Re: difference between `make' and `make all'?

[Hans Aberg]

On 19 Jan 2010, at 15:27, Francisco Vila wrote:

> > > Is there a difference between `make' and `make all'?
> >
> > No.  Where does the convention that all is the default target come  
> > from,
> > by the way?  Is it a GNU standard?
>
> After reading the manuals of GNU make, I am confused.  GNU software
> should have 'all' as the default target, but 'make' alone processes
> the first target in the Makefile as the default goal; this could be
> other than 'all'.
>
> http://www.gnu.org/software/make/manual/make.html#Standard-Targets
>
> In other words, the default goal is 'all only if it is the first one,
> and it should be by convention.

Yes, see
  http://www.gnu.org/software/make/manual/make.html#How-Make-Works

There are really two parts: how the program 'make' works, and  
conventions for GNU software. The latter wants have a target 'make  
all', and should be the default, same as 'make', but it must not be so  
- it is just a recommendation. If one wants to have it that way, it  
must be the first target, because 'make' always starts with the first  
one; 'make' itself does not have any hardwired information about  
target name.

  Hans