What's the rationale for using makefiles as script runners over just having a directory with scripts inside?
Not for compiling, just as script runner.
I see this practice often and I haven't found a good reason
Not for compiling, just as script runner.
I see this practice often and I haven't found a good reason
I use it quite a lot for automating deployments - if you want to Terraform up a VM:
make colo1-fooserver01.vm
make colo1-fooserver01
I think the real reason is you have it all in one file rather than multiple scripts which makes it easier to edit and maintain.
Only if there's no dependencies. It's unusual that GP's type of usage has no dependencies.
I hear you, but you're running the other script unconditionally. If it downloads something, it will download it every time you run the first script.
In this simple case, make runs the other script conditionally, so it need not run every time.
... and if your scripts do all that, they've basically rebuilt make, but it's undocumented and worse.
(I say this as someone with LOTS of experience with make, and am not really a fan because I know too much and it's horrifying. But I dislike custom crippled versions even more.)