AUTOCONF(1)

NAME
autoconf - Generate configuration scripts

SYNOPSIS
autoconf [OPTION]... [TEMPLATE-FILE]

DESCRIPTION
Generate a configuration script from a TEMPLATE-FILE if given, or 'configure.ac' if present, or else 'configure.in'. Output is sent to the standard output if TEMPLATE-FILE is given, else into 'configure'.

  Operation modes:

-h, --help
    print this help, then exit

-V, --version
    print version number, then exit

-v, --verbose
    verbosely report processing

-d, --debug
    don't remove temporary files

-f, --force
    consider all files obsolete

-o, --output=FILE
    save output in FILE (stdout is the default)

-W, --warnings=CATEGORY
    report the warnings falling in CATEGORY (comma-separated list accepted)

  Warning categories are:

cross
    cross compilation issues

gnu GNU coding standards (default in gnu and gnits modes)

obsolete
    obsolete features or constructions (default)

override
    user redefinitions of Automake rules or variables

portability
    portability issues (default in gnu and gnits modes)

portability-recursive
    nested Make variables (default with -Wportability)

extra-portability
    extra portability issues related to obscure tools

syntax
    dubious syntactic constructs (default)

unsupported
    unsupported or incomplete features (default)

  -W also understands:

all turn on all the warnings

none
    turn off all the warnings

no-CATEGORY
    turn off warnings in CATEGORY

error
    treat all enabled warnings as errors

  Library directories:

-B, --prepend-include=DIR
    prepend directory DIR to search path

-I, --include=DIR
    append directory DIR to search path

  Tracing:

-t, --trace=MACRO[:FORMAT]
    report the list of calls to MACRO

-i, --initialization
    also trace Autoconf's initialization process

In tracing mode, no configuration script is created. FORMAT defaults to '$f:$l:$n:$%'; see 'autom4te --help' for information about FORMAT.

AUTHOR
Written by David J. MacKenzie and Akim Demaille.

REPORTING BUGS
Report bugs to bug-autoconf@gnu.org, or via Savannah: https://savannah.gnu.org/support/?group=autoconf.

COPYRIGHT
Copyright © 2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+/Autoconf: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>, <https://gnu.org/licenses/exceptions.html>
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

SEE ALSO
autoconf(1), automake(1), autoreconf(1), autoupdate(1), autoheader(1), autoscan(1), config.guess(1), config.sub(1), ifnames(1), libtool(1). The full documentation for Autoconf is maintained as a Texinfo manual. To read the manual locally, use the command

    info autoconf

You can also consult the Web version of the manual at https://gnu.org/software/autoconf/manual/.