Build Systems

Build Systems Skill

Production-Grade Development Skill | C++ Build Infrastructure

Master C++ build systems, package management, and CI/CD integration.

Modern CMake Patterns

Project Structure

# CMakeLists.txt
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.20)
project(MyProject
    VERSION 1.0.0
    DESCRIPTION "A modern C++ project"
    LANGUAGES CXX
)

# ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Global Settings
# ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 20)
set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
set(CMAKE_CXX_EXTENSIONS OFF)
set(CMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS ON)

# ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Options
# ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
option(BUILD_TESTING "Build unit tests" ON)
option(BUILD_DOCS "Build documentation" OFF)
option(ENABLE_SANITIZERS "Enable sanitizers in debug builds" ON)
option(ENABLE_COVERAGE "Enable code coverage" OFF)

# ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Compiler Warnings Interface
# ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
add_library(project_warnings INTERFACE)
target_compile_options(project_warnings INTERFACE
    $<$<CXX_COMPILER_ID:GNU,Clang>:
        -Wall -Wextra -Wpedantic -Werror
        -Wshadow -Wnon-virtual-dtor -Wcast-align
        -Wunused -Woverloaded-virtual -Wconversion
    >
    $<$<CXX_COMPILER_ID:MSVC>:
        /W4 /WX /permissive-
    >
)

# ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
# Sanitizers (Debug builds)
# ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
add_library(project_sanitizers INTERFACE)
if(ENABLE_SANITIZERS AND CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "Debug")
    target_compile_options(project_sanitizers INTERFACE
        -fsanitize=address,undefined
        -fno-omit-frame-pointer
    )
    target_link_options(project_sanitizers INTERFACE
        -fsanitize=address,undefined
    )
endif()

Target-Based CMake

# Library target
add_library(mylib
    src/core.cpp
    src/utils.cpp
)
target_include_directories(mylib
    PUBLIC
        $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include>
        $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:include>
    PRIVATE
        ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/src
)
target_link_libraries(mylib
    PUBLIC fmt::fmt
    PRIVATE project_warnings project_sanitizers
)

# Executable target
add_executable(myapp src/main.cpp)
target_link_libraries(myapp PRIVATE mylib project_warnings)

Dependency Management

FetchContent (CMake 3.14+)

include(FetchContent)

FetchContent_Declare(
    fmt
    GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/fmtlib/fmt.git
    GIT_TAG 10.2.1
    GIT_SHALLOW TRUE
)

FetchContent_Declare(
    googletest
    GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/google/googletest.git
    GIT_TAG v1.14.0
)

FetchContent_MakeAvailable(fmt googletest)

target_link_libraries(mylib PRIVATE fmt::fmt)
target_link_libraries(mytest PRIVATE GTest::gtest_main)

Conan 2.x

# conanfile.py
from conan import ConanFile
from conan.tools.cmake import CMakeToolchain, CMake, cmake_layout

class MyProjectConan(ConanFile):
    name = "myproject"
    version = "1.0.0"
    settings = "os", "compiler", "build_type", "arch"

    requires = [
        "fmt/10.2.1",
        "spdlog/1.13.0",
        "nlohmann_json/3.11.3"
    ]

    generators = "CMakeDeps"

    def layout(self):
        cmake_layout(self)

    def generate(self):
        tc = CMakeToolchain(self)
        tc.generate()

    def build(self):
        cmake = CMake(self)
        cmake.configure()
        cmake.build()

    def package(self):
        cmake = CMake(self)
        cmake.install()

# Build with Conan
conan install . --output-folder=build --build=missing
cmake -B build -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=build/conan_toolchain.cmake
cmake --build build

vcpkg

// vcpkg.json (manifest mode)
{
    "name": "myproject",
    "version": "1.0.0",
    "dependencies": [
        "fmt",
        "spdlog",
        {
            "name": "boost-filesystem",
            "platform": "!windows"
        },
        {
            "name": "gtest",
            "features": ["gmock"]
        }
    ]
}

# Build with vcpkg
cmake -B build \
    -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=$VCPKG_ROOT/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake
cmake --build build

Cross-Platform Builds

Toolchain Files

# toolchain/linux-clang.cmake
set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME Linux)
set(CMAKE_C_COMPILER clang)
set(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER clang++)

# toolchain/windows-mingw.cmake
set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME Windows)
set(CMAKE_C_COMPILER x86_64-w64-mingw32-gcc)
set(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER x86_64-w64-mingw32-g++)
set(CMAKE_RC_COMPILER x86_64-w64-mingw32-windres)

# Usage
cmake -B build -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=toolchain/linux-clang.cmake

Platform-Specific Code

# Detect platform
if(WIN32)
    target_compile_definitions(mylib PUBLIC PLATFORM_WINDOWS)
    target_sources(mylib PRIVATE src/platform/windows.cpp)
elseif(APPLE)
    target_compile_definitions(mylib PUBLIC PLATFORM_MACOS)
    target_sources(mylib PRIVATE src/platform/macos.cpp)
else()
    target_compile_definitions(mylib PUBLIC PLATFORM_LINUX)
    target_sources(mylib PRIVATE src/platform/linux.cpp)
endif()

CI/CD Configuration

GitHub Actions

# .github/workflows/ci.yml
name: CI

on:
  push:
    branches: [main, develop]
  pull_request:
    branches: [main]

jobs:
  build:
    strategy:
      fail-fast: false
      matrix:
        os: [ubuntu-latest, macos-latest, windows-latest]
        build_type: [Debug, Release]
        compiler:
          - { cc: gcc, cxx: g++ }
          - { cc: clang, cxx: clang++ }
        exclude:
          - os: windows-latest
            compiler: { cc: gcc, cxx: g++ }

    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}

    steps:
      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
        with:
          submodules: recursive

      - name: Install dependencies (Ubuntu)
        if: runner.os == 'Linux'
        run: |
          sudo apt-get update
          sudo apt-get install -y ninja-build lcov

      - name: Configure
        run: |
          cmake -B build \
            -G Ninja \
            -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${{ matrix.build_type }} \
            -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER=${{ matrix.compiler.cc }} \
            -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER=${{ matrix.compiler.cxx }} \
            -DBUILD_TESTING=ON

      - name: Build
        run: cmake --build build --parallel

      - name: Test
        run: ctest --test-dir build --output-on-failure --parallel

      - name: Upload coverage
        if: matrix.build_type == 'Debug' && matrix.os == 'ubuntu-latest'
        uses: codecov/codecov-action@v3

GitLab CI

# .gitlab-ci.yml
stages:
  - build
  - test
  - deploy

variables:
  GIT_SUBMODULE_STRATEGY: recursive

.build_template: &build_template
  stage: build
  script:
    - cmake -B build -G Ninja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=${BUILD_TYPE}
    - cmake --build build --parallel
  artifacts:
    paths:
      - build/

build:debug:
  <<: *build_template
  variables:
    BUILD_TYPE: Debug

build:release:
  <<: *build_template
  variables:
    BUILD_TYPE: Release

test:
  stage: test
  needs: [build:debug]
  script:
    - ctest --test-dir build --output-on-failure

Compiler Flags Reference

Build Workflow

┌─────────────┐    ┌──────────────┐    ┌───────────────┐
│  CONFIGURE  │───▶│    BUILD     │───▶│     TEST      │
│   (cmake)   │    │   (ninja)    │    │   (ctest)     │
└─────────────┘    └──────────────┘    └───────────────┘
       │                  │                    │
       ▼                  ▼                    ▼
┌─────────────┐    ┌──────────────┐    ┌───────────────┐
│  INSTALL    │◀───│   PACKAGE    │◀───│    DEPLOY     │
│  (targets)  │    │   (cpack)    │    │    (ci/cd)    │
└─────────────┘    └──────────────┘    └───────────────┘

Troubleshooting Decision Tree

Build error?
├── CMake configuration failed
│   ├── "Could not find package" → Check CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH
│   ├── "Unknown CMake command" → Upgrade CMake version
│   └── "Compiler not found" → Install compiler or set CC/CXX
├── Compilation failed
│   ├── Missing header → Add target_include_directories
│   ├── Syntax error → Check C++ standard flag
│   └── Undefined macro → Add target_compile_definitions
├── Linking failed
│   ├── "undefined reference" → Add target_link_libraries
│   ├── "multiple definition" → Check ODR violations
│   └── "cannot find -lxxx" → Add library path
└── Runtime error
    ├── "library not found" → Check LD_LIBRARY_PATH
    └── "symbol not found" → ABI mismatch, rebuild all

Common Build Errors

Unit Test Template

#include <gtest/gtest.h>

// Test that build configuration works
TEST(BuildSystemTest, CompilerFeatures) {
    // Verify C++ standard
    #if __cplusplus >= 202002L
    SUCCEED() << "C++20 or later";
    #else
    FAIL() << "Expected C++20 or later";
    #endif
}

TEST(BuildSystemTest, PlatformMacros) {
    #if defined(PLATFORM_WINDOWS)
    EXPECT_TRUE(true) << "Windows build";
    #elif defined(PLATFORM_LINUX)
    EXPECT_TRUE(true) << "Linux build";
    #elif defined(PLATFORM_MACOS)
    EXPECT_TRUE(true) << "macOS build";
    #else
    FAIL() << "Unknown platform";
    #endif
}

TEST(BuildSystemTest, DebugRelease) {
    #ifdef NDEBUG
    EXPECT_TRUE(true) << "Release build";
    #else
    EXPECT_TRUE(true) << "Debug build";
    #endif
}

Integration Points

C++ Plugin v3.0.0 - Production-Grade Development Skill