xmake It is a lightweight cross platform construction tool based on Lua. It uses xmake.lua to maintain project construction. Compared with makefile/CMakeLists.txt, the configuration syntax is more concise and intuitive. It is very friendly to novices. It can get started quickly in a short time, allowing users to focus more on actual project development.
In this version, we have added a large number of heavyweight new features, such as the construction support of Nim language project, Keil MDK, Circle and Wasi tool chain support.
In addition, we have greatly improved C++20 Modules, which not only supports the latest gcc-11, clang and msvc compilers, but also automatically analyzes the dependencies between modules to achieve the maximum degree of parallel compilation support.
Finally, another useful feature is Unity Build support, through which we can greatly improve the compilation speed of C + + code.
Introduction to new features
Nimlang project construction
Recently, we added a new build support for Nimlang project. See the following for relevant issues: #1756
Create an empty project
We can use the xmake create command to create an empty project.
xmake create -l nim -t console test xmake create -l nim -t static test xmake create -l nim -t shared test
Console Application
add_rules("mode.debug", "mode.release")
target("test")
set_kind("binary")
add_files("src/main.nim")
$ xmake -v [ 33%]: linking.release test /usr/local/bin/nim c --opt:speed --nimcache:build/.gens/test/macosx/x86_64/release/nimcache -o:b uild/macosx/x86_64/release/test src/main.nim [100%]: build ok!
Static library program
add_rules("mode.debug", "mode.release")
target("foo")
set_kind("static")
add_files("src/foo.nim")
target("test")
set_kind("binary")
add_deps("foo")
add_files("src/main.nim")
$ xmake -v [ 33%]: linking.release libfoo.a /usr/local/bin/nim c --opt:speed --nimcache:build/.gens/foo/macosx/x86_64/release/nimcache --app :staticlib --noMain --passC:-DNimMain=NimMain_B6D5BD02 --passC:-DNimMainInner=NimMainInner_B6D5B D02 --passC:-DNimMainModule=NimMainModule_B6D5BD02 --passC:-DPreMain=PreMain_B6D5BD02 --passC:-D PreMainInner=PreMainInner_B6D5BD02 -o:build/macosx/x86_64/release/libfoo.a src/foo.nim [ 66%]: linking.release test /usr/local/bin/nim c --opt:speed --nimcache:build/.gens/test/macosx/x86_64/release/nimcache --pa ssL:-Lbuild/macosx/x86_64/release --passL:-lfoo -o:build/macosx/x86_64/release/test src/main.nim [100%]: build ok!
Dynamic library program
add_rules("mode.debug", "mode.release")
target("foo")
set_kind("shared")
add_files("src/foo.nim")
target("test")
set_kind("binary")
add_deps("foo")
add_files("src/main.nim")
$ xmake -rv [ 33%]: linking.release libfoo.dylib /usr/local/bin/nim c --opt:speed --nimcache:build/.gens/foo/macosx/x86_64/release/nimcache --app :lib --noMain -o:build/macosx/x86_64/release/libfoo.dylib src/foo.nim [ 66%]: linking.release test /usr/local/bin/nim c --opt:speed --nimcache:build/.gens/test/macosx/x86_64/release/nimcache --pa ssL:-Lbuild/macosx/x86_64/release --passL:-lfoo -o:build/macosx/x86_64/release/test src/main.nim [100%]: build ok!
C code mixed compilation
add_rules("mode.debug", "mode.release")
target("foo")
set_kind("static")
add_files("src/*.c")
target("test")
set_kind("binary")
add_deps("foo")
add_files("src/main.nim")
Nimble dependent package integration
For a complete example, see: Nimble Package Example
add_rules("mode.debug", "mode.release")
add_requires("nimble::zip >0.3")
target("test")
set_kind("binary")
add_files("src/main.nim")
add_packages("nimble::zip")
main.nim
import zip/zlib echo zlibVersion()
Native dependent package integration
For a complete example, see: Native Package Example
add_rules("mode.debug", "mode.release")
add_requires("zlib")
target("test")
set_kind("binary")
add_files("src/main.nim")
add_packages("zlib")
main.nim
proc zlibVersion(): cstring {.cdecl, importc}
echo zlibVersion()
Unity Build acceleration
As we know, C + + code compilation is usually very slow, because each code file needs to parse the introduced header file.
Through Unity Build, we speed up the compilation of the project by combining multiple cpp files into one. The main advantage is to reduce the repeated work of parsing and compiling the contents of header files contained in multiple source files. The contents of header files usually account for most of the code in the source files after preprocessing.
Unity build also reduces the overhead caused by having a large number of small source files by reducing the number of target files created and processed by the compilation chain, and allows interprocedural analysis and optimization (similar to optimization when effects link) across files forming a unified build task.
It can greatly improve the compilation speed of C/C + + code, usually by 30%. However, according to the complexity of the project, its benefits still depend on its own project.
xmake also supports this build pattern in v2.5.9. For relevant issues, see #1019.
How do I enable it?
We provide two built-in rules to deal with Unity Build for C and C + + code respectively.
add_rules("c.unity_build")
add_rules("c++.unity_build")
Batch mode
By default, as long as the above rules are set, Unity Build in Batch mode will be enabled, that is, xmake will automatically organize and merge according to the project code file.
target("test")
set_kind("binary")
add_includedirs("src")
add_rules("c++.unity_build", {batchsize = 2})
add_files("src/*.c", "src/*.cpp")
We can additionally specify the size and quantity of each merged Batch by setting the {batchsize = 2} parameter to the rule. Here, every two C + + files are automatically merged and compiled.
The compilation effect is as follows:
$ xmake -r [ 11%]: ccache compiling.release build/.gens/test/unity_build/unity_642A245F.cpp [ 11%]: ccache compiling.release build/.gens/test/unity_build/unity_bar.cpp [ 11%]: ccache compiling.release build/.gens/test/unity_build/unity_73161A20.cpp [ 11%]: ccache compiling.release build/.gens/test/unity_build/unity_F905F036.cpp [ 11%]: ccache compiling.release build/.gens/test/unity_build/unity_foo.cpp [ 11%]: ccache compiling.release build/.gens/test/unity_build/main.c [ 77%]: linking.release test [100%]: build ok
Since we only enabled Unity Build of C + +, the C code is compiled one by one normally. In addition, in Unity Build mode, we can still accelerate parallel compilation as much as possible without conflict with each other.
If the batchsize parameter is not set, all files will be merged into one file for compilation by default.
Group mode
If the automatic merging effect of the above Batch mode is not ideal, we can also use custom grouping to manually configure which files are merged together for compilation, which makes users more flexible and controllable.
target("test")
set_kind("binary")
add_rules("c++.unity_build", {batchsize = 0}) -- disable batch mode
add_files("src/*.c", "src/*.cpp")
add_files("src/foo/*.c", {unity_group = "foo"})
add_files("src/bar/*.c", {unity_group = "bar"})
We use {unity_group = "foo"} to specify the name of each group and which files are included. The files of each group will be merged into a code file separately.
In addition, batchsize = 0 also forcibly disables the Batch mode, that is, unit is not set_ For code files grouped by group, we will compile them separately, and automatic merging will not be started automatically.
Batch and Group mixed mode
As long as we change the above batchsize = 0 to a non-0 value, we can enable the remaining code files to continue to open the Batch mode for automatic merge and compilation in the grouping mode.
target("test")
set_kind("binary")
add_includedirs("src")
add_rules("c++.unity_build", {batchsize = 2})
add_files("src/*.c", "src/*.cpp")
add_files("src/foo/*.c", {unity_group = "foo"})
add_files("src/bar/*.c", {unity_group = "bar"})
Ignore specified file
In Batch mode, all files will be merged by default because it is an automatic merge operation. However, if we do not want some code files to participate in the merge, we can also ignore them through {unity_ignored = true}.
target("test")
set_kind("binary")
add_includedirs("src")
add_rules("c++.unity_build", {batchsize = 2})
add_files("src/*.c", "src/*.cpp")
add_files("src/test/*.c", {unity_ignored = true}) -- ignore these files
Unique ID
Although the benefits brought by Unity Build are good, we will still encounter some unexpected situations. For example, there are global variables and functions with the same name in our two code files under the global namespace.
Then, merge compilation will lead to compilation conflict. The compiler usually reports global variable redefinition errors.
In order to solve this problem, we need to make some changes in the user code, and then cooperate with the construction tool to solve it.
For example, both foo.cpp and bar.cpp have global variables i.
foo.cpp
namespace {
int i = 42;
}
int foo()
{
return i;
}
bar.cpp
namespace {
int i = 42;
}
int bar()
{
return i;
}
Then, our merge compilation will conflict. We can introduce a Unique ID to isolate the global anonymous space.
foo.cpp
namespace MY_UNITY_ID {
int i = 42;
}
int foo()
{
return MY_UNITY_ID::i;
}
bar.cpp
namespace MY_UNITY_ID {
int i = 42;
}
int bar()
{
return MY_UNITY_ID::i;
}
Next, we also need to ensure that after the code is merged, my_ UNITY_ The definitions of ID in foo and bar are completely different. A unique ID value can be calculated according to the file name, which does not conflict with each other, that is, the following merging effect can be achieved:
#define MY_UNITY_ID <hash(foo.cpp)> #include "foo.c" #undef MY_UNITY_ID #define MY_UNITY_ID <hash(bar.cpp)> #include "bar.c" #undef MY_UNITY_ID
This seems troublesome, but the user doesn't need to care about these. xmake will automatically process them when merging. The user only needs to specify the name of the Unique ID, such as the following:
target("test")
set_kind("binary")
add_includedirs("src")
add_rules("c++.unity_build", {batchsize = 2, uniqueid = "MY_UNITY_ID"})
add_files("src/*.c", "src/*.cpp")
This method can be used to deal with global variables, global duplicate names, macro definitions and functions to avoid conflicts.
C++20 Modules
xmake uses. mpp as the default module extension, but also supports. Ixx,. CPPM,. Mxx and other extensions.
In the early days, xmake tentatively supported C++ Modules TS, but at that time, gcc was not well supported, and the dependencies between modules were not supported.
Recently, we have made a lot of improvements to xmake. We have fully supported the C++20 Modules construction support of gcc-11/clang/msvc, and can automatically analyze the dependencies between modules to maximize parallel compilation.
At the same time, the new version of clang/msvc is also handled better.
set_languages("c++20")
target("test")
set_kind("binary")
add_files("src/*.cpp", "src/*.mpp")
For more examples: C++ Modules
Lua5.4 runtime support
In the last version, we added support for Lua 5.3 runtime. In this version, we further upgraded Lua runtime to 5.4. Compared with 5.3, the runtime performance and memory utilization are greatly improved.
However, at present, the default runtime of xmake is luajit. It is expected that version 2.6.1 (that is, the next version) will officially switch to Lua5.4 as the default runtime.
Although the Lua runtime is switched, it is completely insensitive to the client and fully compatible with the existing project configuration, because xmake originally provides a layer of encapsulation for the exposed api,
Interfaces with compatibility problems between lua versions, such as setfenv, ffi, etc., are hidden internally and are not exposed to users.
Keil MDK tool chain support
In this version, we also added Keil/MDK embedded compilation tool chain support. Related example projects: Example
xmake will automatically detect the compiler installed by Keil/MDK and related issues #1753.
Compile using armcc
$ xmake f -p cross -a cortex-m3 --toolchain=armcc -c $ xmake
Compile with armclang
$ xmake f -p cross -a cortex-m3 --toolchain=armclang -c $ xmake
Console Application
target("hello")
add_deps("foo")
add_rules("mdk.console")
add_files("src/*.c", "src/*.s")
add_defines("__EVAL", "__MICROLIB")
add_includedirs("src/lib/cmsis")
Static library program
add_rules("mode.debug", "mode.release")
target("foo")
add_rules("mdk.static")
add_files("src/foo/*.c")
Wasi tool chain support
Previously, we supported the wasm platform emcc tool chain to build wasm programs. Here, we added another wasm tool chain with WASI enabled to replace emcc.
$ xmake f -p wasm --toolchain=wasi $ xmake
Circle tool chain support
We also added support for the circle compiler, a new C++20 compiler with some interesting compile time metaprogramming features. Interested students can check it on the official website: https://www.circle-lang.org/
$ xmake f --toolchain=circle $ xmake
gcc-8/9/10/11 specific version support
If the user additionally installs specific versions of GCC tool chains such as gcc-11 and gcc-10, the local GCC program name may be / usr/bin/gcc-11.
One way is to switch through xmake f --cc=gcc-11 --cxx=gcc-11 --ld=g++-11 one by one, but it is very cumbersome.
Therefore, xmake also provides a faster switching method:
$ xmake f --toolchain=gcc-11 -c $ xmake
You can quickly switch the entire GCC tool chain by specifying the version name corresponding to gcc-11.
Characteristic detection of C++17/20 compiler
xmake provides check_features auxiliary interface to detect compiler features.
includes("check_features.lua")
target("test")
set_kind("binary")
add_files("*.c")
add_configfiles("config.h.in")
configvar_check_features("HAS_CONSTEXPR", "cxx_constexpr")
configvar_check_features("HAS_CONSEXPR_AND_STATIC_ASSERT", {"cxx_constexpr", "c_static_assert"}, {languages = "c++11"})
config.h.in
${define HAS_CONSTEXPR}
${define HAS_CONSEXPR_AND_STATIC_ASSERT}
config.h
/* #undef HAS_CONSTEXPR */ #define HAS_CONSEXPR_AND_STATIC_ASSERT 1
In version 2.5.9, we added c++17 feature detection:
| Property name |
|---|
| cxx_aggregate_bases |
| cxx_aligned_new |
| cxx_capture_star_this |
| cxx_constexpr |
| cxx_deduction_guides |
| cxx_enumerator_attributes |
| cxx_fold_expressions |
| cxx_guaranteed_copy_elision |
| cxx_hex_float |
| cxx_if_constexpr |
| cxx_inheriting_constructors |
| cxx_inline_variables |
| cxx_namespace_attributes |
| cxx_noexcept_function_type |
| cxx_nontype_template_args |
| cxx_nontype_template_parameter_auto |
| cxx_range_based_for |
| cxx_static_assert |
| cxx_structured_bindings |
| cxx_template_template_args |
| cxx_variadic_using |
c++20 feature detection is also added:
| Property name |
|---|
| cxx_aggregate_paren_init |
| cxx_char8_t |
| cxx_concepts |
| cxx_conditional_explicit |
| cxx_consteval |
| cxx_constexpr |
| cxx_constexpr_dynamic_alloc |
| cxx_constexpr_in_decltype |
| cxx_constinit |
| cxx_deduction_guides |
| cxx_designated_initializers |
| cxx_generic_lambdas |
| cxx_impl_coroutine |
| cxx_impl_destroying_delete |
| cxx_impl_three_way_comparison |
| cxx_init_captures |
| cxx_modules |
| cxx_nontype_template_args |
| cxx_using_enum |
Xrepo package virtual environment management
Enter virtual environment
xmake's xrepo package management tool can now support package virtual machine environment management, similar to nixos's nixpkgs.
We can customize some package configurations by adding the xmake.lua file in the current directory, and then enter the specific package virtual environment.
add_requires("zlib 1.2.11")
add_requires("python 3.x", "luajit")
$ xrepo env shell > python --version > luajit --version
We can also configure and load the corresponding tool chain environment in xmake.lua, such as the compilation environment for loading vs.
set_toolchains("msvc")
Manage virtual environments
We can use the following command to globally register the specified virtual environment configuration into the system to facilitate fast switching.
$ xrepo env --add /tmp/base.lua
At this time, we save a global virtual environment called base, which we can view through the list command.
$ xrepo env --list /Users/ruki/.xmake/envs: - base envs(1) found!
We can also delete it.
$ xrepo env --remove base
Switch Global Virtual Environment
If we register multiple virtual environments, we can also quickly switch them.
$ xrepo env -b base shell > python --version
Or directly load the specified virtual environment and run specific commands
$ xrepo env -b base python --version
xrepo env -b/--bind is to bind the specified virtual environment. For more details, see: #1762
Header Only target type
For target, we have added the headeronly target type. For this type of target program, we will not actually compile them because it has no source file to be compiled.
However, it contains a header file list, which is usually used for the installation of headeronly library project, the generation of file list of IDE project, and the generation of cmake/pkgconfig import file in the installation phase.
For example:
add_rules("mode.release", "mode.debug")
target("foo")
set_kind("headeronly")
add_headerfiles("src/foo.h")
add_rules("utils.install.cmake_importfiles")
add_rules("utils.install.pkgconfig_importfiles")
For more details, see: #1747
Find package from CMake
Now cmake is the de facto standard, so the find provided by cmake_ Package can find a large number of libraries and modules. We completely reuse this part of cmake ecology to expand xmake's package integration.
We can find_package("cmake::xxx") uses cmake to find some packages. xmake will automatically generate a cmake script to call cmake's find_package to find some packages and get the package information.
For example:
$ xmake l find_package cmake::ZLIB
{
links = {
"z"
},
includedirs = {
"/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.
15.sdk/usr/include"
},
linkdirs = {
"/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.
15.sdk/usr/lib"
}
}
$ xmake l find_package cmake::LibXml2
{
links = {
"xml2"
},
includedirs = {
"/Library/Developer/CommandLineTools/SDKs/MacOSX10.15.sdk/usr/include/libxml2"
},
linkdirs = {
"/usr/lib"
}
}
Specify version
find_package("cmake::OpenCV", {required_version = "4.1.1"})
assignment component
find_package("cmake::Boost", {components = {"regex", "system"}})
Preset switch
find_package("cmake::Boost", {components = {"regex", "system"}, presets = {Boost_USE_STATIC_LIB = true}})
set(Boost_USE_STATIC_LIB ON) -- will be used in FindBoost.cmake
find_package(Boost REQUIRED COMPONENTS regex system)
Setting environment variables
find_package("cmake::OpenCV", {envs = {CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH = "xxx"}})
Specify the custom FindFoo.cmake module script directory
mydir/cmake_modules/FindFoo.cmake
find_package("cmake::Foo", {moduledirs = "mydir/cmake_modules"})
Package dependent integration
package("xxx")
on_fetch(function (package, opt)
return package:find_package("cmake::xxx", opt)
end)
package_end()
add_requires("xxx")
Package dependent integration (optional component)
package("boost")
add_configs("regex", { description = "Enable regex.", default = false, type = "boolean"})
on_fetch(function (package, opt)
opt.components = {}
if package:config("regex") then
table.insert(opt.components, "regex")
end
return package:find_package("cmake::Boost", opt)
end)
package_end()
add_requires("boost", {configs = {regex = true}})
Related issues: #1632
Add custom commands to CMakelists.txt
We have further improved the cmake generator. Now we can sequence the custom scripts in the rule into a command list and generate them together into CMakelists.txt
However, currently only serialization of batch CMDS series scripts is supported.
rule("foo")
after_buildcmd(function (target, batchcmds, opt)
batchcmds:show("hello xmake!")
batchcmds:cp("xmake.lua", "/tmp/")
-- batchcmds:execv("echo", {"hello", "world!"})
-- batchcmds:runv("echo", {"hello", "world!"})
end)
target("test")
set_kind("binary")
add_rules("foo")
add_files("src/*.c")
It will generate CMakelists.txt similar to the following
# ...
add_custom_command(TARGET test
POST_BUILD
COMMAND echo hello xmake!
VERBATIM
)
add_custom_command(TARGET test
POST_BUILD
COMMAND cp xmake.lua /tmp/
VERBATIM
)
target_sources(test PRIVATE
src/main.c
)
But cmake's add_ CUSTOM_ COMMAND PRE_ The actual effect of build is quite different on different generators, which can not meet our needs. Therefore, we have done a lot of processing to support it.
Related issues: #1735
Improved installation support for NixOS
We also improved the get.sh installation script to better support nixOS.
Update content
New features
- #1736 : support Wasi SDK tool chain
- Support Lua 5.4 runtime
- Add gcc-8, gcc-9, gcc-10, gcc-11 tool chain
- #1623 : support find_package find package from cmake
- #1747 : add set_kind("headeronly") can better handle the installation of headeronly library
- #1019 : support Unity build
- #1438 : added xmake L cli.amalmate command to support code merging
- #1765 : support nim language
- #1762 : Specifies the environment configuration for xrepo env management and switching
- #1767 : support Circle compiler
- #1753 : armcc/armclang tool chain supporting Keil/MDK
- #1774 : add table.contains api
- #1735 : add custom commands to cmake generator
- #1781 : improved get.sh installation script to support nixos