20.2.1. Options

-e

Environment variables override any macros defined in description files.

-f file

Use file as the description file; a filename of - denotes standard input. -f can be used more than once to concatenate multiple description files. With no -f option, make first looks for a file named makefile, and then one named Makefile.

-i

Ignore error codes from commands (same as .IGNORE).

-k

Abandon the current target when it fails, but keep working with unrelated targets.

-n

Print commands but don't execute (used for testing). -n prints commands even if they begin with @ in the description file.

Lines that begin with $(MAKE) are an exception. Such lines are executed. However, since the -n is passed to the subsequent make in the MAKEFLAGS environment variable, that make also just prints the commands it executes. This allows you to test out all the makefile files in a whole software hierarchy without actually doing anything.

-p

Print macro definitions, suffixes, and target descriptions.

-q

Query; return 0 if file is up to date; nonzero otherwise.

-r

Do not use the default rules.

-s

Do not display command lines (same as .SILENT).

-t

Touch the target files, causing them to be updated.