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## How Variables Get Their Values

Variables can get values in several different ways:

- You can specify an overriding value when you run `make`. See section Overriding Variables.
- You can specify a value in the makefile, either with an assignment (see section Setting Variables) or with a verbatim definition (see section Defining Variables Verbatim).
- Variables in the environment become `make` variables. See section Variables from the Environment.
- Several automatic variables are given new values for each rule. Each of these has a single conventional use. See section Automatic Variables.
- Several variables have constant initial values. See section Variables Used by Implicit Rules.

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