Automake can handle derived objects which are not C programs. Sometimes the support for actually building such objects must be explicitly supplied, but Automake will still automatically handle installation and distribution.
It is possible to define and install programs which are scripts. Such programs are listed using the SCRIPTS primary name. Automake doesn't define any dependencies for scripts; the Makefile.am should include the appropriate rules. Automake does not assume that scripts are derived objects; such objects must be deleted by hand (Chapter 15).
The automake program itself is a Perl script that is generated at configure time from automake.in. Here is how this is handled:
bin_SCRIPTS = automake
Since automake appears in the AC_OUTPUT macro, a target for it is automatically generated.
Script objects can be installed in bindir, sbindir, libexecdir, or pkgdatadir.