.. cmake-manual-description: CMake Generators Reference cmake-generators(7) ******************* .. only:: html .. contents:: Introduction ============ A *CMake Generator* is responsible for writing the input files for a native build system. Exactly one of the `CMake Generators`_ must be selected for a build tree to determine what native build system is to be used. Optionally one of the `Extra Generators`_ may be selected as a variant of some of the `Command-Line Build Tool Generators`_ to produce project files for an auxiliary IDE. CMake Generators are platform-specific so each may be available only on certain platforms. The :manual:`cmake(1)` command-line tool ``--help`` output lists available generators on the current platform. Use its ``-G`` option to specify the generator for a new build tree. The :manual:`cmake-gui(1)` offers interactive selection of a generator when creating a new build tree. CMake Generators ================ Command-Line Build Tool Generators ---------------------------------- These generators support command-line build tools. In order to use them, one must launch CMake from a command-line prompt whose environment is already configured for the chosen compiler and build tool. .. _`Makefile Generators`: Makefile Generators ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ .. toctree:: :maxdepth: 1 /generator/Borland Makefiles /generator/MSYS Makefiles /generator/MinGW Makefiles /generator/NMake Makefiles /generator/NMake Makefiles JOM /generator/Unix Makefiles /generator/Watcom WMake Ninja Generator ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ .. toctree:: :maxdepth: 1 /generator/Ninja IDE Build Tool Generators ------------------------- These generators support Integrated Development Environment (IDE) project files. Since the IDEs configure their own environment one may launch CMake from any environment. .. _`Visual Studio Generators`: Visual Studio Generators ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ .. toctree:: :maxdepth: 1 /generator/Visual Studio 6 /generator/Visual Studio 7 /generator/Visual Studio 7 .NET 2003 /generator/Visual Studio 8 2005 /generator/Visual Studio 9 2008 /generator/Visual Studio 10 2010 /generator/Visual Studio 11 2012 /generator/Visual Studio 12 2013 /generator/Visual Studio 14 2015 /generator/Visual Studio 15 2017 Other Generators ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ .. toctree:: :maxdepth: 1 /generator/Green Hills MULTI /generator/Xcode Extra Generators ================ Some of the `CMake Generators`_ listed in the :manual:`cmake(1)` command-line tool ``--help`` output may have variants that specify an extra generator for an auxiliary IDE tool. Such generator names have the form `` - ``. The following extra generators are known to CMake. .. toctree:: :maxdepth: 1 /generator/CodeBlocks /generator/CodeLite /generator/Eclipse CDT4 /generator/KDevelop3 /generator/Kate /generator/Sublime Text 2