buildroot/docs/manual/make-tips.txt

// -*- mode:doc -*- ;

[[make-tips]]
'make' tips
-----------

Because Buildroot is a set of Makefiles and patches, there are a few
things that are useful to know, such as:

+make *config+ commands offer a search tool. Read the help message in
the different frontend menus to know how to use it:

* in _menuconfig_, search tool is called by pressing +/+;
* in _xconfig_, search tool is called by pressing +ctrl+ + +f+.

The result of the search shows the help message of the matching items.

Display all commands executed by make:

--------------------
 $ make V=0|1 <target>
--------------------

Display all available targets:

--------------------
 $ make help
--------------------

Note that some settings in the +.config+ file may hide some targets:

* +busybox-menuconfig+ depends on whether +busybox+ is enabled or not
  in the +Package selection+ menu
* +linux-menuconfig+ and +linux-savedefconfig+ depend on whether
  +linux+ is enabled or not
* +uclibc-menuconfig+ depends on whether the toolchain uses the
  Buildroot internal toolchain backend or not
* +ctng-menuconfig+ depends on whether the toolchain uses the
  crosstool-NG backend or not
* +barebox-menuconfig+ and +barebox-savedefconfig+ depend on whether
  +barebox+ bootloader is enabled or not

Delete all build products (including build directories, host, staging
and target trees, the images and the toolchain):

--------------------
 $ make clean
--------------------

Delete all build products as well as the configuration:

--------------------
 $ make distclean
--------------------

Note that if +ccache+ is enabled, running +make clean|distclean+ does
not empty the compiler cache used by Buildroot. To delete it, refer
to xref:ccache[].