在VDS服务器安装Git执行sudo make install时遇Missing seperator错误

数据老陈

2026-5-21

Fixing the "missing separator" Makefile Error When Installing Git

Hey there, let's sort out this Makefile issue you're facing! That *** missing separator. Stop. error is a classic gotcha with Makefiles—they're super picky about syntax, and your current file isn't following the rules Make expects.

What's Wrong With Your Current Makefile?

Your Makefile has this line:

make configure ./configure --prefix=/usr/local

This isn't valid Makefile syntax for two big reasons:

Makefiles require a clear target-dependency-command structure, not just a random string of commands.
Any actual command in a Makefile must start with a Tab character (spaces won't work—this is the #1 cause of that separator error). Also, you've mashed two separate commands into one line, which isn't how Make works.

Solution 1: Fix Your Makefile

If you really want to use a Makefile for this process, here's the correct way to write it (pay close attention to the Tab indents!):

# Target to install Git
install:
	# First run the configure script with your desired prefix
	./configure --prefix=/usr/local
	# Compile the source code
	make
	# Install to the system path (requires sudo)
	sudo make install

⚠️ Critical note: Each line starting with ./configure, make, and sudo make install must start with a single Tab—not spaces. Make will throw that separator error if you use spaces here.

Solution 2: Skip the Makefile Entirely (Easier!)

Honestly, you don't even need a Makefile for this. You can just run the commands directly in your terminal, which is simpler and avoids syntax headaches:

# First, install required build dependencies (prevents compilation errors)
sudo apt update && sudo apt install build-essential libcurl4-gnutls-dev libexpat1-dev gettext libz-dev libssl-dev

# Run the configure script to set up installation options
./configure --prefix=/usr/local

# Compile the Git source code
make

# Install Git to your system
sudo make install