Build systems (such as Make) are big, complicated, and used by every software developer on the
planet. But they are a sadly unloved part of the software ecosystem, very much a means to an end,
and seldom the focus of attention. For years Make dominated, but more recently the challenges of
scale have driven large software firms like Microsoft, Facebook and Google to develop their own
build systems, exploring new points in the design space. These complex build systems use subtle
algorithms, but they are often hidden away, and not the object of study