GNU Build Tools

The GNOME project is using a number of standard GNU tools for building on multiple architectures.

libtool

A set of shell scripts to automatically configure UNIX architectures to build shared libraries in generic fashion. If everything is working, you won't even know it's there.

Read the libtool info page (it ships with most GNU/Linux distributions).
If the GNOME help browser works, load "info:libtool."

autoconf

Autoconf creates portable and configurable packages. If you've ever run a configure script, you've seen what autoconf can do.

Read the autoconf info page (again, it ships with most GNU/Linux distributions).
If the GNOME help browser works, load "info:autoconf."
Read an overview of the GNU build system.
Check out this autoconf tutorial.
Read this tutorial on checking a library into CVS. It covers autoconf and CVS basics, and is key for understanding how the GNOME build system is meant to work.

automake

Automake is a Makefile generator. It normally works with autoconf to automatically produce Makefiles based upon what configure determined about a system.

Read the automake info page.
Load "info:automake" in the GNOME help browser.