In the era of complex ML pipelines, where data processing, model training, and deployment involve dozens of interdependent steps, Makefiles provide a battle-tested solution for orchestration. While newer tools promise simplicity through abstraction, Makefiles offer transparency, portability, and power that modern AI systems demand.

Why Makefiles Excel in AI/ML Workflows

Modern ML projects involve intricate dependency chains:

• Raw data → Cleaned data → Features → Training → Evaluation → Deployment
• Model artifacts depend on specific data versions
• Experiments must be reproducible across environments
• Partial re-runs save computational resources

Makefiles handle these challenges elegantly through their fundamental design: declarative dependency management with intelligent rebuild detection.