Modern CMake for C++

Chapter 5: Compiling C++ Sources with CMake

Simple compilation scenarios are usually handled by a default configuration of a toolchain or just provided out of the box by an IDE. However, in a professional setting, business needs often call for something more advanced. It could be a requirement for higher performance, smaller binaries, more portability, testing support, or extensive debugging capabilities – you name it. Managing all of these in a coherent, future-proof way quickly becomes a complex, tangled mess (especially when there are multiple platforms to support).

The process of compilation is often not explained well enough in books on C++ (in-depth subjects such as virtual base classes seem to be more interesting). In this chapter, ...