./configure?

in unix for apache and php installation, as well as compiling, I constantly seem to come across a method called configure

it appears like so

./configure

(I am aware the ./ means the current directory)

but how does this command or file script work...

Try "./configure --help". That should give you a list of options.

The 'configure' executable does as it's name implies; it configures the setup for the compilation from environment variables to customized paths.

As the end user, you may edit the configure file (provided you know what you are doing) to alter said parameters prior to compiling the package.
It (basically) creates another file (Makefile) which is used by the compiler to set up the requirements for the actual compilation.

The reason you position the './' in front, it to actually execute the configure. You must provide either the path which will reference your personalized environment variables OR provide the mechanism of choice (perl <program name>, for example, if the program was written in perl).

Cheers.