Definition: When compiling an application, it is very inefficient to recompile every file. Compilers compare the time and date of each relevant source code files with object code and only recompile the code that has changed. This is known as Making an application.
Compilers that are run from the Command Line (instead of a GUI) use an application called Make. This reads in a makefile, which specifies which source code files are needed for each object code.
