CODEWITHSUNDEEP
cincludemakefile
Martin Stålberg
Martin Stålberg

Reputation: 822

Difference between "include" and "-include" in a makefile

In a makefile, what is the difference in meaning between include and -include?

Examples:

-include $(APPINCLUDES)

include $(CONTIKI)/platform/$(TARGET)/Makefile.$(TARGET)

Upvotes: 38

Views: 15217

Answers (2)

trojanfoe
trojanfoe

Reputation: 122391

The difference is that -include won't generate an error if the include file doesn't exist.

The - prefix can be used many places in the Makefile to perform actions that you don't mind if they fail.

Upvotes: 50

nos
nos

Reputation: 229088

From the docs

If you want make to simply ignore a makefile which does not exist or cannot be remade, with no error message, use the -include directive instead of include, like this:

-include filenames...

This acts like include in every way except that there is no error (not even a warning) if any of the filenames (or any prerequisites of any of the filenames) do not exist or cannot be remade.

Upvotes: 10

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