vscode-cmake-tools/docs

CMake Tools for Visual Studio Code documentation

CMake Tools is an extension designed to make it easy to work with CMake-based projects.

If you are new, try the CMake Tools quick start and see the frequently asked questions.

How to

• Create a new project
• Configure a project
• Build a project
• Debug a project
• Pass command-line arguments to the debugger
• Set up include paths for C++ IntelliSense

Kits

• How kits are found and defined
• Kit options

Configure

• CMake configuration process overview
• The CMake tools configure step
• The configure step outside of CMake Tools
• Clean configure

Variants

• Variant YAML example
• Variant schema
• Variant settings
• Variant options
• How variants are applied
• Large variant file example

Build

• Build the default target
• Build a single target
• How CMake tools builds your project
• Clean build

Debug and launch

• Select a launch target
• Quick debugging
• Debug using a launch.json file
• Run without debugging

Configure CMake Tools settings

• CMake Tools settings
• Variable substitution

Use CMakePresets

• Configure and build with CMake Presets
• Supported CMake and CMakePresets.json versions
• Enable CMakePresets.json in the CMake Tools extension
• Configure and build
• CMake: Configure
• CMake: Select Build Preset
• CMake: Build
• Test
• CMake: Select Test Preset
• CMake: Run Tests
• Add new presets
• Add new Configure Presets
• Add new Build Presets
• Edit presets
• Select your generator
• Set and reference environment variables
• Vcpkg integration
• Command substitution in launch.json and settings.json
• Ignored settings
• Unsupported commands
• Troubleshooting
• Run CMake from the command line or a Continuous Integration (CI) pipeline
• Sourcing the environment when building with command line generators on Windows
• Example CMakePresets.json file

Troubleshoot CMake Tools

• Common issues and resolutions
• CMake Tools is unable to provide IntelliSense configuration
• Green squiggles beneath #include directives
• Debugging ignores launch.json
• Reset CMake Tools extension state
• Increase the logging level
• Check the log file
• Get help

Frequently asked questions

• How can I get help?
• What about CMake language support?
• How do I learn about CMake?
• How does CMake Tools work with C and C++ IntelliSense?
• How do I perform common tasks

How to contribute

• Developer Reference
• Build the CMake Tools extension
• Coding guidelines