cmake

Name: cmake
Author: mohitmishra786

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How to install cmake?

mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills/cmake

$npx -y skills add mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills --skill cmake

Installs into the current project.

Summary

CMake build system skill for C/C++ projects. Use when writing or refactoring CMakeLists.txt, configuring out-of-source builds, selecting generators (Ninja, Make, VS), managing targets and dependencies with target_link_libraries, integrating external packages via find_package or F

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SKILL.md

1	# CMake
2
3	## Purpose
4
5	Guide agents through modern (target-first) CMake for C/C++ projects: out-of-source builds, dependency management, generator selection, and integration with CI and IDEs.
6
7	## Triggers
8
9	- "How do I write a CMakeLists.txt for my project?"
10	- "How do I add an external library with CMake?"
11	- "CMake can't find my package / library"
12	- "How do I enable sanitizers in CMake?"
13	- "How do I cross-compile with CMake?"
14	- "How do I use CMake Presets?"
15
16	## Workflow
17
18	### 1. Modern CMake principles
19
20	- Define targets, not variables. Use `target_*` commands.
21	- Use `PUBLIC`/`PRIVATE`/`INTERFACE` to control property propagation.
22	- Never use `include_directories()` or `link_libraries()` (legacy).
23	- Minimum CMake version: `cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20)` for most features.
24
25	### 2. Minimal project
26
27	```cmake
28	cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20)
29	project(MyApp VERSION 1.0 LANGUAGES C CXX)
30
31	set(CMAKE_C_STANDARD 11)
32	set(CMAKE_C_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
33	set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
34	set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
35
36	add_executable(myapp
37	src/main.c
38	src/utils.c
39	)
40
41	target_include_directories(myapp PRIVATE include)
42	target_compile_options(myapp PRIVATE -Wall -Wextra)
43	```
44
45	### 3. Static / shared libraries
46
47	```cmake
48	# Static library
49	add_library(mylib STATIC lib/foo.c lib/bar.c)
50	target_include_directories(mylib
51	PUBLIC include # consumers get this include path
52	PRIVATE src # only mylib itself sees this
53	)
54
55	# Shared library
56	add_library(myshared SHARED lib/foo.c)
57	set_target_properties(myshared PROPERTIES
58	VERSION 1.0.0
59	SOVERSION 1
60	)
61
62	# Link executable against library
63	add_executable(myapp src/main.c)
64	target_link_libraries(myapp PRIVATE mylib)
65	```
66
67	### 4. Configure and build
68
69	```bash
70	# Out-of-source build (always do this)
71	cmake -S . -B build
72	cmake --build build
73
74	# With generator
75	cmake -S . -B build -G Ninja
76	cmake --build build -- -j$(nproc)
77
78	# Debug build
79	cmake -S . -B build-debug -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug
80	cmake --build build-debug
81
82	# Release
83	cmake -S . -B build-release -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
84	cmake --build build-release
85
86	# Install
87	cmake --install build --prefix /usr/local
88	```
89
90	Build types: `Debug`, `Release`, `RelWithDebInfo`, `MinSizeRel`.
91
92	### 5. External dependencies
93
94	#### find_package (system-installed libraries)
95
96	```cmake
97	find_package(OpenSSL REQUIRED)
98	target_link_libraries(myapp PRIVATE OpenSSL::SSL OpenSSL::Crypto)
99
100	find_package(Threads REQUIRED)
101	target_link_libraries(myapp PRIVATE Threads::Threads)
102
103	find_package(ZLIB REQUIRED)
104	target_link_libraries(myapp PRIVATE ZLIB::ZLIB)
105	```
106
107	#### FetchContent (download and build dependency)
108
109	```cmake
110	include(FetchContent)
111
112	FetchContent_Declare(
113	googletest
114	GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/google/googletest.git
115	GIT_TAG v1.14.0
116	)
117	FetchContent_MakeAvailable(googletest)
118
119	add_executable(mytest test/test_foo.cpp)
120	target_link_libraries(mytest PRIVATE GTest::gtest_main mylib)
121	```
122
123	#### pkg-config fallback
124
125	```cmake
126	find_package(PkgConfig REQUIRED)
127	pkg_check_modules(LIBFOO REQUIRED libfoo>=1.2)
128	target_link_libraries(myapp PRIVATE ${LIBFOO_LIBRARIES})
129	target_include_directories(myapp PRIVATE ${LIBFOO_INCLUDE_DIRS})
130	```
131
132	### 6. Compiler options by configuration
133
134	```cmake
135	target_compile_options(myapp PRIVATE
136	$<$<CONFIG:Debug>:-g -Og -fsanitize=address>
137	$<$<CONFIG:Release>:-O2 -DNDEBUG>
138	$<$<CXX_COMPILER_ID:GNU>:-fanalyzer>
139	$<$<CXX_COMPILER_ID:Clang>:-Weverything>
140	)
141
142	target_link_options(myapp PRIVATE
143	$<$<CONFIG:Debug>:-fsanitize=address>
144	)
145	```
146
147	Generator expressions: `$<condition:value>` evaluated at build time.
148
149	### 7. Enable sanitizers
150
151	```cmake
152	option(ENABLE_ASAN "Enable AddressSanitizer" OFF)
153
154	if(ENABLE_ASAN)
155	target_compile_options(myapp PRIVATE -fsanitize=address -fno-omit-frame-pointer -g -O1)
156	target_link_options(myapp PRIVATE -fsanitize=address)
157	endif()
158	```
159
160	Build: `cmake -DENABLE_ASAN=ON -S . -B build-asan && cmake --build build-asan`
161
162	### 8. Cross-compilation toolchain file
163
164	```cmake
165	# toolchain-aarch64.cmake
166	set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME Linux)
167	set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR aarch64)
168	set(CMAKE_C_COMPILER aarch64-linux-gnu-gcc)
169	set(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER aarch64-linux-gnu-g++)
170	set(CMAKE_SYSROOT /opt/aarch64-sysroot)
171	set(CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH_MODE_PROGRAM NEVER)
172	set(CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH_MODE_LIBRARY ONLY)
173	set(CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH_MODE_INCLUDE ONLY)
174	```
175
176	```bash
177	cmake -S . -B build-arm -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=toolchain-aarch64.cmake
178	```
179
180	### 9. CMake Presets (CMake 3.20+)
181
182	```js

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Type

cmake

1.1kinstalls19forks

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How to install cmake?

mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills/cmake

$npx -y skills add mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills --skill cmake

Installs into the current project.

Summary

Files · 1

View on GitHub

SKILL.md

1	# CMake
2
3	## Purpose
4
5	Guide agents through modern (target-first) CMake for C/C++ projects: out-of-source builds, dependency management, generator selection, and integration with CI and IDEs.
6
7	## Triggers
8
9	- "How do I write a CMakeLists.txt for my project?"
10	- "How do I add an external library with CMake?"
11	- "CMake can't find my package / library"
12	- "How do I enable sanitizers in CMake?"
13	- "How do I cross-compile with CMake?"
14	- "How do I use CMake Presets?"
15
16	## Workflow
17
18	### 1. Modern CMake principles
19
20	- Define targets, not variables. Use `target_*` commands.
21	- Use `PUBLIC`/`PRIVATE`/`INTERFACE` to control property propagation.
22	- Never use `include_directories()` or `link_libraries()` (legacy).
23	- Minimum CMake version: `cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20)` for most features.
24
25	### 2. Minimal project
26
27	```cmake
28	cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20)
29	project(MyApp VERSION 1.0 LANGUAGES C CXX)
30
31	set(CMAKE_C_STANDARD 11)
32	set(CMAKE_C_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
33	set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
34	set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
35
36	add_executable(myapp
37	src/main.c
38	src/utils.c
39	)
40
41	target_include_directories(myapp PRIVATE include)
42	target_compile_options(myapp PRIVATE -Wall -Wextra)
43	```
44
45	### 3. Static / shared libraries
46
47	```cmake
48	# Static library
49	add_library(mylib STATIC lib/foo.c lib/bar.c)
50	target_include_directories(mylib
51	PUBLIC include # consumers get this include path
52	PRIVATE src # only mylib itself sees this
53	)
54
55	# Shared library
56	add_library(myshared SHARED lib/foo.c)
57	set_target_properties(myshared PROPERTIES
58	VERSION 1.0.0
59	SOVERSION 1
60	)
61
62	# Link executable against library
63	add_executable(myapp src/main.c)
64	target_link_libraries(myapp PRIVATE mylib)
65	```
66
67	### 4. Configure and build
68
69	```bash
70	# Out-of-source build (always do this)
71	cmake -S . -B build
72	cmake --build build
73
74	# With generator
75	cmake -S . -B build -G Ninja
76	cmake --build build -- -j$(nproc)
77
78	# Debug build
79	cmake -S . -B build-debug -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug
80	cmake --build build-debug
81
82	# Release
83	cmake -S . -B build-release -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
84	cmake --build build-release
85
86	# Install
87	cmake --install build --prefix /usr/local
88	```
89
90	Build types: `Debug`, `Release`, `RelWithDebInfo`, `MinSizeRel`.
91
92	### 5. External dependencies
93
94	#### find_package (system-installed libraries)
95
96	```cmake
97	find_package(OpenSSL REQUIRED)
98	target_link_libraries(myapp PRIVATE OpenSSL::SSL OpenSSL::Crypto)
99
100	find_package(Threads REQUIRED)
101	target_link_libraries(myapp PRIVATE Threads::Threads)
102
103	find_package(ZLIB REQUIRED)
104	target_link_libraries(myapp PRIVATE ZLIB::ZLIB)
105	```
106
107	#### FetchContent (download and build dependency)
108
109	```cmake
110	include(FetchContent)
111
112	FetchContent_Declare(
113	googletest
114	GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/google/googletest.git
115	GIT_TAG v1.14.0
116	)
117	FetchContent_MakeAvailable(googletest)
118
119	add_executable(mytest test/test_foo.cpp)
120	target_link_libraries(mytest PRIVATE GTest::gtest_main mylib)
121	```
122
123	#### pkg-config fallback
124
125	```cmake
126	find_package(PkgConfig REQUIRED)
127	pkg_check_modules(LIBFOO REQUIRED libfoo>=1.2)
128	target_link_libraries(myapp PRIVATE ${LIBFOO_LIBRARIES})
129	target_include_directories(myapp PRIVATE ${LIBFOO_INCLUDE_DIRS})
130	```
131
132	### 6. Compiler options by configuration
133
134	```cmake
135	target_compile_options(myapp PRIVATE
136	$<$<CONFIG:Debug>:-g -Og -fsanitize=address>
137	$<$<CONFIG:Release>:-O2 -DNDEBUG>
138	$<$<CXX_COMPILER_ID:GNU>:-fanalyzer>
139	$<$<CXX_COMPILER_ID:Clang>:-Weverything>
140	)
141
142	target_link_options(myapp PRIVATE
143	$<$<CONFIG:Debug>:-fsanitize=address>
144	)
145	```
146
147	Generator expressions: `$<condition:value>` evaluated at build time.
148
149	### 7. Enable sanitizers
150
151	```cmake
152	option(ENABLE_ASAN "Enable AddressSanitizer" OFF)
153
154	if(ENABLE_ASAN)
155	target_compile_options(myapp PRIVATE -fsanitize=address -fno-omit-frame-pointer -g -O1)
156	target_link_options(myapp PRIVATE -fsanitize=address)
157	endif()
158	```
159
160	Build: `cmake -DENABLE_ASAN=ON -S . -B build-asan && cmake --build build-asan`
161
162	### 8. Cross-compilation toolchain file
163
164	```cmake
165	# toolchain-aarch64.cmake
166	set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME Linux)
167	set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR aarch64)
168	set(CMAKE_C_COMPILER aarch64-linux-gnu-gcc)
169	set(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER aarch64-linux-gnu-g++)
170	set(CMAKE_SYSROOT /opt/aarch64-sysroot)
171	set(CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH_MODE_PROGRAM NEVER)
172	set(CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH_MODE_LIBRARY ONLY)
173	set(CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH_MODE_INCLUDE ONLY)
174	```
175
176	```bash
177	cmake -S . -B build-arm -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=toolchain-aarch64.cmake
178	```
179
180	### 9. CMake Presets (CMake 3.20+)
181
182	```js

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