What is a build system ?

Definition

A build system is a collection of software tools that is used to facilitate the build process.

Its primary purpose is to manage the build (compilation, assembly, etc ...) process, making it more efficient and less error-prone.

Main features

A build system often includes the following features:

• Build Tools: Tools for building packages efficiently.
• Build Configuration: A system for generating build-related configurations. For example, makefiles, with sources, correct compiler flags and link options.
• Incremental Builds: Many build systems support incremental builds, which means they only rebuild the parts of the software that have changed since the last build. This can significantly speed up the development process.