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GNU Make vs Buck2: catalog facts
GNU Make	Buck2
Free Free software from the GNU Project.	Free Free and open source.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line	Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line
Rebuilds only the files affected by a change Works out dependency order automatically	Hermetic builds by default Extensible rules written in Starlark
Makefile syntax has quirks, such as required tabs Windows use usually needs an extra package or environment	Designed for large monorepos and may be heavy for small projects Learning curve for BUCK files and Starlark rules
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-3.0	License: MIT OR Apache-2.0
No account needed	No account needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 1, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.