title: Why use build tools like Autotools when we can just write our own makefiles?
body: <p>Recently, I switched my development environment from Windows to Linux. So far, I have only used Visual Studio for C++ development, so many concepts, like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Make_%28software%29" rel="noreferrer">make</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_build_system" rel="noreferrer">Autotools</a>, are new to me. I have read the GNU makefile documentation and got almost an idea about it. But I am kind of confused about Autotools.</p>
  
  <p>As far as I know, makefiles are used to make the build process easier.</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>Why do we need tools like <em>Autotools</em> just for creating the makefiles? Since all knows how to create a makefile, I am not getting the real use of Autotools.</li>
  <li>What is the standard? Do we need to use tools like this or would just handwritten makefiles do?</li>
  </ol>