Make Rules

Enforce .PHONY declarations for all non-file targets in Makefiles — prevent incorrect caching, improve performance, and ensure targets always run when invoked.

Enforce tab-only indentation for Makefile recipe lines — the single most common Makefile syntax error and how to configure editors to prevent it.

Standards for organizing Makefile targets — section grouping, naming conventions, dependency ordering, and required targets for every project Makefile.