Meaning of make mrproper and mrproper

Source: Internet
Author: User
Meaning of make mrproper and mrproper

Before compiling a project in Linux, make mrproper is usually used to delete the files and configuration files generated before compilation and backup files. The differences between mrproper and distclean and clean are as follows, the makefile in the root directory of the Linux kernel source code has a clear explanation:
Help:
@ Echo 'cleaning targets :'
@ Echo 'clean-remove most generated files but keep the config and'
@ Echo 'enough build support to build external modules'
@ Echo 'mrproper-Remove all generated files + config + various backup files'

@ Echo 'didclean-mrproper + remove editor backup and patch files'


What does mrproper mean? Why is there such a strange name.

This point is mentioned in the explanation of mr. Clean in the English wiki;
Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Clean
"Make mrproper" is a command in the Linux Kernel build system, used to "Clean Up" all files from past builds and restore the build directory to its original clean state. the reason "make mrproper" is used instead of "make mrclean" is because Linus Torvalds,
The father of Linux, was familiar with the name "mr. Proper" as this is the brand widely known in Europe ."

In general, it is: first, we need to know that what make mrproper wants to do is to clear the files generated by the old compilation and other configuration files. Therefore, it is equivalent to "clean, that is, we use cleaner in the real world to clean and clean old, unwanted, dirty things. In the real world, P & G Company has a clean product brand called Mr in the United States. clean is called mr. proper, so the command for clearing old things before compilation was originally used to make mrclean, that is, make mr. clean. It was changed to make by Linus Torvalds, the father of Linux.
Mrproper, that is, make mr. Proper. So now we can use make mrproper to clear the previous items.

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