# xmake — Cross-Platform Build Utility in Lua

> xmake is a lightweight, cross-platform build utility based on Lua that combines a build system, package manager, and project generator for C, C++, Rust, Go, and more.

## Install

Save the content below to `.claude/skills/` or append to your `CLAUDE.md`:

# xmake — Cross-Platform Build Utility in Lua

## Quick Use
```bash
# Install on Linux/macOS
curl -fsSL https://xmake.io/shget.text | bash

# Create a new C++ project
xmake create -l c++ myproject && cd myproject

# Build and run
xmake && xmake run
```

## Introduction
xmake is a build system and package manager driven by Lua-based build scripts. It offers a concise syntax for describing build targets, handles dependency management through its own package repository, and generates project files for IDEs like VS Code, Visual Studio, and Xcode.

## What xmake Does
- Builds C, C++, Objective-C, Rust, Go, D, and assembly projects with automatic toolchain detection
- Manages dependencies via a built-in package manager with a repository of over 1,500 packages
- Generates IDE project files (CMakeLists, Makefile, Ninja, VS solution) from a single xmake.lua
- Supports cross-compilation for Android, iOS, embedded targets, and WASM out of the box
- Provides an interactive configuration menu (xmake f --menu) similar to Linux kernel menuconfig

## Architecture Overview
xmake uses a two-phase approach: first it configures the project by detecting toolchains and resolving dependencies, then it executes a parallel build graph. Build descriptions live in xmake.lua files written in a DSL built on top of Lua. The package manager resolves remote packages from xmake-repo or Conan/Vcpkg registries and caches them locally. A build cache and distributed compilation mode (via distcc integration) speed up large projects.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Install via curl one-liner, Homebrew, Scoop, or build from source
- Project configuration lives in a single xmake.lua file at the project root
- Use `xmake require` to add third-party libraries; they are fetched, built, and cached automatically
- Configure toolchains with `xmake f --toolchain=clang` or set cross-compilation targets
- Integrate with CI by running `xmake install -o /output` to produce installable artifacts

## Key Features
- Lua-based build scripts that are concise and readable compared to CMake or Makefiles
- Built-in package manager with a growing repository, plus integration with Conan and Vcpkg
- Multi-language support: C, C++, Rust, Go, D, and more in a single project
- One-command IDE project generation for VS, Xcode, CMake, and Ninja
- Incremental builds with header dependency tracking and optional distributed compilation

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **CMake** — industry standard with wider adoption, but more verbose and complex syntax
- **Meson** — Python-based build system with similar speed goals, but no built-in package manager
- **Bazel** — Google-scale build system with hermetic builds, but steep learning curve
- **Premake** — Lua-based project generator, but focused on IDE file generation rather than building
- **SCons** — Python-based build tool, mature but slower on large projects

## FAQ
**Q: Can xmake build existing CMake projects?**
A: xmake can import CMakeLists.txt and wrap CMake projects, letting you use xmake's package manager alongside existing CMake targets.

**Q: Does xmake support Windows?**
A: Yes. It detects MSVC, MinGW, and Clang toolchains on Windows and supports building from cmd, PowerShell, or MSYS2.

**Q: How does the package manager compare to Conan or Vcpkg?**
A: xmake's package manager is tightly integrated with the build system. It can also pull packages from Conan and Vcpkg registries as fallback sources.

**Q: Is xmake suitable for large-scale projects?**
A: Yes. Its parallel build engine and distributed compilation support handle projects with thousands of source files efficiently.

## Sources
- https://github.com/xmake-io/xmake
- https://xmake.io/

---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/xmake-cross-platform-build-utility-lua-37e5c5a6
Author: Script Depot