cmake-build-systemlisted

# Modern CMake Build System > "Stop thinking in files; start thinking in targets." ## 1. Target-Based Architecture Every action in CMake should revolve around targets (`add_library`, `add_executable`). ### Key Commands: - `target_include_directories(my_target PUBLIC/PRIVATE path)` - `target_link_libraries(my_target PUBLIC/PRIVATE dependency)` - `target_compile_features(my_target PUBLIC cxx_std_23)` --- ## 2. CMake Presets Use `CMakePresets.json` at the root of the project to standardize build environments across all developers and CI/CD pipelines. ### Configure Presets: - **Default:** Standard debug build with sanitizers. - **Release:** Optimized build for performance. - **Coverage:** Build with flags for `lcov` or `OpenCppCoverage`. --- ## 3. Dependency Management (Conan / CPM) Prefer automated dependency management over manually managing `.a` or `.so` files. - **Conan 2.0:** Use `conanfile.py` or `conanfile.txt` for large enterprise dependencies. - **CPM / FetchContent:** Use for header-only or small libraries (like `doctest` or `nanobench`). --- ## 4. Best Practices 1. **No Absolute Paths:** Use `${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}` to keep the build portable. 2. **Export Compile Commands:** Set `CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS=ON` to enable `clangd` and modern IDE features. 3. **Out-of-Source Build:** Never run `cmake .` — always use a separate `build/` directory. --- ## 5. Anti-Patterns - **`include_directories()`** (Global) — use `target_include_directories()` instea