CMake for VS Code

The tool analyzes CMake projects within code editors by reading CMakeLists.txt, generator selection, and optional toolchain references to produce a reproducible build plan. It is used by developers, build engineers, and students when starting new CMake-based projects, migrating existing ones, or auditing configurations. The goal is to produce a reproducible, IDE-friendly plan without performing a full build. The user supplies the project root, optional generator, and toolchain references; the tool returns a validated configuration snapshot and actionable recommendations.

Conceptually, it infers the intended build by validating the presence of CMakeLists, selecting a generator, and proposing a build directory and flags. It enumerates targets from the project, checks for out-of-source builds, and suggests sensible defaults for common scenarios. Core features include parsing project() declarations, variable propagation, and basic dependency awareness to surface problematic configurations before building.

Users benefit by faster onboarding, fewer misconfigurations, and consistent results across machines. The tool's unique value lies in its ability to perform a dry-run style validation without compiling, offering exportable summaries, and a structured error surface that helps diagnose missing toolchains, incompatible generators, or incomplete toolchain files. Use cases include new project setup, cross-platform builds, and automation of CI configuration.

Core features and use cases include: generator validation, toolchain awareness, preset support, target discovery, and build-dir suggestions. The tool outputs a configuration snapshot with generator, build type, minimum CMake version, discovered targets, and recommended flags. It can be integrated into workflows that require reproducible builds and IDE-agnostic guidance.