CMake
A powerful software build system for managing the software build process
CMake is an open source, cross-platform family of tools for building, testing, and packaging software. It lets developers describe how to build simple or complex systems using independent configuration files, then generates native build environments that work alongside the native toolchain. It supports multiple builds from a single source tree, static and dynamic libraries, complex directory hierarchies, and projects that depend on several libraries.
Key capabilities include single-source builds across platforms, accurate dependencies with minimal rebuilds, out-of-source builds, target-centric configuration, system introspection with a cache file, and support for Fortran and C++ modules. CMake generates build environments for Visual Studio, Xcode, Ninja, Make, and VSCode. It includes CPack for cross-platform installers, a full cross-platform install system, CTest for testing with results sent to CDash, custom build-time commands, configured header files, target export/import, and Debug Adapter Protocol integration for debugging CMake code.
CMake is aimed at developers building C++ and Fortran projects across platforms including Android, iOS, and high-performance computing systems. It is open source and free to use. Kitware offers on-demand and live training courses, custom courses for teams, and paid support and custom build services.
12 alternatives to CMake
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