Repeating Ourselves Less with M4
This guide demonstrates how to condense the httpd.conf file using macros. In a previous post, the author mentioned having to repeat identical code blocks for blocking malicious routes. Fortunately, OpenBSD comes with a utility called m4 that can greatly reduce repetitive parts. There are two types of macros: those built into programming languages and those that manipulate text. m4 falls into the second category, being a standalone program that can be used with any text manipulation.
It has built-in functions and allows for substitution of values, but it's not a language parser. The guide explains how to use m4 to create macros for URL blocking and server configurations, making the httpd.conf file shorter and easier to modify.
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