输入：工程文件+编译说明文件；
处理：自动化构建工具+编译器；
输出：可执行文件。
相对于手动编译。
Historically, build automation was accomplished through makefiles. Today, there are two general categories of tools:[1]
- Build automation utility (like Make, Rake, Cake, MS build, Ant, Gradle etc.)
- Whose primary purpose is to generate build artifacts through activities like compiling and linking source code.
- Build automation servers
- These are general web based tools that execute build automation utilities on a scheduled or triggered basis; a continuous integration server is a type of build automation server.
Depending on the level of automation the following classification is possible:
- Makefile - level
- Make-based tools
- Non-Make-based tools
- Build script (or Makefile) generation tools
- Continuous integration tools
- Configuration management tools
- Meta-build tools or package managers
- Other
A software list for each can be found in list of build automation software.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Build_automation