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Getting Started

cmakefmt is a fast, workflow-first formatter for CMake files. This page gets you from installation to a fully formatted repository in under a minute.

Install

Section titled “Install”

Homebrew — recommended for macOS, no Rust toolchain needed:

Terminal window
brew install cmakefmt/cmakefmt/cmakefmt

Pre-built binaries — for Linux, macOS, and Windows, download the .zip / .tar.gz from GitHub Releases, extract, and place the binary on your PATH.

Cargo — for developers already using Rust, works on any platform:

Terminal window
cargo install cmakefmt-rust

Verify the install:

Terminal window
cmakefmt --version

For shell completions, editor setup, and more install options see the full Installation page.

Generate a Config

Section titled “Generate a Config”

Dump a starter config to your repository root:

Terminal window
cmakefmt --dump-config > .cmakefmt.yaml

YAML is the recommended format. Open the file and adjust options like format.line_width and style.command_case to match your project’s style. See the Config Reference for every available option.

Your First Run

Section titled “Your First Run”

Check what would change across your whole repository without touching any files:

Terminal window
cmakefmt --check .

If the output looks right, apply formatting:

Terminal window
cmakefmt --in-place .

Pre-commit Hook

Section titled “Pre-commit Hook”

Format only the files you’re about to commit:

Terminal window
cmakefmt --staged --check

The repository ships a pre-commit configuration. Install it once:

Terminal window
pre-commit install

What’s Next

Section titled “What’s Next”