(octave.info)Build Tools

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E.1.2 Build Tools
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The following tools are required:

C++, C, and Fortran compilers
     The Octave sources are primarily written in C++, but some portions
     are also written in C and Fortran.  The Octave sources are intended
     to be portable.  Recent versions of the GNU compiler collection
     (GCC) should work (<https://gcc.gnu.org>).  If you use GCC, you
     should avoid mixing versions.  For example, be sure that you are
     not using the obsolete ‘g77’ Fortran compiler with modern versions
     of ‘gcc’ and ‘g++’.

GNU Make
     Tool for building software (<https://www.gnu.org/software/make>).
     Octave’s build system requires GNU Make.  Other versions of Make
     will not work.  Fortunately, GNU Make is highly portable and easy
     to install.

AWK, sed, and other Unix utilities
     Basic Unix system utilities are required for building Octave.  All
     will be available with any modern Unix system and also on Windows
     with either Cygwin or MinGW and MSYS.

   Additionally, the following tools may be needed:

Bison
     Parser generator (<https://www.gnu.org/software/bison>).  You will
     need Bison if you modify the ‘oct-parse.yy’ source file or if you
     delete the files that are generated from it.

Flex
     Lexer analyzer (<https://www.gnu.org/software/flex>).  You will
     need Flex if you modify the ‘lex.ll’ source file or if you delete
     the files that are generated from it.

Autoconf
     Package for software configuration
     (<https://www.gnu.org/software/autoconf>).  Autoconf is required if
     you modify Octave’s ‘configure.ac’ file or other files that it
     requires.

Automake
     Package for Makefile generation
     (<https://www.gnu.org/software/automake>).  Automake is required if
     you modify Octave’s ‘Makefile.am’ files or other files that they
     depend on.

Libtool
     Package for building software libraries
     (<https://www.gnu.org/software/libtool>).  Libtool is required by
     Automake.

gperf
     Perfect hash function generator
     (<https://www.gnu.org/software/gperf>).  You will need gperf if you
     modify the ‘octave.gperf’ file or if you delete the file that is
     generated from it.

Texinfo
     Package for generating online and print documentation
     (<https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo>).  You will need Texinfo to
     build Octave’s documentation or if you modify the documentation
     source files or the docstring of any Octave function.