Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

MPW Make VS Distcc

Compare MPW Make VS Distcc and see what are their differences

MPW Make logo MPW Make

Macintosh Programmer's Workshop (MPW) is an open, configurable, and scriptable development environment which provides the flexibility to support complex software development projects

Distcc logo Distcc

GitHub is where people build software. More than 27 million people use GitHub to discover, fork, and contribute to over 75 million projects.
  • MPW Make Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-02-03
  • Distcc Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-02

MPW Make features and specs

  • Integration with MPW
    MPW Make is designed to work seamlessly within the Macintosh Programmer’s Workshop (MPW) environment, providing a cohesive toolset for Mac OS software development.
  • Scriptability
    MPW Make allows extensive scriptability, enabling developers to automate complex tasks and make custom build processes more manageable.
  • Customizability
    Developers can customize MPW Make extensively to suit specific project needs, offering flexibility in how builds are managed and executed.

Possible disadvantages of MPW Make

  • Obsolete Technology
    MPW Make is based on older technology that is no longer actively supported or updated, leading to potential challenges in modern software development.
  • Limited Community Support
    Due to its age and lack of modern adoption, there is limited community support and resources available for MPW Make, making it harder for developers to find help.
  • Compatibility Issues
    MPW Make may face compatibility issues with newer operating systems and development environments, requiring additional effort to maintain functionality.

Distcc features and specs

  • Parallel Compilation
    Distcc allows distributed compilation of C, C++, and Objective-C code, enabling the use of multiple machines to speed up the build process significantly.
  • Scalability
    The system can easily be scaled by adding more machines, which allows for handling larger projects or reducing build times with minimal configuration effort.
  • Resource Utilization
    It optimizes the use of available computing resources by offloading tasks to less busy or more powerful machines, leading to more efficient compilation.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Distcc can be used on various operating systems, including Unix-like systems and Windows, offering flexibility in mixed-environment setups.
  • Ease of Integration
    As a compiler wrapper, Distcc can be integrated with existing build systems such as Make, CMake, and others with minimal changes needed.

Possible disadvantages of Distcc

  • Network Dependency
    Performance is heavily dependent on network reliability and speed, as source files and object files are transferred between client and server machines.
  • Configuration Complexity
    Setting up Distcc requires precise configuration, including managing different compiler versions across machines, which can be challenging in heterogeneous environments.
  • Security Concerns
    Without proper security measures, there is a risk of exposing sensitive data or code to untrusted machines, especially if Distcc is used over a public network.
  • Limited Error Handling
    Troubleshooting errors can be difficult because logs and errors might be scattered across different machines, making it hard to diagnose compilation issues.
  • Inefficiency for Small Builds
    For small codebases or projects with minimal compilation times, the overhead of distributing jobs may outweigh the benefits of parallel compilation.

MPW Make videos

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Distcc videos

Quick and dirty Distcc setup tutorial: Part 1

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to MPW Make and Distcc)
JS Build Tools
43 43%
57% 57
Front End Package Manager
JavaScript Package Manager
Package Manager
50 50%
50% 50

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What are some alternatives?

When comparing MPW Make and Distcc, you can also consider the following products

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.

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

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

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

npm - npm is a package manager for Node.

JSHint - New JSHint website. Anton Kovalyov Oct 1st, 2013. For the last couple of weeks I've been working on a new homepage for JSHint and today I'm proud to announce the new jshint. com! JSHint Website.