Build automation involves scripting or automating the process of compiling computer source code into binary code. Below is a list of notable tools associated with the build automation process.
MPW Make, developed for Mac OS Classic and similar to but not compatible with Unix make. Mac OS X comes with both GNU make and BSD make. Available as part of the Macintosh Programmer's Workshop as a free, unsupported download from Apple.
Other tools
AnthillPro, build automation with pipeline support for deployment automation and testing. Platform and language independent.
Apache Ant, popular for Java development and uses an XML file format
Apache Buildr, an open-source build system based on Rake, giving the programmer the full power of scripting in Ruby and having out-of-box support for most of things one would want a build system to be capable of.
Apache Maven, a Java tool for project management and automated software build
buildfactory, agile ALM for automated continuous integration, build, test & deployment - quality gates, SOA dependancy management and project dashboard
BuildIT, a free graphical build or task tool for Windows with an emphasis on simplicity and ease of use
Buildout, a Python-based build system for creating, assembling and deploying applications from multiple parts
CABIE Continuous Automated Build and Integration Environment, Open Source, written in Perl
Cascade, a continuous integration tool that builds and tests software components after each change is committed to the repository. Also provides a "checkpointing" facility by which changes can be built and tested before they are committed.
CMake, a tool that generates files for the native build environment, such as makefiles for Unix or Workspace files for Visual Studio.
ElectricCommander, is a build automation tool for automating and managing software build/test/deploy processes. It is language- and build tool-agnostic, so it will make software production tasks in any environment more repeatable, more visible, and more efficient
FinalBuilder, for Windows software developers. FinalBuilder provides a graphical IDE to create and run build projects.
Gradle, an open-source build system which provides to the user the power and expressiveness of a Groovy based DSL together with a deep and rich public API. It also provides build-by-convention support for the major build scenarios in the Java/Groovy world.
icemake, a very simple tool to build, test and install C, C++ and Assembly programs and related documentation in ROFF and TeX from S-expression source descriptions
OpenMake Meister, automates builds by synchronizing the compile process between IDEs such as Eclipse and .Net with the continuous integration build running outside of IDEs. Provides full scheduling automation for pre and post build to release activities.
OMake, a portable open source build tool with a custom scripting language built on top of Make-like syntax, portable shell scripting, and integrating functionality similar to autoconf/automake
Perforce Jam, a generally enhanced, ground-up tool which is similar to make
premake, a LUA based tool for making makefiles and visual studio files
Project-builder.org, a continuous packaging tool, helping building continuously multiple OS packages from sources.
SBT, a build tool built around a DSL based on Scala.
SparkBuild, a free developer build tool, compatible with GNU Make and NMake. Provides intelligent build avoidance and build analytics.
Tweaker (build tool), allowing task definitions to be written in any languages (or intermixed languages) while providing a consistent interface for them all.
PBS, based around Perl, oriented towards continuous integration of large systems
Waf, Waf is a Python-based tool for configuring, compiling and installing applications. It is a replacement for other tools such as Autotools, Scons, CMake or Ant.
