AIX: make: 1254-055 Dependency line needs colon or double

We get this compilation issue "make: 1254-055 Dependency line needs colon or double" while compiling C/C++ code in AIX machines.

It occurs if Makefile written in gmake format and then using native AIX make to compile it.

It can be resolved by installing gmake on AIX machine and then using it to compile.

We can verify whether the installed make is gmake or not by running 'make -v' to find out. If it's GNU, you'll know based on the output. If it gives you an error, then it's not GNU make.

-bash-3.00$ /usr/local/bin/make -v
GNU Make 3.80
Copyright (C) 2002 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.
There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

This is GNU Make



-bash-3.00$ make -v
make: Not a recognized flag: v
usage: make [-eiknqrst] [-k|-S] [-d[A|adg[1|2]msv]] [-D variable] [-f makefile ] [-j [jobs]] [variable=value ...] [target ...]

This is not GNU make.