C++20 Project Sample

This repository is a copy-and-adapt sample for a small C++20 application. Rename the sample identifiers and replace the greeting code when starting a real project; it is not intended to be used unchanged.

Layout

• src/main.cpp defines the main application, sample_cpp_project.
• All other headers and .cpp files under src/ form the STATIC library sample_cpp_project_lib.
• Each .cpp file found recursively under tools/ becomes a separate executable and links sample_cpp_project_lib.
• tools/CMakeLists.txt discovers and configures those tool executables.
• third_party/include/CLI11.hpp contains the vendored CLI11 v2.6.2 header used by the main application.
• CMakePresets.json provides Linux/GCC-compatible and Windows/MSVC debug presets using Ninja.
• .vscode.sample/ contains optional Linux/GDB and Windows/MSVC editor tasks and launch settings.

The project library is linked into the final executables. It is not a runtime file that must be distributed beside them.

Linux

From the project root, configure and build the debug preset:

cmake --preset linux-debug
cmake --build --preset linux-debug

Run the application:

./build/bin/sample_cpp_project --name Ada

The Linux and Windows presets both use build/. When switching platforms in the same checkout, delete build/ before configuring the other preset because an existing CMake build tree cannot be reused with a different platform or compiler.

Visual Studio 2022 Toolchain

On Windows, run the following from a regular Command Prompt:

build_vs2022.bat

The script locates Visual Studio 2022, initializes its x64 compiler environment, configures the windows-msvc-debug Ninja preset, and builds build\bin\sample_cpp_project.exe. The CMake targets use the static MSVC runtime, CLI11 is header-only, and sample_cpp_project_lib is a static library, so no project DLL or separate project-library file is needed beside the executable. Normal Windows system components are still provided by the target machine.

VS Code

Copy the sample directory before opening the project in VS Code:

cp -r .vscode.sample .vscode

On Windows Command Prompt, the equivalent is:

xcopy .vscode.sample .vscode\ /E /I

The copied configuration supplies configure, build, and debug entries for Linux with GDB and Windows with the Visual Studio debugger. If the application target or output path changes, update the program entries in .vscode/launch.json and the related preset names in .vscode/tasks.json.

Tools

Tools are enabled by default. Every recursively discovered tools/*.cpp file must define exactly one main(). Relative paths are flattened with underscores for internal CMake target names, and paths that flatten to the same target name are rejected during configuration. Output paths retain the source layout: tools/sample_tool.cpp produces build/tools/sample_tool, while tools/admin/check.cpp produces build/tools/admin/check (with .exe on Windows).

Disable all tool executables while configuring with:

cmake --preset linux-debug -DSAMPLE_CPP_PROJECT_BUILD_TOOLS=OFF

Use the same option with windows-msvc-debug on Windows.

Formatting

Run the configured formatters from the project root:

find src -type f \( -name '*.cpp' -o -name '*.h' \) -exec clang-format -i {} +
find tools -type f -name '*.cpp' -exec clang-format -i {} +
cmake-format -i CMakeLists.txt tools/CMakeLists.txt
prettier --write README.md CMakePresets.json .vscode.sample/*.json

Adaptation Checklist

1. Search for sample_cpp_project and replace the CMake project name, application target, sample_cpp_project_lib, sample_cpp_project_configure_target, tool-target prefix, source namespace, batch output name, and VS Code launch paths as appropriate.
2. Search for the uppercase prefix SAMPLE_CPP_PROJECT. Rename SAMPLE_CPP_PROJECT_BUILD_TOOLS, SAMPLE_CPP_PROJECT_LIBRARY_SOURCES, and SAMPLE_CPP_PROJECT_TOOL_SOURCES consistently.
3. Replace src/greeting.h, src/greeting.cpp, make_greeting, and the sample_cpp_project namespace with the real library API and implementation. Keep src/main.cpp outside the static library.
4. Update the CLI description, -n,--name option, default value, and application behavior in src/main.cpp. Update or remove tools/sample_tool.cpp for the tools the project needs.
5. Rename the linux-debug and windows-msvc-debug presets if desired, then update matching names in build_vs2022.bat and .vscode.sample/tasks.json.
6. If output directories or executable names change, update build_vs2022.bat and both program paths in .vscode.sample/launch.json.
7. Keep third_party/include/CLI11.hpp and its include path if CLI11 is still used. If the src/, tools/, or third_party/include/ layout changes, update the corresponding paths in the CMake files.