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0 pointspjmlp3y ago0 comments

It really isn't, but it is a bit like democracy, it could be better, but given the landscape and IDE integration capabilities, it is the best the C and C++ community alongside tool vendors have agreed upon.

I certainly rather use CMake, even if I need an open book on the side, than Gradle, Blaze, autotools, yet another Python based build tool,....

However, most of the times, since my use of C++ is related to personal projects, IDE project files are more than enough, they have been serving me well for the last 30 years.

0 comments

IshKebab3y ago

> it is the best the C and C++ community alongside tool vendors have agreed upon.

Well yeah but only because it's the only build tool that the C++ community has vaguely agreed upon.

Meson and Bazel are much better, but also much less popular.

pjmlpOP3y ago

Certainly not better in their dependency on Python and JVM, or IDE integration across Qt Creator, KDevelop, Visual Studio, Android Studio, Clion, VSCode, C++ Builder.

plorkyeran3y ago

CMake has working Xcode support, while Meson has an unmaintained proof-of-concept hackjob that doesn't work. I really like a lot of what Meson does, but as long as I have to choose between working IDE support and a good project definition language I'm always going to choose the first.

nottorp3y ago

The fact that there simply isn't a widely accepted build system just means it's not a solved problem yet.

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