Deep CMake for Library Authors - Craig Scott - CppCon 2019

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Discussion & Comments: / cpp
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Presentation Slides, PDFs, Source Code and other presenter materials are available at: github.com/Cpp...
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This talk presents a road map for C++ library authors grappling with cross-platform aspects of library development and deployment. It highlights key CMake features that every cross-platform library project should be using and digs deeper into the platform-specific quirks and conventions behind them. The material presented will give library authors more robust control over their API, smoother integration with major platforms and packaging systems, and more convenient inclusion by other projects.
The presentation will firstly examine how symbol visibility, library versioning and API evolution can be handled coherently across all major platforms and compilers. CMake provides dedicated features for these that are easy to use, but with the deeper understanding provided by this talk, library authors will be able to make these areas work together more seamlessly and avoid future maintenance and compatibility issues.
We will then explore how platform and vendor differences affect the installed directory layout for projects with libraries. CMake features for transparently handling the different conventions and policies will be presented, including recent CMake improvements which simplify this task. The importance of RPATH/RUNPATH functionality for improved runtime robustness and ease of use will also be explained, along with some associated support CMake provides.
Along the way, the talk will mention a number of specific things that CMake library projects should do or avoid to make themselves easy for other projects to consume. This will include versioning support for CMake config package files, guidance on defining install components and accounting for the different ways that projects may incorporate yours into their build.
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Craig Scott
Crascit Pty Ltd
Founder
Craig is a CMake co-maintainer and author of the book “Professional CMake: A Practical Guide”. He has been developing cross-platform C++ software since 2001, targeting most major platforms and working on large scale frameworks, scientific algorithm development, Qt GUI applications, backend services and embedded devices. He is the company founder of Crascit Pty Ltd, through which he offers consulting services related to CMake, C++ and build/release processes.
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Videos Filmed & Edited by Bash Films: www.BashFilms.com
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