Make Automation

We can create a Makefile in Python which helps to automate tasks like running your Python scripts, testing, or building your project. 

A Makefile is a file used by the make build automation tool to define a set of tasks that should be executed. Each task is written as a target, and it can depend on other tasks or files.

In general, structure of makefile are:

• Target
  
  
• Dependencies
  
  
• Commands

Ok, lets understand this with help of an example.

Makefile(has no extensions)

# Define variables for system Python and pip for virtual environment

SYSTEM_PYTHON = python3

VENV_PYTHON = myvenv/bin/python

VENV_PIP = myvenv/bin/pip

# Target: venv

# Creates a virtual environment in 'myvenv' directory using system Python.

venv:

$(SYSTEM_PYTHON) -m venv myvenv

# Target: install

# Installs dependencies if 'requirements.txt' exists.

install: venv

$(VENV_PIP) install -r requirements.txt;

# Target: all

# Runs venv, install, and run targets.

all: venv install

In example above,

• install is a Target.
  
  
• Dependencies  is  requirements.txt. 
  
  
• Command  is $(PIP) install -r requirements.txt

Now to run the make file , just type

 ---- command-----

 make all 

in the terminal, as shown in screenshot below.

This is a simple make file that automates the making of virtual environment, then inside that environment , we install pandas.