# Using if-else Conditionals in a Makefile

DevFeed: [Using if-else Conditionals in a Makefile](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/using-if-else-conditionals-in-a-makefile-4515.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/919796387/0/baeldung/linux~Using-ifelse-Conditionals-in-a-Makefile>)

Author: baeldung

Published: 2025-06-06T09:36:00Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [Baeldung - Linux](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/baeldung-linux.md>)

Topics: [make](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/make.md>), [Linux](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/linux.md>), [Operating system](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/operating-system.md>), [gcc](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/gcc.md>)

Tags: [build](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/build.md>), [building](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/building.md>), [building-make-popular](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/building-make-popular.md>), [code](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/code.md>), [examples](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/examples.md>), [gcc](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/gcc.md>), [how-to](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/how-to.md>), [learn](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/learn.md>), [linux](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/linux.md>), [make](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/make.md>), [optimization](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/optimization.md>), [os](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/os.md>), [popular](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/popular.md>), [programming](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/programming.md>), [scripting](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/scripting.md>), [tutorial](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/tutorial.md>)

## AI overview

A tutorial explaining how to use if-else conditional directives in Makefiles. It covers ifeq, ifneq, ifdef, and ifndef, with examples for selecting compiler flags, handling operating-system differences, and assigning default variable values.

## Source excerpt

Learn how to use if-else conditional statements inside of Makefiles. The post Using if-else Conditionals in a Makefile first appeared on Baeldung on Linux. Related Stories How to Identify the Package Manager of a Linux System Background Jobs in a Loop in Bash Executing Commands in Gnuplot through Shell Script