Glossary

Page Maps

graph LR
  family["Reproducible Research"]
  program["Deep Dive Make"]
  section["Build Graph Foundations Truth"]
  page["Glossary"]
  capstone["Capstone evidence"]

  family --> program --> section --> page
  page -.applies in.-> capstone

flowchart LR
  orient["Orient on the page map"] --> read["Read the main claim and examples"]
  read --> inspect["Inspect the related code, proof, or capstone surface"]
  inspect --> verify["Run or review the verification path"]
  verify --> apply["Apply the idea back to the module and capstone"]

This glossary keeps the language of Module 01 stable. Use it when a word starts feeling fuzzy or overloaded.

Term	Meaning in Module 01	Why it matters
artifact	A file the build intentionally publishes and expects other work to trust.	It separates "real output" from convenience targets like all and clean.
atomic publication	Writing to a temporary path first and moving into the final path only after success.	It prevents failed builds from leaving behind half-truths at trusted paths.
convergence	The build reaches a stable state where a repeated run without meaningful change has nothing to do.	It is the shortest practical test for whether the graph is telling the truth.
dependency graph	The directed relationship between targets and the prerequisites that justify rebuilding them.	It is the real subject of this module; recipes only make sense inside it.
depfile	A file, usually emitted by the compiler, that records discovered header dependencies for later runs.	It turns header usage into evidence Make can reuse.
hidden input	A fact that can change output meaning without appearing as explicit build evidence.	Hidden inputs are the usual reason a build works once and lies later.
order-only prerequisite	A prerequisite used to guarantee setup without making normal timestamp changes force a rebuild.	It helps with directory creation and similar setup edges that are not semantic inputs.
ownership	The rule that a particular recipe is responsible for publishing a specific output path.	Clear ownership makes review and debugging much easier.
pattern rule	A rule that describes a family of targets using %.	It reduces repetition, but only works well when the mapping stays obvious in review.
phony target	A named command target that does not stand for a real file.	Phony targets are useful, but they should not be confused with artifact contracts.
prerequisite	An input Make uses when deciding whether a target is out of date.	If an input matters and is not here, the graph is incomplete.
recipe	The shell commands that publish or update a target.	Recipes do not define truth by themselves; they act inside the graph contract.
semantic input	A fact that changes the meaning of an output even if no source file changed.	Compiler flags and tool versions often belong here.
stamp	A file used to represent the state of a semantic input that would otherwise stay invisible.	It gives the graph durable evidence about non-file facts.
target	The file or named goal a rule promises to produce or make available.	Thinking of a target as a promise is more useful than thinking of it as a label.
truth	The condition where the build graph tells Make enough accurate information to make the right rebuild decisions.	It is the standard by which every Module 01 design choice should be judged.