CheatPress

CMake Build system generator

Version 4.4 · source

CMake, Postcard, light preview Light · Postcard 102 × 152 mm · PDF CMake, Postcard, dark preview Dark · Postcard 102 × 152 mm · PDF CMake, Postcard, ink saver preview Ink saver · Postcard 102 × 152 mm · PDF
CMake, A5, light preview Light · A5 148 × 210 mm · PDF CMake, A5, dark preview Dark · A5 148 × 210 mm · PDF CMake, A5, ink saver preview Ink saver · A5 148 × 210 mm · PDF
CMake, A4, light preview Light · A4 210 × 297 mm · PDF CMake, A4, dark preview Dark · A4 210 × 297 mm · PDF CMake, A4, ink saver preview Ink saver · A4 210 × 297 mm · PDF
CMake, A4 landscape, light preview Light · A4 landscape 297 × 210 mm · PDF CMake, A4 landscape, dark preview Dark · A4 landscape 297 × 210 mm · PDF CMake, A4 landscape, ink saver preview Ink saver · A4 landscape 297 × 210 mm · PDF
CMake, A3, light preview Light · A3 297 × 420 mm · PDF CMake, A3, dark preview Dark · A3 297 × 420 mm · PDF CMake, A3, ink saver preview Ink saver · A3 297 × 420 mm · PDF
CMake, A3 landscape, light preview Light · A3 landscape 420 × 297 mm · PDF CMake, A3 landscape, dark preview Dark · A3 landscape 420 × 297 mm · PDF CMake, A3 landscape, ink saver preview Ink saver · A3 landscape 420 × 297 mm · PDF
CMake, Letter, light preview Light · Letter 8.5 × 11 in · PDF CMake, Letter, dark preview Dark · Letter 8.5 × 11 in · PDF CMake, Letter, ink saver preview Ink saver · Letter 8.5 × 11 in · PDF
CMake, Tabloid, light preview Light · Tabloid 11 × 17 in · PDF CMake, Tabloid, dark preview Dark · Tabloid 11 × 17 in · PDF CMake, Tabloid, ink saver preview Ink saver · Tabloid 11 × 17 in · PDF

Start here

cmake -S . -B build
Configure into build/
cmake --build build
Compile
cmake --build build -j
Compile in parallel
ctest --test-dir build
Run the tests
cmake --install build --prefix <dir>
Install
cmake -B build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
Set a cache variable
cmake -B build -G Ninja
Pick a generator
cmake --preset <name>
Configure from a preset

Concepts

  1. CMakeLists.txt project description
  2. Build tree cache + generated files
  3. Binaries via Make/Ninja
  4. Tests, install results, prefix
Configure once, then build, test and install from the same tree

Configure

cmake -S <src> -B <build>
Configure source into build dir
cmake -B build -G "<generator>"
Choose generator (Ninja, Unix Makefiles)
cmake -B build -D<VAR>=<value>
Set a cache entry
cmake -B build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=<type>
Debug, Release, RelWithDebInfo
cmake -B build --fresh
Drop the cache and reconfigure
cmake -B build --toolchain <file>
Use a toolchain file (cross-compile)
-DCMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS=ON
Write compile_commands.json

Build

cmake --build <dir>
Build everything
cmake --build <dir> -j <N>
Build with N parallel jobs
cmake --build <dir> -t <target>
Build one target
cmake --build <dir> --clean-first
Clean, then build
cmake --build <dir> --config <cfg>
Choose config (multi-config generators)
cmake --build <dir> -v
Show full compiler commands

Install and test

cmake --install <dir>
Install the project
cmake --install <dir> --prefix <dir>
Override the install prefix
ctest --test-dir <dir>
Run all tests
ctest --test-dir <dir> --output-on-failure
Show output of failing tests
ctest -R <regex>
Run tests whose name matches
ctest -E <regex>
Exclude matching tests
ctest -j <N>
Run tests in parallel
ctest --rerun-failed
Run only tests that failed last time

Presets

cmake --list-presets
List configure presets
cmake --preset <name>
Configure with a preset
cmake --workflow --preset <name>
Run configure, build, test in sequence

Inspect and debug

cmake -L -N <dir>
List cache variables, no reconfigure
cmake --trace-expand
Trace every command run
cmake --debug-find
Show how find_package searches
cmake --help-command <cmd>
Docs for one command
cmake --version
Print the version

Script and tools

cmake -P <script.cmake>
Run a CMake script
cmake -E copy <src> <dst>
Copy a file
cmake -E rm -rf <path>
Remove files or directories

CMakeLists.txt

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION <x.y>)
Declare the minimum CMake version
project(<name> VERSION <x.y> LANGUAGES CXX)
Name the project
add_executable(<tgt> <sources>)
Define an executable target
add_library(<tgt> STATIC|SHARED <sources>)
Define a library target
target_link_libraries(<tgt> PRIVATE <lib>)
Link a dependency
target_include_directories(<tgt> PUBLIC <dir>)
Add include paths
target_compile_features(<tgt> PUBLIC cxx_std_17)
Require a language standard
target_compile_definitions(<tgt> PRIVATE <NAME>=1)
Add preprocessor defines
find_package(<Pkg> REQUIRED)
Locate an installed package
add_subdirectory(<dir>)
Include a nested CMakeLists.txt
option(<VAR> "<doc>" ON)
Declare a boolean switch
set(<VAR> <value>)
Set a normal variable
enable_testing()
Turn on ctest support
add_test(NAME <t> COMMAND <exe>)
Register a test
install(TARGETS <tgt> DESTINATION bin)
Install a target

Recipes

Minimal project with a test
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20)project(app LANGUAGES CXX)add_executable(app main.cpp)target_compile_features(app PRIVATE cxx_std_17)enable_testing()add_test(NAME smoke COMMAND app)
Out-of-source build and test
cmake -S . -B build -G Ninja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Releasecmake --build build -jctest --test-dir build --output-on-failurecmake --install build --prefix ~/.local
Library plus app with a dependency
find_package(fmt REQUIRED)add_library(core src/core.cpp)target_include_directories(core PUBLIC include)target_link_libraries(core PUBLIC fmt::fmt)add_executable(app src/main.cpp)target_link_libraries(app PRIVATE core)
Minimal CMakePresets.json
{  "version": 6,  "configurePresets": [{    "name": "dev", "generator": "Ninja",    "binaryDir": "${sourceDir}/build",    "cacheVariables": {"CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE": "Debug"}  }]}