GNU Make & Makefiles Crash Course for Build Automation

Stop typing long compile, test, lint, and deploy commands over and over. Let GNU Make do the thinking for you.

In this fast crash course, you’ll learn how to use GNU Make and Makefiles as a lightweight, powerful task runner and build automation tool. Great for developers, Linux users, and sysadmins.

Whether you're tired of repeating gcc flags, manually running linters, rebuilding Docker images, or scripting repetitive workflows in Bash, Make gives you dependency tracking, conditional execution, and one-command simplicity without learning a heavy new build system.

You’ll build a clean, professional Makefile from scratch starting with a simple "hello world" Makefile, then scaling to:

• Multi-file projects with automatic compilation

• Variables, overrides, and automatic variables ($@, $<, $^)

• Pattern rules & wildcards for dozens of files

• Phony targets (.PHONY) for reliable clean/test/lint

• Conditionals for debug/release modes and cross-OS compatibility

• Debugging tips, best practices, and common pitfalls

• Real integrations: Git hooks, Docker builds, test/lint runners

Everything is demonstrated live in the terminal

By the end you’ll have:

• The confidence to automate builds

• Time saved every single day in the terminal

No prior Make experience required, just basic terminal comfort.

Meet Your Instructor

Hi, I’m Martijn, terminal enthusiast and creator of several Udemy courses on Linux productivity tools.

I live in the terminal every day. Building, scripting, deploying, and automating workflow on Linux. My teaching style is hands-on and demo-driven: you watch real workflows, follow along, and leave each lecture with something you can use immediately.

I keep courses short, focused, and fluff-free. Because your time is valuable and terminal mastery should be fast.

If you want practical skills that make you faster in the shell every day, you’re in the right place.

Let’s automate the boring stuff with Make!