CMake

Business Profile

Core Value Proposition

CMake provides a powerful, open-source cross-platform build system that manages the software build process for C/C++ projects.

Target Customer

Software developers, engineers, and engineering teams building cross-platform C/C++ software; organizations requiring robust build, test, and packaging workflows.

Key Differentiator

Single source builds on multiple platforms, cross-platform packaging (CPack), out-of-source builds, system introspection with a configurable cache, cross-platform testing (CTest), support for multiple target-build systems (Visual Studio, Xcode, Ninja, Make, VSCode), and GUI cache editors.

Implementation Timeline

Not specified in the content

Pain Points

1Building C++ projects across multiple platforms with reduced headaches and complexity
2Managing dependencies and coordinating multiple build systems for large projects
3Packaging, testing, and maintaining cross-platform software

Key Features

1Single source builds on multiple platforms
2Cross-platform packaging system (CPack)
3Out-of-source builds
4System introspection with a build cache
5Cross-platform testing system (CTest) with CDash integration
6Export/import of targets for reuse
7Support for multiple target-build systems (Visual Studio, Xcode, Ninja, Make, VSCode)
8GUI tools for editing the cache

Target Customer Industries

Decision Makers

1Staff Software Engineer
2Software Engineer
3Principal Software Engineer
4Lead Engineer
5Senior Software Engineer III
6Software Engineer

Client Results

1Increased development efficiency when switching build systems (e.g., from bjam to CMake)
2Faster onboarding and project setup for new C/C++ projects
3Platform independence enabling complex projects with multiple libraries
4Simplified deployments and improved code safety through CTest/CTest and CPack

Competitive Advantages

1Platform independence allowing builds on Android, iOS, HPC systems, and more
2Cross-platform support for multiple IDEs and command-line tools
3Extensive feature set that covers builds, packaging, testing, and deployment
4Out-of-source builds and clean separation between source and build trees
5Cache-based system introspection with GUI options to edit and manage build configurations
6Ability to export/import build targets for reuse across projects

Key Benefits

1Cross-platform build support across many environments and IDEs

2Efficient handling of complex dependencies and large codebases

3Integrated testing and packaging workflows (CTest and CPack)

4Out-of-source builds and clean project organization

5GUI-supported caching and configuration management

Case Studies & Success Stories

Johnson & Johnson testimonial

Case #1

Alexander Drew, Staff Software Engineer, says: 'It’s the only tool that lets me build C++ projects without a substantial headache. I love CMake.'

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory testimonial

Case #2

Citing: 'It’s the only tool that lets me build C++ projects without a substantial headache. I love CMake.'

Medtronic testimonial

Case #3

James Armes, Principal Software Engineer, states: 'Switching to CMake from bjam has been a massive boost to our organization’s development efficiency.'

John Deere testimonial

Case #4

Ashish Patil, Lead Engineer, notes: 'It’s platform independent and easy to set up complex projects. You can connect multiple small project libraries.'

PickNik testimonial

Case #5

Tyler Weaver, Staff Software Engineer, says: 'I am very excited about CPS. I package hundreds of packages, and config modules are always broken and hard to teach.'

DroneUp testimonial

Case #6

Keith Bennett, Senior Software Engineer III, states: 'I love CMake, CTest, and CPack. They have massively simplified my deployments and code safety.'

Additional Product Information

Product Description

CMake is an open-source, cross-platform family of tools designed to build, test, and package software. It provides control of the software compilation process using simple independent configuration files and is designed to be used in conjunction with the native build environment. It supports features such as single source builds across platforms, out-of-source builds, system introspection, cross-platform testing, and cross-platform packaging.

Target Market

Software developers and engineering teams building cross-platform C/C++ software, and organizations needing robust build, test, and packaging workflows.

Unique Value Proposition

CMake delivers a de facto standard, platform-agnostic build environment for C/C++ projects with extensive features for building, testing, and packaging across diverse platforms and IDEs, enabling consistent, scalable workflows.

Technical Requirements

Requires a native build environment on target platforms; supports multiple target-build systems including Visual Studio, Xcode, Ninja, Make, and VSCode; includes GUIs for editing the build cache.

Pricing Model

Not specified

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