Minimal Cmake Pdf [updated] Jun 2026

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.15) project(MyDoc)

Sometimes you want the PDF content to reflect CMake variables (e.g., version number). With minimal CMake, you can generate a .tex or .md file first:

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.10) project(MinimalLatexPDF) # Define the source and output set(LATEX_SOURCE "$CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR/document.tex") set(PDF_OUTPUT "$CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR/document.pdf") # Instruction to run pdflatex add_custom_command( OUTPUT $PDF_OUTPUT COMMAND pdflatex -interaction=nonstopmode $LATEX_SOURCE DEPENDS $LATEX_SOURCE WORKING_DIRECTORY $CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR ) # Create a build target add_custom_target(generate_pdf ALL DEPENDS $PDF_OUTPUT) Use code with caution. Copied to clipboard Why Use CMake for PDFs? minimal cmake pdf

For simple LaTeX projects, you only need the pdflatex or latexmk compiler.

In conclusion, the pursuit of a "Minimal CMake" is a pursuit of clarity. It is a reaction against the unnecessary complexity that plagues software infrastructure. Whether captured in a PDF cheat sheet or implemented in a sleek CMakeLists.txt , minimalism allows the build system to fulfill its true purpose: to be a silent, reliable scaffold that supports the software, rather than a chaotic structure that obscures it. By embracing the minimal, developers do not just save lines of code; they save time, reduce errors, and build a foundation that is as robust as the software it compiles. cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3

set(MD_SOURCE $CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR/manual.md) set(PDF_OUTPUT $CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR/manual.pdf)

To generate a PDF from LaTeX using CMake, you typically need two main files in your project directory: For simple LaTeX projects, you only need the

: It ensures that anyone with the repository can build the PDF regardless of their OS, provided they have a LaTeX distribution like MiKTeX or TeX Live.

This preserves the minimal philosophy: no hard failures, just feature detection.

However, achieving minimalism requires discipline. It requires the knowledge of what to leave out. This is where the "PDF" metaphor holds power—it implies a curated selection of best practices. It means knowing that target_link_libraries with PRIVATE and PUBLIC visibility modifiers is superior to include_directories for every subdirectory. It means understanding that modern CMake is about targets, not variables. The "Minimal CMake" is not about lacking features; it is about utilizing the right features to express intent with the fewest words possible.

A minimal CMake setup for PDF generation relies on: