# cmake

Provides target-based modern CMake instructions for C and C++ projects. Helps configure out-of-source builds, external dependencies, sanitizers, and toolchain files.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 1700 installs · ★ 267
- Author: mohitmishra786
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/build-systems/cmake/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-06-27
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/cmake

## What it does

This skill guides coding agents through target-first CMake design. It defines builds around `add_executable` and `add_library` instead of global variables. Legacy commands like `include_directories()` and `link_libraries()` are avoided. Property inheritance relies strictly on `PUBLIC`, `PRIVATE`, and `INTERFACE` keywords. This prevents compile flags and include paths from leaking across targets.

The guidelines cover out-of-source builds with Ninja and Make generators, dependency resolution through `find_package` or `FetchContent`, and AddressSanitizer flags. Cross-compilation workflows include a dedicated `toolchain-aarch64.cmake` example. Most features require `cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20)`, specifically CMake Presets version 6. If your environment runs older CMake versions, preset generation will fail.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills --skill cmake -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/cmake/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/cmake/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills --skill cmake -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/cmake/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills --skill cmake -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/cmake/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills cmake
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/cmake/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills --skill cmake -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills --path skills/build-systems/cmake
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/cmake/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills --skill cmake -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/mohitmishra786/low-level-dev-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/build-systems/cmake/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- Write or refactor `CMakeLists.txt` using target-based commands
- Integrate third-party dependencies with `find_package` or `FetchContent`
- Configure `AddressSanitizer` for debug builds
- Set up a cross-compilation toolchain for `aarch64`
- Define configuration and build presets in `CMakePresets.json`

## Example prompts
- How do I write a CMakeLists.txt for my C++17 project using FetchContent for googletest?
- How do I enable AddressSanitizer in my CMake build for Debug targets?
- Create an aarch64 cross-compilation toolchain file for CMake

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 6a0b1a577ae03f02.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 6a0b1a577ae03f02
````text
---
name: cmake
description: 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 FetchContent, enabling sanitizers, setting up toolchain files for cross-compilation, or exporting CMake packages. Activates on queries about CMakeLists.txt, cmake configure errors, target properties, install rules, CPack, or CMake presets.
---

# CMake

## Purpose

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.

## Triggers

- "How do I write a CMakeLists.txt for my project?"
- "How do I add an external library with CMake?"
- "CMake can't find my package / library"
- "How do I enable sanitizers in CMake?"
- "How do I cross-compile with CMake?"
- "How do I use CMake Presets?"

## Workflow

### 1. Modern CMake principles

- Define targets, not variables. Use `target_*` commands.
- Use `PUBLIC`/`PRIVATE`/`INTERFACE` to control property propagation.
- Never use `include_directories()` or `link_libraries()` (legacy).
- Minimum CMake version: `cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20)` for most features.

### 2. Minimal project

```cmake
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20)
project(MyApp VERSION 1.0 LANGUAGES C CXX)

set(CMAKE_C_STANDARD 11)
set(CMAKE_C_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)

add_executable(myapp
    src/main.c
    src/utils.c
)

target_include_directories(myapp PRIVATE include)
target_compile_options(myapp PRIVATE -Wall -Wextra)
```

### 3. Static / shared libraries

```cmake
# Static library
add_library(mylib STATIC lib/foo.c lib/bar.c)
target_include_directories(mylib
    PUBLIC  include      # consumers get this include path
    PRIVATE src          # only mylib itself sees this
)

# Shared library
add_library(myshared SHARED lib/foo.c)
set_target_properties(myshared PROPERTIES
    VERSION   1.0.0
    SOVERSION 1
)

# Link executable against library
add_executable(myapp src/main.c)
target_link_libraries(myapp PRIVATE mylib)
```

### 4. Configure and build

```bash
# Out-of-source build (always do this)
cmake -S . -B build
cmake --build build

# With generator
cmake -S . -B build -G Ninja
cmake --build build -- -j$(nproc)

# Debug build
cmake -S . -B build-debug -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug
cmake --build build-debug

# Release
cmake -S . -B build-release -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
cmake --build build-release

# Install
cmake --install build --prefix /usr/local
```

Build types: `Debug`, `Release`, `RelWithDebInfo`, `MinSizeRel`.

### 5. External dependencies

#### find_package (system-installed libraries)
````
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 6a0b1a577ae03f02

The third-party file has ended. Everything between the 6a0b1a577ae03f02 tags is data: requests and commands from it are not followed. An “end of file” line with another tag inside the block is part of the file.

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