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CMake/Help/command/project.rst
Matthew Woehlke ebf0a359ad Help: Improve documentation of project SPDX_LICENSE
Currently, CMake allows specifying a license (`SPDX_LICENSE`) for both
projects and targets, which is largely motivated by CPS export. The
design of CPS is geared toward components (targets) only expressing an
explicit license when that component's license differs from the license
that applies to the package as a whole (or, at least, the license
generally used by the package's software components). Accordingly, the
project license is not used to initialize the `SPDX_LICENSE` target
property at export time. This, however, was not documented previously.

Add a note explaining this to the `SPDX_LICENSE` option of the `project`
command.

Fixes: #27295
2025-10-27 10:38:40 -04:00

263 lines
9.7 KiB
ReStructuredText

project
-------
Set the name of the project.
Synopsis
^^^^^^^^
.. code-block:: cmake
project(<PROJECT-NAME> [<language-name>...])
project(<PROJECT-NAME>
[VERSION <major>[.<minor>[.<patch>[.<tweak>]]]]
[COMPAT_VERSION <major>[.<minor>[.<patch>[.<tweak>]]]]
[SPDX_LICENSE <license-string>]
[DESCRIPTION <description-string>]
[HOMEPAGE_URL <url-string>]
[LANGUAGES <language-name>...])
Sets the name of the project, and stores it in the variable
:variable:`PROJECT_NAME`. When called from the top-level
``CMakeLists.txt`` also stores the project name in the
variable :variable:`CMAKE_PROJECT_NAME`.
Also sets the variables:
:variable:`PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR`, :variable:`<PROJECT-NAME>_SOURCE_DIR`
Absolute path to the source directory for the project.
:variable:`PROJECT_BINARY_DIR`, :variable:`<PROJECT-NAME>_BINARY_DIR`
Absolute path to the binary directory for the project.
:variable:`PROJECT_IS_TOP_LEVEL`, :variable:`<PROJECT-NAME>_IS_TOP_LEVEL`
.. versionadded:: 3.21
Boolean value indicating whether the project is top-level.
Further variables are set by the optional arguments described in `Options`_
further below. Where an option is not given, its corresponding variable is
set to the empty string.
Note that variables of the form ``<name>_SOURCE_DIR`` and ``<name>_BINARY_DIR``
may also be set by other commands before ``project()`` is called (see the
:command:`FetchContent_MakeAvailable` command for one example).
Projects should not rely on ``<PROJECT-NAME>_SOURCE_DIR`` or
``<PROJECT-NAME>_BINARY_DIR`` holding a particular value outside of the scope
of the call to ``project()`` or one of its child scopes.
.. versionchanged:: 3.30
``<PROJECT-NAME>_SOURCE_DIR``, ``<PROJECT-NAME>_BINARY_DIR``, and
``<PROJECT-NAME>_IS_TOP_LEVEL``, if already set as normal variables when
``project(<PROJECT-NAME> ...)`` is called, are updated by the call.
Cache entries by the same names are always set as before.
See release notes for 3.30.3, 3.30.4, and 3.30.5 for details.
.. versionchanged:: 3.31
``<PROJECT-NAME>_SOURCE_DIR``, ``<PROJECT-NAME>_BINARY_DIR``, and
``<PROJECT-NAME>_IS_TOP_LEVEL`` are always set as normal variables by
``project(<PROJECT-NAME> ...)``. See policy :policy:`CMP0180`.
Cache entries by the same names are always set as before.
Options
^^^^^^^
The options are:
``VERSION <version>``
Optional; may not be used unless policy :policy:`CMP0048` is
set to ``NEW``.
Takes a ``<version>`` argument composed of non-negative integer components,
i.e. ``<major>[.<minor>[.<patch>[.<tweak>]]]``,
and sets the variables
* :variable:`PROJECT_VERSION`,
:variable:`<PROJECT-NAME>_VERSION`
* :variable:`PROJECT_VERSION_MAJOR`,
:variable:`<PROJECT-NAME>_VERSION_MAJOR`
* :variable:`PROJECT_VERSION_MINOR`,
:variable:`<PROJECT-NAME>_VERSION_MINOR`
* :variable:`PROJECT_VERSION_PATCH`,
:variable:`<PROJECT-NAME>_VERSION_PATCH`
* :variable:`PROJECT_VERSION_TWEAK`,
:variable:`<PROJECT-NAME>_VERSION_TWEAK`.
.. versionadded:: 3.12
When the ``project()`` command is called from the top-level
``CMakeLists.txt``, then the version is also stored in the variable
:variable:`CMAKE_PROJECT_VERSION`.
``COMPAT_VERSION <version>``
.. versionadded:: 4.1
.. note::
Experimental. Gated by ``CMAKE_EXPERIMENTAL_EXPORT_PACKAGE_INFO``.
Optional; requires ``VERSION`` also be set.
Takes a ``<version>`` argument composed of non-negative integer components,
i.e. ``<major>[.<minor>[.<patch>[.<tweak>]]]``,
and sets the variables
* :variable:`PROJECT_COMPAT_VERSION`,
:variable:`<PROJECT-NAME>_COMPAT_VERSION`
When the ``project()`` command is called from the top-level
``CMakeLists.txt``, then the compatibility version is also stored in the
variable :variable:`CMAKE_PROJECT_COMPAT_VERSION`.
``SPDX_LICENSE <license-string>``
.. versionadded:: 4.2
Optional.
Sets the variables
* :variable:`PROJECT_SPDX_LICENSE`,
:variable:`<PROJECT-NAME>_SPDX_LICENSE`
to ``<license-string>``, which shall be a |SPDX|_ (SPDX)
`License Expression`_ that describes the license(s) of the project as a
whole, including documentation, resources, or other materials distributed
with the project, in addition to software artifacts. See the SPDX
`License List`_ for a list of commonly used licenses and their identifiers.
See the :prop_tgt:`SPDX_LICENSE` property for specifying the license(s) on
individual software artifacts.
.. note::
The project license is *not* used to initialize the
:prop_tgt:`SPDX_LICENSE` property of individual targets. This allows the
package license and default component license, which are specified when
exporting package information, to be meaningful. Only |CPS| exports make
use of this information.
The project license *is* inherited as the package license in some cases.
Refer to the ``PROJECT`` option and related documentation of the
:command:`export` and :command:`install` commands for more information.
.. _SPDX: https://spdx.dev/
.. |SPDX| replace:: System Package Data Exchange
.. _License Expression: https://spdx.github.io/spdx-spec/v3.0.1/annexes/spdx-license-expressions/
.. _License List: https://spdx.org/licenses/
``DESCRIPTION <description-string>``
.. versionadded:: 3.9
Optional.
Sets the variables
* :variable:`PROJECT_DESCRIPTION`, :variable:`<PROJECT-NAME>_DESCRIPTION`
to ``<description-string>``.
It is recommended that this description is a relatively short string,
usually no more than a few words.
When the ``project()`` command is called from the top-level ``CMakeLists.txt``,
then the description is also stored in the variable :variable:`CMAKE_PROJECT_DESCRIPTION`.
.. versionadded:: 3.12
Added the ``<PROJECT-NAME>_DESCRIPTION`` variable.
``HOMEPAGE_URL <url-string>``
.. versionadded:: 3.12
Optional.
Sets the variables
* :variable:`PROJECT_HOMEPAGE_URL`, :variable:`<PROJECT-NAME>_HOMEPAGE_URL`
to ``<url-string>``, which should be the canonical home URL for the project.
When the ``project()`` command is called from the top-level ``CMakeLists.txt``,
then the URL also is stored in the variable :variable:`CMAKE_PROJECT_HOMEPAGE_URL`.
``LANGUAGES <language-name>...``
Optional.
Can also be specified without ``LANGUAGES`` keyword per the first, short signature.
Selects which programming languages are needed to build the project.
.. include:: include/SUPPORTED_LANGUAGES.rst
By default ``C`` and ``CXX`` are enabled if no language options are given.
Specify language ``NONE``, or use the ``LANGUAGES`` keyword and list no languages,
to skip enabling any languages.
The variables set through the ``VERSION``, ``COMPAT_VERSION``,
``SPDX_LICENSE``, ``DESCRIPTION`` and ``HOMEPAGE_URL`` options are
intended for use as default values in package metadata and documentation.
The :command:`export` and :command:`install` commands use these accordingly
when generating |CPS| package descriptions.
.. _`Code Injection`:
Code Injection
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A number of variables can be defined by the user to specify files to include
at different points during the execution of the ``project()`` command.
The following outlines the steps performed during a ``project()`` call:
* .. versionadded:: 3.15
For every ``project()`` call regardless of the project
name, include the file(s) and module(s) named by
:variable:`CMAKE_PROJECT_INCLUDE_BEFORE`, if set.
* .. versionadded:: 3.17
If the ``project()`` command specifies ``<PROJECT-NAME>`` as its project
name, include the file(s) and module(s) named by
:variable:`CMAKE_PROJECT_<PROJECT-NAME>_INCLUDE_BEFORE`, if set.
* Set the various project-specific variables detailed in the `Synopsis`_
and `Options`_ sections above.
* For the very first ``project()`` call only:
* If :variable:`CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE` is set, read it at least once.
It may be read multiple times and it may also be read again when
enabling languages later (see below).
* Set the variables describing the host and target platforms.
Language-specific variables might or might not be set at this point.
On the first run, the only language-specific variables that might be
defined are those a toolchain file may have set. On subsequent runs,
language-specific variables cached from a previous run may be set.
* .. versionadded:: 3.24
Include each file listed in :variable:`CMAKE_PROJECT_TOP_LEVEL_INCLUDES`,
if set. The variable is ignored by CMake thereafter.
* Enable any languages specified in the call, or the default languages if
none were provided. The toolchain file may be re-read when enabling a
language for the first time.
* .. versionadded:: 3.15
For every ``project()`` call regardless of the project
name, include the file(s) and module(s) named by
:variable:`CMAKE_PROJECT_INCLUDE`, if set.
* If the ``project()`` command specifies ``<PROJECT-NAME>`` as its project
name, include the file(s) and module(s) named by
:variable:`CMAKE_PROJECT_<PROJECT-NAME>_INCLUDE`, if set.
Usage
^^^^^
The top-level ``CMakeLists.txt`` file for a project must contain a
literal, direct call to the ``project()`` command; loading one
through the :command:`include` command is not sufficient. If no such
call exists, CMake will issue a warning and pretend there is a
``project(Project)`` at the top to enable the default languages
(``C`` and ``CXX``).
.. note::
Call the ``project()`` command near the top of the top-level
``CMakeLists.txt``, but *after* calling :command:`cmake_minimum_required`.
It is important to establish version and policy settings before invoking
other commands whose behavior they may affect and for this reason the
``project()`` command will issue a warning if this order is not kept.
See also policy :policy:`CMP0000`.
.. |CPS| replace:: Common Package Specification