addexecutable

add_executable is a CMake command used to declare an executable target. It collects one or more source files and configures a build rule that compiles them into an executable with the given target name. The command is part of CMake’s target-based approach to describing a project’s build.

Syntax: add_executable(<name> [WIN32] [MACOSX_BUNDLE] [EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL] [sources...])

Examples: add_executable(MyApp main.cpp utils.cpp)

The created target can be configured and extended with other CMake commands. For instance, you can link libraries with target_link_libraries(MyApp PRIVATE m), specify include directories with target_include_directories(MyApp PUBLIC include), or set compile options with target_compile_options(MyApp PRIVATE -Wall). You can also control properties such as the C++ standard via target_compile_features or target_compile_options.

Special options: WIN32 selects a Windows GUI subsystem for the executable, MACOSX_BUNDLE creates a macOS application bundle, and EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL prevents the target from being built when the all target is built (useful for libraries or tools that should not build by default).

Relation to the build system: add_executable does not perform compilation itself; it communicates to CMake how to generate the build rules for the chosen generator (Makefiles, Ninja, Visual Studio, etc.). When the project is configured and the build is run, the generator creates the necessary steps to compile the sources and link them into the executable.

Comparison with add_library: add_executable defines a binary target meant to produce an executable, whereas add_library defines a library (static or shared) that other targets can link against. Both are central to CMake’s modern, target-centered approach to project configuration.