cmake-generators(7)

Introduction

ACMake Generator is responsible for writing the input files fora native build system. Exactly one of theCMake Generators must beselected for a build tree to determine what native build system is tobe used. Optionally one of theExtra Generators may be selectedas a variant of some of theCommand-Line Build Tool Generators toproduce project files for an auxiliary IDE.

CMake Generators are platform-specific so each may be available onlyon certain platforms. Thecmake(1) command-line tool--help output lists available generators on thecurrent platform. Use its-G option to specify thegenerator for a new build tree. Thecmake-gui(1) offersinteractive selection of a generator when creating a new build tree.

CMake Generators

Command-Line Build Tool Generators

These generators support command-line build tools. In order to use them,one must launch CMake from a command-line prompt whose environment isalready configured for the chosen compiler and build tool.

Makefile Generators

Ninja Generators

IDE Build Tool Generators

These generators support Integrated Development Environment (IDE)project files. Since the IDEs configure their own environmentone may launch CMake from any environment.

Visual Studio Generators

Other Generators

Extra Generators

Deprecated since version 3.27:Support for "Extra Generators" is deprecated and will be removed froma future version of CMake. IDEs may use thecmake-file-api(7)to view CMake-generated project build trees.

Some of theCMake Generators listed in thecmake(1)command-line tool--help output may havevariants that specify an extra generator for an auxiliary IDE tool.Such generator names have the form<extra-generator>-<main-generator>.The following extra generators are known to CMake.