How do I set include directories and link libraries in CMake for C++?

CMake is a powerful tool that helps manage the build process of C++ projects. Setting include directories and linking libraries correctly is essential for successful compilation. Below is a brief guide on how to accomplish this using CMake.

Setting Include Directories

To include directories in your CMake project, you can use the include_directories command or target-specific properties like target_include_directories. The latter is preferred as it allows more control over scope.

Linking Libraries

To link libraries to your target, you can make use of the target_link_libraries command, which specifies which libraries your target should link against.

Example CMakeLists.txt

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.10) project(MyProject) # Set include directories include_directories(${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/include) # Alternatively, for a target-specific include directory add_executable(MyExecutable main.cpp) target_include_directories(MyExecutable PRIVATE ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/include) # Link libraries target_link_libraries(MyExecutable PRIVATE mylibrary)

CMake C++ include directories link libraries build process CMakeLists.txt