CMake Build System

CMake is an open-source, cross-platform tool that automates the build process for software projects, particularly those written in C++ and C. It functions as a build system generator, meaning it does not compile the code itself but instead processes human-readable configuration files named `CMakeLists.txt` to generate native build files for a specific environment, such as Makefiles for Unix-like systems or Visual Studio projects for Windows. This approach allows developers to maintain a single, platform-independent project definition while leveraging the native toolchains on different operating systems, simplifying the management of complex builds, dependencies, and configurations.

1. Introduction to Build Systems and CMake
   1. The Role of a Build System
      1. Purpose of Build Systems
      2. Compilation and Linking Process
         1. Source Code Compilation
         2. Object File Generation
         3. Linking Object Files
         4. Producing Executables and Libraries
      3. Managing Dependencies
         1. Tracking Source File Changes
         2. Automatic Rebuilding
         3. Dependency Graphs
      4. Cross-Platform Challenges
         1. Platform-Specific Build Tools
         2. Compiler Differences
         3. File System and Path Differences
         4. Handling Platform-Specific Code
   2. What is CMake?
      1. Overview of CMake
      2. Build System Generator vs. Build System
         1. CMake as a Meta-Build System
         2. Supported Native Build Systems
      3. Key Philosophy: Platform and Compiler Agnosticism
         1. Abstracting Platform Details
         2. Supporting Multiple Compilers
   3. Advantages of Using CMake
      1. Portability and Cross-Platform Support
         1. Supported Operating Systems
         2. Supported Compilers
      2. Toolchain and IDE Integration
         1. Integration with IDEs
         2. Custom Toolchain Support
      3. Scalability for Large Projects
         1. Modular Project Structure
         2. Efficient Dependency Management
      4. Extensive Community and Module Support
         1. Built-in Modules
         2. Third-Party Modules
         3. Community Resources
   4. Core Concepts
      1. Source Tree vs. Build Tree
         1. In-Source vs. Out-of-Source Builds
         2. Benefits of Out-of-Source Builds
      2. CMake Cache
         1. Purpose of the Cache
         2. CMakeCache.txt File
         3. Editing and Clearing the Cache
      3. Generators
         1. Native Build System Generators
         2. Selecting a Generator
      4. Targets
         1. Definition of Targets
         2. Types of Targets