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GNU Make VS Apache Maven

Compare GNU Make VS Apache Maven and see what are their differences

GNU Make logo GNU Make

GNU Make is a tool which controls the generation of executables and other non-source files of a program from the program's source files.

Apache Maven logo Apache Maven

Apache Maven is a project comprehension and management software tool.
  • GNU Make Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-12
  • Apache Maven Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-11

GNU Make features and specs

  • Portability
    GNU Make is highly portable and can be used across various Unix-like operating systems as well as on Windows.
  • Dependency Management
    It efficiently handles complex dependencies between various parts of the software, ensuring that changes are propagated properly.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source software, GNU Make is freely available and can be modified according to user needs.
  • Wide Adoption
    It is widely adopted in the industry, which means that there is extensive documentation and a large community for support.
  • Efficiency
    GNU Make speeds up the build process by only recompiling the necessary parts of the codebase.

Possible disadvantages of GNU Make

  • Complex Syntax
    The syntax of GNU Makefiles can become very complex, especially for large projects, making them hard to read and maintain.
  • Limited Cross-Platform Scripting
    While the tool itself is cross-platform, Makefiles can sometimes include shell commands that are not portable.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    Beginners may find it challenging to grasp the concepts and syntax of GNU Make, leading to a steep learning curve.
  • Debugging Difficulty
    Debugging Makefiles can be difficult, with limited tools available to trace or step through the make process.
  • Performance Bottlenecks
    For extremely large projects, performance can become an issue, as the evaluation of dependencies might become slow.

Apache Maven features and specs

  • Dependency Management
    Maven simplifies the process of including third-party libraries in your project. It automatically downloads the libraries your project depends on and also their dependencies transitively.
  • Standardized Project Structure
    Maven enforces a standard project structure. This makes it easier for developers to understand and navigate newly joined projects.
  • Reproducible Builds
    With Maven, builds are more consistent and reproducible across different environments, thanks to its strict configuration and dependency management.
  • Extensive Plugin Ecosystem
    Maven has a rich ecosystem of plugins for tasks like compiling code, packaging software, running tests, and generating documentation, which can be easily integrated into the build process.
  • Multi-Module Projects
    Maven supports multi-module projects, allowing for better organization and separation of concerns within large projects that might consist of multiple interdependent subprojects.

Possible disadvantages of Apache Maven

  • XML Configuration
    Maven uses XML for its configuration, which can become verbose and cumbersome, especially for complex projects with numerous dependencies and plugins.
  • Learning Curve
    New users may find Maven's concepts and configurations challenging to learn and understand, particularly the dependency management and lifecycle phases.
  • Performance Issues
    The build process in Maven can sometimes be slow, particularly for large projects with extensive dependencies, as it needs to download and check for updates in the repository.
  • Lack of Flexibility
    Maven's conventions and structures might be overly rigid for some projects. Custom build requirements may sometimes require awkward workarounds or even external tools.
  • Potential for Dependency Conflicts
    While Maven manages dependencies well, complex projects can still encounter issues with conflicting versions of transitive dependencies, leading to build errors and runtime issues.

Analysis of GNU Make

Overall verdict

  • Yes, GNU Make is a robust and reliable tool for managing build processes. Its long-established reputation and widespread use in both open-source and commercial projects underline its effectiveness and flexibility.

Why this product is good

  • GNU Make is widely used because it automates the build process, efficiently handling dependencies and detecting minimal sets of changes in source files. It is highly customizable, supports non-recursive builds, and integrates well into various development environments.

Recommended for

  • Software developers working on C/C++ projects
  • Teams looking to automate build processes
  • Projects that require cross-platform build capabilities
  • Developers who prefer command-line tools
  • Open-source project maintainers

Analysis of Apache Maven

Overall verdict

  • Apache Maven is generally considered a good choice for projects that require a standard approach to building, dependency management, and project configuration. It is particularly beneficial in environments where consistency, scalability, and ease of management are priorities.

Why this product is good

  • Apache Maven is widely regarded as a robust build automation tool that facilitates project management and comprehension through its use of a standard directory layout and a default build lifecycle. Its primary advantages include automatic dependency management, easy project setup that follows best practices, and a large repository of libraries and plugins. Maven's XML configuration can also be comprehensive, making it easy to define complex projects.

Recommended for

  • Java developers working on large, multi-module projects.
  • Teams seeking a standardized build lifecycle across projects.
  • Organizations utilizing Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines.
  • Projects that can benefit from extensive plugin availability and integration.

GNU Make videos

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Apache Maven videos

Apache Maven - Review of Concepts & Theory!

More videos:

  • Review - Apache Maven - Introduction || Automation || Episode 01

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to GNU Make and Apache Maven)
Front End Package Manager
DevOps Tools
0 0%
100% 100
JS Build Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Continuous Integration
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare GNU Make and Apache Maven

GNU Make Reviews

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Apache Maven Reviews

35+ Of The Best CI/CD Tools: Organized By Category
Apache Maven is a software build automation and project management tool. Itโ€™s popular among the open-source and Java community. Maven allows you to build and deploy code in Scala, Ruby, Java, C#, Python, etc.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Apache Maven seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 57 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

GNU Make mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of GNU Make yet. Tracking of GNU Make recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Apache Maven mentions (57)

  • Top 5 Essential Build Tools for Modern Development
    Apache Maven is a foundational build automation tool primarily used for Java projects, though its principles have influenced tools across other languages. Born from the Apache Software Foundation, Maven simplifies the build process through its concept of a Project Object Model (POM). This pom.xml file declaratively describes your project's configuration, dependencies, and build lifecycle. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Testing the startup time for your Fire OS app
    Install Maven Hint: The instructions on Mavenโ€™s website can be a bit confounding, so: If youโ€™re on a Mac, use Homebrew to install it by running brew install maven in the terminal If youโ€™re on Windows, check out this blog post. - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
  • Tutorial: Build a Java SDK based on OpenAPI Spec
    Maven: If you're more familiar with Maven and don't need custom build logic, itโ€™s a Solid, well-established Option. Maven is known for its simplicity, strong dependency management, and extensive ecosystem. It integrates easily With package distribution platforms like Maven Central. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • My Journey with AWS CDK and Java: What You Need to Know
    From what Iโ€™ve seen, adopting the CDK in Java is relatively easy for most of these teams as they already understand the language and the ecosystem. Integrating the CDK with their existing build tools like Maven and Gradle is well documented, which leaves them with the learning curve of understanding how to work with infrastructure as code, how to structure a CDK project and when to use L1, L2 and L3 constructs. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Install Apache Maven
    Visit the official Maven website to download the latest version of Maven. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing GNU Make and Apache Maven, you can also consider the following products

CMake - CMake is an open-source, cross-platform family of tools designed to build, test and package software.

Gradle - Accelerate developer productivity. Gradle helps teams build, automate and deliver better software, faster. DocsExplore the documentation of Gradle. Find installation ..

SCons - SCons is an Open Source software construction toolโ€”that is, a next-generation build tool.

Jenkins - Jenkins is an open-source continuous integration server with 300+ plugins to support all kinds of software development

SBT - SBT is a build tool for Scala, like Ant or Maven but with hieroglyphics.

CircleCI - CircleCI gives web developers powerful Continuous Integration and Deployment with easy setup and maintenance.