CMake, Testing, and Modern Tooling for C/C++ Projects

Managing build systems and dependencies in C/C++ can quickly become complex and overwhelming. This written course guides you through modern CMake, testing frameworks, and essential development tools to streamline your workflow and build robust software. By reading through these comprehensive explanations and analyzing practical code examples, you will transition from writing simple single-file programs to structuring professional-grade C/C++ projects. You will understand how to manage external dependencies, automate your build pipeline, and ensure code quality using industry-standard static analysis and testing tools. What you'll learn: - Understand the core concepts of targets, properties, and modern CMake project structure. - Manage external libraries and packages seamlessly using VCPKG and Conan. - Write and execute automated unit tests using the modern Catch2 framework. - Configure static analysis, formatting, and sanitizers with Clang-Tidy, Clang-Format, and runtime checkers. - Generate clean, professional documentation automatically using Doxygen. - Set up continuous integration principles to automate build and test checks. The course begins with foundational build system concepts and basic CMake syntax before progressing to advanced target management, dependency resolution, and automated testing. You will explore practical code structures and configuration files designed to make your C/C++ development environment clean, portable, and efficient. This course is designed for beginner C/C++ developers, students, or software engineers transitioning from other languages who want to learn professional build systems and tooling from the ground up. No prior experience with CMake or testing frameworks is required. Start reading today to build a solid foundation in professional C/C++ project management.