Comparison of Make and Speedy Make

File format

• Speedy Make uses XML.
• Make uses its own format, where tabs are significant.

Dependency graph

• Speedy Make knows dependencies by parsing sources file and extracting include statements.
  Sometime, only the main source file of a whole project is required in the makefile.
• Make requires explicit definition of dependencies: for each file to build, the list of required files must be given in the form:

 objectfile: source1 source2 source3 etc...
    cc $@ $<

This is followed by the list of commands to perform. Each command stays on a line that starts with a tab code.

Dependency tracking

• Both make and Speedy Make use the date of last modification of the files to know whichever must be compiled. And the included headers also.

Variables

• Speedy Make uses variable prefixed by $ for a global replacement and * for an iterative replacement. It allows also to add a replacing extension in square brackets.
• Make uses variable defined in the makefile or the automatic variables $@ and $<.

Overriding of variables

• Both make and Speedy Make allow to override variables at command line.

Multiple tasks

• Speedy Make has options recognized by the interpreter for main tasks. It is also possible to select an action at command line.
• Make requires multiple definitions of processing in the makefile for various tasks. They may be choosen at command line.

Compiling and linking

• Both make and Speedy Make call external programs, with options given in the makefile.

Configure

• This is planned in Speedy Make.
• Make must be called after another program named "configure", that uses its own definition file (very hard to write).

More tools

GNU make.
The GNU make manual
Makefile Tutorial