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## 4 Creating a project

To create a new project, first visit a file that you want to include in that project. If you have a hierarchy of directories, first visit a file in the topmost directory. From this buffer, type `M-x ede-new`, or click on the ‘`Create Project`’ item in the ‘`Development`’ menu.

The `ede-new` command prompts for the type of project you would like to create. Each project type has its own benefits or language specific enhancements. Not all projects that EDE supports also allow creating a new project. Projects such as `emacs` or `linux` are designed to recognize existing projects only. Project types such as ‘`Make`’ and ‘`Automake`’ do support creating new project types with `ede-new`.

- For the ‘`Make`’ project type, EDE creates a project file, called `Project.ede`, in each project directory. Information about the project is stored in this file. This project autogenerates a `Makefile`.
- For the ‘`Automake`’ project type, EDE creates a `Project.ede` project file similar to a ‘`Make`’ project. Unlike a ‘`Make`’ project, this project autogenerates a `Makefile.am` file. EDE handles the Automake bootstrapping routines, which import and maintain a `configure.am` script and other required files.

A subproject is merely a project in a subdirectory of another project. You can create a subproject by using the `ede-new` command (or the ‘`Create Project`’ menu item), while visiting a buffer in a subdirectory of the project root. This new project is automatically added to the parent project, and will be automatically loaded when EDE reads the parent project.

When using a project command that involves a makefile, EDE uses the top-most project’s makefile as a starting place for the build. How the toplevel project handles subprojects in the build process is dependent on that project’s type.

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