FFmpeg currently uses a custom build system, this text attempts to document
some of its obscure features and options.
Makefile variables:
V
Disable the default terse mode, the full command issued by make and its
output will be shown on the screen.
DBG
Preprocess x86 external assembler files to a .dbg.asm file in the object
directory, which then gets compiled. Helps in developing those assembler
files.
DESTDIR
Destination directory for the install targets, useful to prepare packages
or install FFmpeg in cross-environments.
GEN
Set to ‘1’ to generate the missing or mismatched references.
Makefile targets:
all
Default target, builds all the libraries and the executables.
fate
Run the fate test suite, note that you must have installed it.
fate-list
List all fate/regression test targets.
install
Install headers, libraries and programs.
examples
Build all examples located in doc/examples.
libavformat/output-example
Build the libavformat basic example.
libavcodec/api-example
Build the libavcodec basic example.
libswscale/swscale-test
Build the swscale self-test (useful also as an example).
config
Reconfigure the project with the current configuration.
Useful standard make commands:
make -t <target>
Touch all files that otherwise would be built, this is useful to reduce
unneeded rebuilding when changing headers, but note that you must force rebuilds
of files that actually need it by hand then.
make -j<num>
Rebuild with multiple jobs at the same time. Faster on multi processor systems.
make -k
Continue build in case of errors, this is useful for the regression tests
sometimes but note that it will still not run all reg tests.
