cxx-skeleton

Modern C++ project template. Ninja Multi-Config, CPM, CPack, cross-compilation, code quality tooling — zero friction from clone to package.

Quick Start

cmake --preset=gcc
cmake --build --preset=gcc-release
ctest --preset=gcc-release

Full pipeline (configure → build → test → package):

cmake --workflow --preset=gcc-full

Prerequisites

cmake 3.31+
ninja 1.11+
C++23-capable compiler (clang 16+, gcc 13+, msvc 19.35+)

macOS

brew install cmake llvm ninja doxygen

Linux (Fedora)

sudo dnf install cmake gcc-c++ ninja-build doxygen llvm clang-tools-extra

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

sudo apt install cmake g++ ninja-build doxygen llvm clang-tools

Windows

choco install cmake llvm ninja doxygen visualstudio2022buildtools

Presets

All presets use Ninja Multi-Config (except msvc → Visual Studio 17 2022).

Configure

Preset	Compiler	Platform	Notes
gcc	GCC/G++	Native	—
clang	Clang/Clang++	Native	—
msvc	MSVC (VS 2022)	Windows	x64 arch, x64 host toolset
android-arm64	NDK	Android	arm64-v8a, API 24
android-arm32	NDK	Android	armeabi-v7a, API 24
android-x64	NDK	Android	x86_64 (emulator)
android-x86	NDK	Android	x86 (emulator)
llvm-mingw-x86_64	LLVM-MinGW	Linux → Windows	64-bit cross-compilation
llvm-mingw-i686	LLVM-MinGW	Linux → Windows	32-bit cross-compilation
llvm-mingw-aarch64	LLVM-MinGW	Linux → Windows	ARM64 cross-compilation

Build

cmake --build --preset=<name>-release
cmake --build --preset=<name>-debug

Available: gcc-release, gcc-debug, clang-release, clang-debug, msvc-release, msvc-debug, android-arm64, android-arm32, android-x64, android-x86, llvm-mingw-x86_64, llvm-mingw-i686, llvm-mingw-aarch64.

Test

ctest --preset=<name>-release

Available: gcc-release, gcc-debug, clang-release, clang-debug, msvc-release, msvc-debug. Tests are disabled for cross-compiled targets.

Package (CPack)

cpack --preset=<name>-package

Preset	Format
gcc-package	.tar.gz
clang-package	.tar.gz
msvc-package	.zip
llvm-mingw-*-package	.tar.xz

Workflows

Full pipelines (configure → build → test → package) in a single command:

cmake --workflow --preset=gcc-full
cmake --workflow --preset=clang-full
cmake --workflow --preset=msvc-full
cmake --workflow --preset=android-arm64-full    # configure + build only
cmake --workflow --preset=llvm-mingw-x86_64-full # configure + build + package (no test)

Project Structure

.
├── CMakeLists.txt
├── CMakePresets.json
├── cmake/                  # find_package modules (warnings, cpm, code quality)
├── src/                    # application sources
├── tests/                  # doctest + CTest
├── tools/                  # helper scripts
├── docker/                 # Dockerfiles for reproducible builds
├── android-project/        # Android project scaffolding
├── .clang-format           # clang-format config
├── .clang-tidy             # clang-tidy config
├── .cmake-format.yaml      # cmake-format config
├── .editorconfig           # editor defaults
├── .pre-commit-config.yaml # pre-commit hooks
└── license                 # MIT

Code Quality

Format sources and CMake files:

cmake --build build/gcc --target format

Static analysis:

cmake --build build/gcc --target tidy

Lint:

cmake --build build/gcc --target cpplint

Pre-commit hooks enforce formatting on every commit. Install once:

pre-commit install

Documentation

cmake --build build/gcc --target doxygen

Output: build/gcc/docs/doxygen/html.

Docker

docker build -t cxx-skeleton -f docker/fedora.Dockerfile .
docker run --rm -v "$(pwd):/src" cxx-skeleton cmake --workflow --preset=gcc-full

Android

Set ANDROID_NDK_HOME and run:

export ANDROID_NDK_HOME=/path/to/ndk
cmake --workflow --preset=android-arm64-full

Cross-Compilation (Linux → Windows)

Requires llvm-mingw on PATH:

cmake --workflow --preset=llvm-mingw-x86_64-full

Dependencies

Managed via CPM. Add packages in CMakeLists.txt:

CPMAddPackage("gh:fmtlib/fmt#11.1.4")

CPM downloads are verbose (FETCHCONTENT_QUIET=OFF) for CI visibility.

IDE Support

The project generates compile_commands.json and is compatible with CLion, Visual Studio, QtCreator, KDevelop, and any LSP-based editor.

References

Standards

• C++ Core Guidelines — Stroustrup & Sutter
• cppreference.com — Language reference
• C++ Draft Standard — Latest working draft
• WG21 Link — Proposal shortener
• C++ Evolution — Feature tracker

Tools

• Compiler Explorer — Live assembly
• C++ Insights — Compiler transformations
• Quick Bench — Micro-benchmarks
• IWYU — Header analysis
• Perfetto UI — Build profiling

Performance

• Performance-Aware Programming — Casey Muratori
• Agner Fog — Optimization manuals
• uops.info — Instruction latencies

Compiler Docs

• Clang · GCC · MSVC

Learning

• C++ Weekly — Jason Turner
• C++ Stories — Bartek Filipek
• CppCon — Conference talks
• Handmade Hero — Casey Muratori