On Windows, compiling with the debug makefile enables debugging information (the /Zi flag) for the compiled code and links with the debug versions of the Microsoft run-time (the /MDd flag) and Rogue Wave libraries. The files for the compiled code end with the tag 15d, which indicates a debug build. You can link to these files only from code compiled with the /MDd flag in MSVC. Code compiled with the release makefile have the extension 12d, and cannot be linked to code compiled with the /MDd flag.

On UNIX/Linux, compiling with the debug makefile enables debugging information (-g flag) for the compiled code. The files for the compiled code have a 12d extension because they link to the same Rogue Wave and system run-time libraries as do files generated with the release makefile. You can link to these files from code compiled with or without debugging information.