File: make.info,  Node: Echoing,  Next: Execution,  Prev: Recipe Syntax,  Up: Recipes

5.2 Recipe Echoing
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Normally 'make' prints each line of the recipe before it is executed.
We call this "echoing" because it gives the appearance that you are
typing the lines yourself.

   When a line starts with '@', the echoing of that line is suppressed.
The '@' is discarded before the line is passed to the shell.  Typically
you would use this for a command whose only effect is to print
something, such as an 'echo' command to indicate progress through the
makefile:

     @echo About to make distribution files

   When 'make' is given the flag '-n' or '--just-print' it only echoes
most recipes, without executing them.  *Note Summary of Options: Options
Summary.  In this case even the recipe lines starting with '@' are
printed.  This flag is useful for finding out which recipes 'make'
thinks are necessary without actually doing them.

   The '-s' or '--silent' flag to 'make' prevents all echoing, as if all
recipes started with '@'.  A rule in the makefile for the special target
'.SILENT' without prerequisites has the same effect (*note Special
Built-in Target Names: Special Targets.).