The target type section of the makefile contains the macros needed to build either a Debug or Release version of a configuration.
For example, the default content of the target type section of a C++ makefile for the Microsoft environment is as follows:
############# Target type (Debug/Release) ############### ######################################################### CPPCompileDebug=$OMCPPCompileDebug CPPCompileRelease=$OMCPPCompileRelease LinkDebug=$OMLinkDebug LinkRelease=$OMLinkRelease BuildSet=$OMBuildSet SUBSYSTEM=$OMSubSystem COM=$OMCOM RPFrameWorkDll=$OMRPFrameWorkDll ConfigurationCPPCompileSwitches= $OMReusableStatechartSwitches $OMConfigurationCPPCompile Switches !IF "$(RPFrameWorkDll)" == "True" ConfigurationCPPCompileSwitches= $(ConfigurationCPPCompileSwitches) /D "FRAMEWORK_DLL" !ENDIF !IF "$(COM)" == "True" SUBSYSTEM=/SUBSYSTEM:windows !ENDIF