninja
Ninja
Ninja builds file for every platform.
Build System Generator
A build system generator is a tool that generates build scripts or build files to be executed by a backend.
The build system generator decides what to build, and the backend executes it.
A backend could be either a build system or a build executor.
A build system generator project needs to specify a build system that actually execute the build commands as a backend. Each build system generator supports a lilmited set of build systems.
Build System Generator Products
Build system generator:
- Autotools
- Gyp
- CMake
- Meson
- Premake
- gn
CMake and Meson are the most popular tools, as of 2025.
GNU Autotools
DEPRECATED
GNU Autotools is a suite of build automation tools within the GNU project. Some of the tools included are autoconf, automake and libtool.
It is a legacy tool for project within Unix-like OSs.
Gyp
DEPRECATED
Gyp was developed by the American company Google.
CMake
You can read this post about CMake.
Meson
Meson was created in 2012.
It is more modern, simpler and faster than CMake, but it is less extended as oef 2025.
It uses a Python-like syntax.
Premake
Premake is less popular than CMake and Meson.
Build Orchestration Tool
A build orchestration tool is a higher-level tool (compared to a build executor) that manages complex builds, dependencies and sometimes testing/deployment.
Build Automation Tools featured on this post:
- Ant
- Apache Maven
- Gradle
- Bazel
Ant
Ant is developed by the Apache Software Foundation.
As of 2025, it is probably outdated. It is older than Maven.
Apache Maven
Maven is a build automation tool used primarily for Java projects. Its purpose is the management and build of Java rpojects based on the Project Object Model (POM), that is defined through an XML file.
It is FOSS under an Apache License 2.0. It is a development project within the Apache Software Foundation.
Gradle
Gradle Build Tools is commonly knonw as Gradle.
Compatible with Java and other programming languages.
Bazel
Bazel is FOSS.
You might also be interested in…
External references
- Baetung; “Ant vs Maven vs Gradle“; Baetung
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