The build tool is used as a sophisticated method of generating and modifying software systems. Bui Id is being used successfully by a number of UNIX™ software-based projects at AT&T Bell Laboratories. Build is an extension to the make program that permits several software developers to independently make a collection of software while sharing the same fully populated set of directories, with the changed files residing in their own directories. An important concept in using build is software view, which represents the selection of a particular version of software for a generation environment. For example, a developer's view of a software system generally includes all of the current “official” software perturbed by the developer's private modifications to the system. A testing team's view may be the current official software perturbed by changes that a set of developers have made and have submitted for project system testing. A system user's view is a fully tested and released version of the software. The function of bui Id is to simplify the administration of the different views of the software system. The bui Id tool is being used by a number of large software development projects as the primary software generation tool. Build plays a central role in the development strategies and standards used in these projects.