What is the correct way to install header files from a package?

Question

I want to create some package from the source code ( e2fsprogs to be more specific) and install its header files on my system. After that, I will remove the assembly tree so that it is no longer available. What is the right way to do this?

When I want to install the program, I do simply:

  $ ./configure $ make # make install 

What are the equivalent actions when I want to set the headers?

Answer 1

For e2fsprogs , quoting verbatim from the INSTALL file supplied with the sources :

7) Install the included files and libraries

You can run `make install-libs' to install include files and libraries. Please note that this installation is not required for the program to work. This is only necessary if you plan to develop other programs using libraries, or if you want to compile another program using these libraries (for example, the dump and recovery port 4.4BSD).

In general, although when I want to find out what the “right” way is to establish something that worked for others, I look at:

• What does the package look like in my favorite distribution?
• How to create a package for my favorite distribution