Build tools are logical groupings of build options for a given build engine. For example, you can configure all the possible options for the Microsoft Visual C++ compiler and add a description for each option. When you set up a build configuration you can then choose from a meaningful list of possible build options for the compiler. This helps to avoid mistakes when manually entering options each time, and eliminates the need to check the meaning of option syntax in the compiler reference guides.
Build tools also enable you to enforce standards across all builds by managing the build options supported by the build tools used in build scripts.
You can import a build tool from an external XML files, for example:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<BuildTools author="Mickey Mouse" comments="yadda yadda" >
<BuildTool name="C++ Compiler" description="C++ Compiler tool">
<Option name="debug" description="blah blah">
<Value description="option value description">-debug:1</Value>
<Value description="option value description">-debug:2</Value>
<Value description="option value description">-debug:3</Value>
<Value description="option value description">-debug:4</Value>
</Option>
<Option name="#define" description="example of the option without values - freeform option value"/>
</BuildTool>
<BuildTool name="C++ Linker" description="C++ Linker tool">
<Option name="debug" description="some option description here">
<Value description="option value description">-debug:1</Value>
<Value description="option value description">-debug:2</Value>
<Value description="option value description">-debug:3</Value>
<Value description="option value description">-debug:4</Value>
</Option>
</BuildTool>
</BuildTools>