CMake 3.25.0-rc1 is ready for testing

October 12, 2022

I am proud to announce the first CMake 3.25 release candidate.
https://cmake.org/download/

Documentation is available at:
https://cmake.org/cmake/help/v3.25

Release notes appear below and are also published at
https://cmake.org/cmake/help/v3.25/release/3.25.html

Some of the more significant changes in CMake 3.25 are:

  • The “find_file()”, “find_path()”, “find_library()”, and
    “find_program()” commands gained a “VALIDATOR” option to specify a
    function to be called for each candidate item to validate it.

  • The “try_compile()” and “try_run()” commands gained new signatures
    that more consistently use keyword dispatch and do not require a
    binary directory to be specified. Additionally, these signatures
    use a unique directory for each invocation, which allows multiple
    outputs to be preserved when using “cmake –debug-trycompile”.

  • The “add_subdirectory()” command gained a “SYSTEM” option to enable
    the “SYSTEM” directory property in the subdirectory.

  • The “block()” and “endblock()” commands were added to manage
    specific scopes (policy or variable) for a contained block of
    commands.

  • The “return()” command gained a “PROPAGATE” option to propagate
    variables to the scope to which control returns. See policy
    “CMP0140”.

  • The “BSD” and “CMAKE_HOST_BSD” variables are now set to a string
    value when the target or host system is BSD, respectively.

  • The “LINUX” and “CMAKE_HOST_LINUX” variables are now set to true
    when the target or host system is Linux, respectively.

  • The “CMAKE_MSVC_DEBUG_INFORMATION_FORMAT” variable and
    “MSVC_DEBUG_INFORMATION_FORMAT” target property were introduced to
    select the debug information format for compilers targeting the MSVC
    ABI. See policy “CMP0141”.

CMake 3.25 Release Notes
************************

Changes made since CMake 3.24 include the following.


New Features
============


Presets
-------

* The "cmake-presets(7)" schema version has been bumped to "6".

* The "cmake-presets(7)" format now supports a "packagePresets" field
  to specify presets for "cpack --preset".

* The "cmake-presets(7)" format now supports a "workflowPresets" field
  to specify presets for "cmake --workflow".


Languages
---------

* The "Compile Features" functionality is now aware of C++26, and
  defines a "cxx_std_26" meta-feature. C++26 compiler modes may also
  be specified via the "CXX_STANDARD", "CUDA_STANDARD",
  "HIP_STANDARD", or "OBJCXX_STANDARD" target properties.

* "CUDA" language support now includes device link-time optimization
  when using "nvcc".  The "CMAKE_INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION"
  variable and the associated "INTERPROCEDURAL_OPTIMIZATION" target
  property will activate device LTO.


Command-Line
------------

* A "cmake --workflow --preset" mode was added to drive sequences of
  configure, build, test, and package operations through a single
  command.

* The "cmake -E capabilities" command gained a new "tls" field that
  tells whether or not TLS is enabled.

* The "cmake -E env" command-line tool gained a "--modify" flag to
  support "ENVIRONMENT_MODIFICATION" operations.

* The "cmake --debug-trycompile" option now prints log messages
  reporting the directory in which each try-compile check is done.


Compilers
---------

* Support for the Tasking compiler toolsets (SmartCode, TriCore,
  Standalone: ARM, MCS, 8051) was added with compiler id "Tasking".
  See the "CMAKE_TASKING_TOOLSET" variable.


Commands
--------

* The "add_subdirectory()" command gained a "SYSTEM" option to enable
  the "SYSTEM" directory property in the subdirectory.

* The "block()" and "endblock()" commands were added to manage
  specific scopes (policy or variable) for a contained block of
  commands.

* The "cmake_language()" command gained a new "GET_MESSAGE_LOG_LEVEL"
  sub-command.  It can be used to query the current message logging
  level.

* The "find_file()", "find_path()", "find_library()", and
  "find_program()" commands gained a "VALIDATOR" option to specify a
  function to be called for each candidate item to validate it.

* The "find_package()" command now considers paths of the form
  "/*/(cmake|CMake)/*/" when searching for package
  configuration files.

* The "return()" command gained a "PROPAGATE" option to propagate
  variables to the scope to which control returns. See policy
  "CMP0140".

* The "try_compile()" and "try_run()" commands gained new signatures
  that more consistently use keyword dispatch and do not require a
  binary directory to be specified.  Additionally, these signatures
  use a unique directory for each invocation, which allows multiple
  outputs to be preserved when using "cmake --debug-trycompile".

* The "try_compile()" and "try_run()" commands gained the option
  "NO_CACHE" to store results in normal variables.

* The "try_run()" command gained "RUN_OUTPUT_STDOUT_VARIABLE" and
  "RUN_OUTPUT_STDERR_VARIABLE" options to capture stdout and stderr
  separately from the output of the compiled program.


Variables
---------

* The "BSD" and "CMAKE_HOST_BSD" variables are now set to a string
  value when the target or host system is BSD, respectively.

* The "LINUX" and "CMAKE_HOST_LINUX" variables are now set to true
  when the target or host system is Linux, respectively.

* The "CMAKE_MSVC_DEBUG_INFORMATION_FORMAT" variable and
  "MSVC_DEBUG_INFORMATION_FORMAT" target property were introduced to
  select the debug information format for compilers targeting the MSVC
  ABI. See policy "CMP0141".

* The "CMAKE_XCODE_SCHEME_ENABLE_GPU_API_VALIDATION" variable and
  corresponding "XCODE_SCHEME_ENABLE_GPU_API_VALIDATION" target
  property were added to tell the "Xcode" generator what to put in the
  scheme's "Metal: API Validation" setting.

* The "CMAKE_XCODE_SCHEME_ENABLE_GPU_SHADER_VALIDATION" variable and
  corresponding "XCODE_SCHEME_ENABLE_GPU_SHADER_VALIDATION" target
  property were added to tell the "Xcode" generator what to put in the
  scheme's "Metal: Shader Validation" setting.

* The "CMAKE_XCODE_SCHEME_LAUNCH_MODE" variable and corresponding
  "XCODE_SCHEME_LAUNCH_MODE" target property were added to tell the
  "Xcode" generator what to put in the scheme's "Launch" mode setting.

* The "CMAKE_XCODE_SCHEME_LAUNCH_CONFIGURATION" variable and
  corresponding "XCODE_SCHEME_LAUNCH_CONFIGURATION" target property
  were added to tell the "Xcode" generator what configuration to put
  in the scheme's Launch action.


Properties
----------

* The "_COMPILER_LAUNCHER" target property now supports
  "generator expressions".

* The "EXPORT_NO_SYSTEM" target property was added to specify that
  "install(EXPORT)" and "export()" commands will generate an imported
  target with "SYSTEM" property "OFF".

* The "SYSTEM" target property was added to specify whether a target
  should be treated as a system library (i.e. its include directories
  are automatically "SYSTEM" when compiling consumers).  If not set,
  the default is the previous behavior: on for imported targets and
  off for other targets.

* The "SYSTEM" directory property was added to initialize the "SYSTEM"
  target property for targets created in that directory.


Modules
-------

* The "FetchContent" module "FetchContent_Declare()" command gained a
  "SYSTEM" option to enable the "SYSTEM" directory property in the
  subdirectory.

* The "FindCUDAToolkit" module now provides a target for nvtx3 for
  CUDA 10.0+, which supersedes nvToolsExt. A deprecation warning is
  emitted when using "nvToolsExt" if the project requires CMake 3.25
  and CUDA 10.0+ is used.

* The "FindDoxygen" module's version handling has been improved:

  * Multiple candidate installations will now be considered, if
    needed, to satisfy version constraints.  Previously, only the
    first one encountered would be considered.

  * Version ranges are supported.

  * Variations in the version format reported by Doxygen are now
    tolerated (e.g. a trailing git commit hash).

* The "FindOpenAL" module now provides an imported target.

* The "FindOpenSP" module was added to find the OpenSP library.

* The "FindVulkan" module gained support for new components:

  "dxc"
     DirectX Shader Compiler.

  "volk"
     Volk open-source vulkan meta-loader.


CPack
-----

* The "CPack Archive Generator" gained a new
  "CPACK_ARCHIVE_FILE_EXTENSION" variable to control the package file
  name extension.

* The "CPack NSIS Generator" gained two new variables
  "CPACK_NSIS_EXECUTABLE_PRE_ARGUMENTS" and
  "CPACK_NSIS_EXECUTABLE_POST_ARGUMENTS" to provide arguments to the
  nsis executable invocation.

* The "CPack" module gained the "CPACK_READELF_EXECUTABLE",
  "CPACK_OBJCOPY_EXECUTABLE", and "CPACK_OBJDUMP_EXECUTABLE" variables
  to control the locations of binutils used by "cpack(1)".


Deprecated and Removed Features
===============================

* The "IMPORTED_NO_SYSTEM" target property has been deprecated in
  favor of "SYSTEM" and "EXPORT_NO_SYSTEM".

* The "Visual Studio 10 2010" generator has been removed.

* The "Visual Studio 11 2012" generator is now deprecated and will be
  removed in a future version of CMake.


Other Changes
=============

* On Windows, when targeting the MSVC ABI, the "find_library()"
  command now accepts ".a" file names after first considering ".lib".
  This is symmetric with existing behavior when targeting the GNU ABI,
  in which the command accepts ".lib" file names after first
  considering ".a".

* The "SSL_CERT_FILE" and "SSL_CERT_DIR" environment variables can now
  be used to override where to find certificate authorities for
  TLS/SSL operations.

* If "_CLANG_TIDY" includes a "-p" argument, the full compiler
  command line is no longer appended after "--".

* The "Xcode" generator no longer adds the per-config suffix
  "$(CONFIGURATION)$(EFFECTIVE_PLATFORM_NAME)" to library search
  paths. See policy "CMP0142".

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