install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install makedepend

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install makedepend

MacPorts ports tree · x11/makedepend/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%

sudo apk add makedepend

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · makedepend · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%

sudo dnf install imake

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · imake · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#makedepend

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ma/makedepend/package.nix · source: api.github.com

openSUSE zypperverified · 92%

sudo zypper install makedepend

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · makedepend · source: download.opensuse.org

overview

Package summary

Creates dependencies in makefiles

Project links

Commands and aliases

makedepend

history

Project history and usage

makedepend is an X.Org utility that parses C source files and writes include-file dependencies into makefiles so make knows which object files must be rebuilt.

Project history

The upstream AUTHORS file credits Todd Brunhoff of Tektronix and MIT Project Athena as the original author, with Jim Fulton credited for the ifparser. The manpage carries Open Group copyright notices from 1993, 1994, and 1998, reflecting the tool's X11-era heritage.

The current X.Org repository keeps makedepend as a standalone utility module. Its GitLab project page describes it as a utility to parse C source files into dependency lists for Makefiles, and the repository tags show modern 1.0.x releases continuing through 1.0.9 in 2024.

Adoption history

makedepend belongs to the older imake/X11 build world, where generated dependency blocks inside Makefiles were a normal way to keep C builds correct before compiler-native dependency flags became the common path.

Its continued packaging is mostly about compatibility and maintenance of older build systems. The upstream README points support and development through the X.Org mailing list and freedesktop.org GitLab, which fits its role as a small utility preserved inside the X.Org module set.

How it is used

makedepend reads each C source file, processes preprocessor directives such as makefile or Makefile unless another file is named with -f.

A typical makefile target runs makedepend with compiler flags and sources, using a marker line such as '# DO NOT DELETE THIS LINE -- make depend depends on it.' so the generated dependency section can be replaced on later runs.

Why package nerds care

makedepend is a museum piece that still works: it shows how C dependency generation was bolted onto makefiles before today's compiler -M style flags and higher-level build systems took over.

For maintainers, it is significant because old X.Org, imake, and C packages may still call makedepend directly. Having it packaged separately keeps those builds reproducible without dragging in a larger historical X11 toolchain.

Timeline

1993: Manpage copyright begins with The Open Group.
2002: Manpage date records a December 14, 2002 manual revision.
2007: X.Org GitLab tags include makedepend 1.0.1.
2024: X.Org GitLab tags include makedepend 1.0.9.

Related projects

X.Org util modules are the current upstream home.
imake-era X11 builds are the historical ecosystem around makedepend.
GNU Make and POSIX make consume the dependency lines makedepend writes.

Sources

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 10 platform targets.
Installs with 2 runtime dependencies.
Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`makedepend`	cli	global executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08

manager version1.0.9

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://x.org/

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://x.org/none confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:makedepend
Version	1.0.9
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/makedepend
Homepage	https://x.org/
Repository	https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/util/makedepend
Upstream docs	https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/util/makedepend/-/blob/master/README.md
License	MIT
Source archive	https://xorg.freedesktop.org/releases/individual/util/makedepend-1.0.9.tar.xz
Dependencies	util-macros, xorgproto
Build dependencies	pkgconf
Bottle	available (on arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, monterey, sonoma, ventura, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	makedepend
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

makedepend

nix profile install nixpkgs#makedepend

normalized package name match
Matched by: Makedepend

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ma/makedepend/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

apk95%

makedepend 1.0.9-r0

utility for making makefile dependencies

https://www.freedesktop.org/

sudo apk add makedepend

License: MIT-open-group
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: makedepend
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Makedepend

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: makedepend from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

apk95%

makedepend-doc 1.0.9-r0

utility for making makefile dependencies (documentation)

https://www.freedesktop.org/

sudo apk add makedepend-doc

License: MIT-open-group
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: makedepend
normalized package name match
Matched by: Makedepend

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: makedepend-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz

dnf95%

imake 1.0.10-6.fc44

imake source code configuration and build system

http://www.x.org

sudo dnf install imake

License: MIT-open-group AND HPND
Category: Unspecified
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: imake
5 dependencies
12 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Makedepend

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: imake from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst

zypper95%

makedepend 1.0.9-1.6

Utility to create dependencies in makefiles

https://xorg.freedesktop.org/

sudo zypper install makedepend

License: MIT
Category: Development/Tools/Building
Architecture: x86_64
Source Package: makedepend
1 dependencies
1 provides
normalized package name match
Matched by: Makedepend

openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · download.opensuse.org · openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: makedepend from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst

MacPorts95%

makedepend

sudo port install makedepend

normalized package name match
Matched by: Makedepend

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: x11/makedepend/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Combined YAML source

View the package source record on GitHub.

combined/makedepend.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install makedepend with Homebrew, apk, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, zypper