How to Manage Dependencies in CMake: Libraries Within the Project vs. Separate Projects?

Dependencies in CMake: Establishing Source, Library, and CMakeLists.txt Relationships

Introduction

Managing dependencies among source files, libraries, and CMakeLists.txt files is crucial for building complex CMake projects. To organize these dependencies effectively, the following methods are commonly utilized in CMake.

Method 1: Libraries Built Within the Application Project

• Advantages:

  • Simpler dependency management within the project.
  • Libraries are readily available in the IDE project.

• Procedure:

  • Add library subdirectories within the application's CMakeLists.txt.
  • Specify target dependencies using target_link_libraries().
  • Create "full-featured" library targets with include directories and other relevant information.

Method 2: Libraries Built and Installed as Separate Projects

• Advantages:

  • Cleaner separation of libraries from the application.
  • Libraries can be used by multiple projects without duplication.

• Procedure:

  • Build and install libraries in separate CMake projects.
  • Use find_package() in the application's CMakeLists.txt to locate installed libraries.
  • Utilize config-modules to describe library attributes.

Discussion

Method 1 is preferred for libraries actively under development and frequently modified. Method 2 is suitable for stable, third-party libraries that are not in active development.

Additional Considerations

• The two methods can be combined, depending on the project's requirements.
• ExternalProject module can also be used to handle external libraries.
• The export() command can be employed to access libraries built in external projects without installing them.

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