How do I check if file exists in Makefile so I can delete it?

Question

In the clean section of my Makefile I am trying to check if the file exists before deleting permanently. I use this code but I receive errors.

What\'s w

Answer 1

The second top answer mentions ifeq, however, it fails to mention that these must be on the same level as the name of the target, e.g., to download a file only if it doesn't currently exist, the following code could be used:

download:
ifeq (,$(wildcard ./glob.c))
    curl … -o glob.c
endif

# THIS DOES NOT WORK!
download:
    ifeq (,$(wildcard ./glob.c))
        curl … -o glob.c
    endif