# Makefile Development

> This skill should be used when the user asks to "create a Makefile", "write a Makefile", "add a make target", or mentions Makefile conventions.

- **Type:** Skill
- **Install:** `agentstack add skill-dwmkerr-claude-toolkit-makefile-development`
- **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior
- **Seller:** [dwmkerr](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/dwmkerr)
- **Installs:** 0
- **Category:** [Agent Skills](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/agent-skills)
- **Latest version:** 0.1.0
- **License:** MIT
- **Upstream author:** [dwmkerr](https://github.com/dwmkerr)
- **Source:** https://github.com/dwmkerr/claude-toolkit/tree/main/plugins/toolkit/skills/makefile-development
- **Website:** https://www.skills.sh/dwmkerr/claude-toolkit

## Install

```sh
agentstack add skill-dwmkerr-claude-toolkit-makefile-development
```

Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.

## About

# Makefile Development

Create Makefiles following consistent conventions.

## Template

```makefile
default: help

.PHONY: help
help: # Show help for each of the Makefile recipes.
	@grep -E '^[a-zA-Z0-9 -]+:.*#'  Makefile | sort | while read -r l; do printf "\033[1;32m$$(echo $$l | cut -f 1 -d':')\033[00m:$$(echo $$l | cut -f 2- -d'#')\n"; done

.PHONY: init
init: # Initialise the development environment.
	./scripts/init.sh
```

## Conventions

| Element | Convention |
|---------|------------|
| Filename | `Makefile` (capitalised, no extension) |
| Default target | `default: help` as the first line |
| `.PHONY` | Declare directly above each target |
| Help comments | Single `#` on the target line: `target: # Description.` |
| Target names | Lowercase, hyphen-separated (`test-e2e`, `type-check`) |
| Complex logic | Delegate to scripts (`./scripts/build.sh`) rather than inline |

## Help Target

The self-documenting help target parses `#` comments and prints sorted, colour-coded output:

```makefile
.PHONY: help
help: # Show help for each of the Makefile recipes.
	@grep -E '^[a-zA-Z0-9 -]+:.*#'  Makefile | sort | while read -r l; do printf "\033[1;32m$$(echo $$l | cut -f 1 -d':')\033[00m:$$(echo $$l | cut -f 2- -d'#')\n"; done
```

Every target must have a `# Description.` comment or it won't appear in help output.

## Common Targets

| Target | Purpose |
|--------|---------|
| `help` | Show available targets (always present) |
| `init` or `setup` | Install dependencies, configure environment |
| `build` | Compile or bundle artifacts |
| `dev` | Start local development server |
| `test` | Run test suite |
| `lint` | Run linters and formatters |

## Important

After creating or modifying Makefiles, remind the user:

> **Use tabs.** Makefile recipes require literal tab characters for indentation, not spaces.

## Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

- **Author:** [dwmkerr](https://github.com/dwmkerr)
- **Source:** [dwmkerr/claude-toolkit](https://github.com/dwmkerr/claude-toolkit)
- **License:** MIT
- **Homepage:** https://www.skills.sh/dwmkerr/claude-toolkit

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.

## Pricing

- **Free** — Free

## Security capabilities

Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access:

- **Network access:** no
- **Filesystem access:** no
- **Shell / process execution:** no
- **Environment & secrets:** no
- **Dynamic code execution:** no

*"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.*


## Versions

- **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source.

## Links

- Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-dwmkerr-claude-toolkit-makefile-development
- Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/dwmkerr
- Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse

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