As you can see the build process is smooth, the execution is blazingly fast. What more could I ask for?

https://smolbsd.org/

#programming #technology #BSD #netBSD #metaOS #microVM #networking #qemu #host #bmake #curl #sshd #Linux

@mpts @lobocode I can't fully agree. "Make" is declarative by nature, and a fully declarative Makefile contains nothing but variable expansions and rules with recipes. I *would* agree that #bmake makes it easier to write such a Makefile in many cases for its powerful expansion modifiers (some of which you can't even simulate with gmake's custom functions, like substitutions using regular expressions). But OTOH, it also makes some "procedural" style easier by e.g. providing a "for" loop that runs at parse time (not available in #gmake).

That said, "!=" is a poor replacement for $(wildcard ): "!=" also runs at parse time, $(wildcard ) OTOH is a function only executed when needed for expansion. #bmake offers the "${:!...!}" expansion that would be a better match here (still with the drawback of having to call some external tool of course).

Of course, any "if" (and similar) forces immediate expansion of its arguments in both make flavors, therefore breaking the "pure" declarative style.

@lobocode They're just very different.

#gmake excells in "meta-programming", providing functions (builtin and custom) and the "evil" $(eval ...) (and indeed, code using that is hard to keep at least remotely readable), basically containing a functional programming language. OTOH, it sucks in surprising ways, e.g. it has no idea of numbers/arithmetics. It also has things I'd personally call total "misfeatures", like these default variable values, default rules, even pattern rules can bite you badly ...

Among the strong points of #bmake are many very concise and flexible variable expansion modifiers (including arbitrary replacements, also using regular expressions, and even a "loop expansion").

#FreeBSD makes good use of the nice #bmake features in its build systems (at least base and ports).

@lobocode bmake makes you think about your makefile in a more declarative way. As a result, bmake supports querying Makefiles for the value of a variable, e.g., `bmake -V CC` would give you the value of CC.

Usually, it is possible to express the GNU Make functions with the "!=" assignment in bmake. E.g., when I need an equivalent of GNU Make's `$(wildcard ...)` I tend to use `FOO!= ls *` instead.

#freebsd #bmake #gnu #gmake #makefile