DotNameCpp — Advanced C++ Development Template

Overview

Keyboard-driven C++ template for VSCode: configure, build, test, format, coverage, docs, and package—all via shortcuts. Works across Linux/macOS/Windows/Emscripten with deterministic automation via SolutionController.py.

QuickStart Video

Why?

Keyboard-first: One shortcut → structured task chain
Modern stack: CMake presets + Conan 2 + cross/wasm support
Built-in quality: clang-format, clang-tidy, coverage, Doxygen
Dual target: Reusable library + application

Quick Start

Clone Template

git clone git@github.com:tomasmark79/DotNameCpp.git

Quick clone with auto-rename - add to your .bashrc / .zshrc:

clonedotname() {
    local PN="${1:-DotNameCpp}"
    git clone git@github.com:tomasmark79/DotNameCpp.git "$PN" && \
    rm -rf "$PN/.git" && \
    cd "$PN" && \
    python SolutionRenamer.py DotNameLib "$PN"Lib DotNameApplication "$PN"App && \
    code .
}

Then use: clonedotname MyProject

Recommended: VSCode Workflow

Open in VSCode and use keyboard shortcuts:

Shift+F7 → "Zero to Hero"    # Complete setup, build, test, package
F7                              # Quick rebuild
F5                              # Start debugging

GitHub Codespaces

Click Code → Codespaces → Create codespace on GitHub for instant cloud environment.

VSCode Keyboard Workflow

Keyboard-first development: every major action = shortcut → menu → deterministic scripted sequence.

Core Development Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action	Description
F5	Quick Debug	Start debugging application
F7	Quick Build	Build application (default Debug)
Shift+F7	Build Menu	PRIMARY BUILD WORKFLOW - Access all build tasks
Ctrl+F7	Other Tasks	Utilities, formatting, documentation, coverage
Ctrl+Alt+R	Run Application	Execute the built application binary
Ctrl+Alt+E	Launch Emscripten	Build and serve WebAssembly version
Ctrl+Alt+P	Build All Presets	Build all CMake presets

Build Tasks Menu (Shift+F7)

The primary development workflow - this menu contains all essential build operations:

Zero to Build: Complete clean build workflow
Zero to Hero: Full development cycle (build, test, package)
Conan Install: Install/update dependencies
CMake Configure: Configure build system
CMake Configure with Coverage: Configure with code coverage
Build: Compile the project
Run Tests: Execute test suite
Clean selected folder: Clean build artifacts
Install built components: Install built components
Create Tarballs: Package for distribution

Utility Tasks Menu (Ctrl+F7)

Secondary workflow for code quality and maintenance:

Format Code: Apply clang-format to all C++ files
Format CMake: Format all CMake files
clang-tidy linting: Run static analysis
Generate Documentation: Create Doxygen docs
Coverage Tasks from Other Menu: Quick access to coverage analysis
Build All CMakeUserPresets.json: Build all presets

Code Quality Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action	Description
Ctrl+Alt+F	Format Code	Run clang-format recursively on whole project
Ctrl+Alt+L	Lint Code	Run clang-tidy analysis
Ctrl+Alt+M	Format CMake	Run cmake-format recursively on CMake files

Coverage Analysis Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action	Description
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+C	Configure with Coverage	Configure build with coverage enabled
Ctrl+Alt+H	Coverage HTML Report	Generate and open HTML coverage report
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+H	Coverage Full Report	Generate both HTML and XML coverage reports
Ctrl+Alt+T	Coverage Tasks from Other Menu	Show detailed coverage task options

Recommended Development Flow

First run: Shift+F7 → "Zero to Hero" (installs, configures, builds, tests, packages)
Iterate: F7 build → F5 debug → edit → repeat
Quality: Ctrl+F7 utilities (format / tidy / docs)
Tests: Shift+F7 → "Run Tests"
Coverage (native default only): Ctrl+Alt+H

Pro Tips

Shortcuts configurable via .vscode/keybindings.json
Works identically across Linux / macOS / Windows (and wasm where applicable)

Build Methods

Method 1: VSCode Shortcuts (Recommended)

Use the keyboard shortcuts detailed in the VSCode Keyboard Workflow section for a seamless development experience.

💡 Note: All build operations are orchestrated by SolutionController.py, which handles Conan dependencies, CMake configuration, and build execution automatically. The raw commands shown in Method 2 are provided for reference and advanced users only - in normal workflow, you simply use VSCode shortcuts and the controller manages everything for you.

Method 2: CMake + Conan (Raw Commands)

⚠️ Advanced Users Only: These raw commands are typically not needed - SolutionController.py (invoked via VSCode shortcuts) handles all of this automatically. Use these only for manual control, CI/CD pipelines, or understanding the build process internals.

Native Builds

# Linux/macOS - Complete workflow
conan install . --output-folder=build/application/default/debug \
  -s build_type=Debug -s compiler.cppstd=20 -pr default -b=missing

cmake -B build/application/default/debug \
  -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=build/application/default/debug/conan_toolchain.cmake \
  -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
  -DBUILD_LIBRARY=ON -DBUILD_APPLICATION=ON

cmake --build build/application/default/debug --config Debug -j $(nproc)
ctest --test-dir build/application/default/debug

# Windows (PowerShell)
conan install . --output-folder=build/application/default/debug `
  -s build_type=Debug -s compiler.cppstd=20 -pr default -b=missing

cmake -B build/application/default/debug `
  -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=build/application/default/debug/conan_toolchain.cmake `
  -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug `
  -DBUILD_LIBRARY=ON -DBUILD_APPLICATION=ON

cmake --build build/application/default/debug --config Debug
ctest --test-dir build/application/default/debug

Cross-Compilation Examples

# Emscripten (WebAssembly)
conan install . --output-folder=build/application/emscripten/debug \
  -s build_type=Debug -s compiler.cppstd=20 \
  -pr:host=emscripten -pr:build=default -b=missing

source build/application/emscripten/debug/conanbuild.sh
cmake -B build/application/emscripten/debug \
  -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=build/application/emscripten/debug/conan_toolchain.cmake \
  -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
  -DBUILD_LIBRARY=ON -DBUILD_APPLICATION=ON \
  -DPLATFORM=Web

cmake --build build/application/emscripten/debug

# MinGW (Windows cross-compile from Linux)
conan install . --output-folder=build/application/x86_64_w64_mingw32/debug \
  -s build_type=Debug -s compiler.cppstd=20 \
  -pr:host=x86_64_w64_mingw32 -pr:build=default -b=missing

source build/application/x86_64_w64_mingw32/debug/conanbuild.sh
cmake -B build/application/x86_64_w64_mingw32/debug \
  -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=build/application/x86_64_w64_mingw32/debug/conan_toolchain.cmake \
  -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
  -DBUILD_LIBRARY=ON -DBUILD_APPLICATION=ON

cmake --build build/application/x86_64_w64_mingw32/debug

# ARM64/aarch64 (Raspberry Pi cross-compile from Linux)
conan install . --output-folder=build/application/rpi4_glibc2.36_gcc12.4/debug \
  -s build_type=Debug -s compiler.cppstd=20 \
  -pr:host=rpi4_glibc2.36_gcc12.4 -pr:build=default -b=missing

source build/application/rpi4_glibc2.36_gcc12.4/debug/conanbuild.sh
cmake -B build/application/rpi4_glibc2.36_gcc12.4/debug \
  -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=build/application/rpi4_glibc2.36_gcc12.4/debug/conan_toolchain.cmake \
  -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
  -DBUILD_LIBRARY=ON -DBUILD_APPLICATION=ON

cmake --build build/application/rpi4_glibc2.36_gcc12.4/debug

Build Type Variations

# Release build
conan install . --output-folder=build/application/default/release \
  -s build_type=Release -s compiler.cppstd=20 -pr default -b=missing

cmake -B build/application/default/release \
  -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=build/application/default/release/conan_toolchain.cmake \
  -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
  -DBUILD_LIBRARY=ON -DBUILD_APPLICATION=ON

cmake --build build/application/default/release --config Release

# Release with Debug Info
conan install . --output-folder=build/application/default/relwithdebinfo \
  -s build_type=RelWithDebInfo -s compiler.cppstd=20 -pr default -b=missing

cmake -B build/application/default/relwithdebinfo \
  -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=build/application/default/relwithdebinfo/conan_toolchain.cmake \
  -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo \
  -DBUILD_LIBRARY=ON -DBUILD_APPLICATION=ON

cmake --build build/application/default/relwithdebinfo

# Minimum Size Release
conan install . --output-folder=build/application/default/minsizerel \
  -s build_type=MinSizeRel -s compiler.cppstd=20 -pr default -b=missing

cmake -B build/application/default/minsizerel \
  -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=build/application/default/minsizerel/conan_toolchain.cmake \
  -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=MinSizeRel \
  -DBUILD_LIBRARY=ON -DBUILD_APPLICATION=ON

cmake --build build/application/default/minsizerel

Advanced Options

# Code coverage (native Debug builds only)
conan install . --output-folder=build/application/default/debug \
  -s build_type=Debug -s compiler.cppstd=20 -pr default -b=missing

cmake -B build/application/default/debug \
  -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=build/application/default/debug/conan_toolchain.cmake \
  -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
  -DBUILD_LIBRARY=ON -DBUILD_APPLICATION=ON \
  -DENABLE_COVERAGE=ON

cmake --build build/application/default/debug
ctest --test-dir build/application/default/debug
gcovr --html-details coverage.html --root .

# With sanitizers (Debug only)
cmake -B build/application/default/debug \
  -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=build/application/default/debug/conan_toolchain.cmake \
  -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
  -DBUILD_LIBRARY=ON -DBUILD_APPLICATION=ON \
  -DSANITIZE_ADDRESS=ON

# With Link-Time Optimization (Release builds)
cmake -B build/application/default/release \
  -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=build/application/default/release/conan_toolchain.cmake \
  -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
  -DBUILD_LIBRARY=ON -DBUILD_APPLICATION=ON \
  -DENABLE_IPO=ON

# With hardening enabled
cmake -B build/application/default/release \
  -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=build/application/default/release/conan_toolchain.cmake \
  -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
  -DBUILD_LIBRARY=ON -DBUILD_APPLICATION=ON \
  -DENABLE_HARDENING=ON

# Library only build
conan install . --output-folder=build/library/default/debug \
  -s build_type=Debug -s compiler.cppstd=20 -pr default -b=missing

cmake -B build/library/default/debug \
  -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=build/library/default/debug/conan_toolchain.cmake \
  -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug \
  -DBUILD_LIBRARY=ON -DBUILD_APPLICATION=OFF

cmake --build build/library/default/debug

Utility Commands

# List available CMake presets
cmake --list-presets

# Clean build
rm -rf build/application/default/debug
cmake --build build/application/default/debug --target clean

# Install built artifacts
cmake --install build/application/default/debug --prefix install

# Create distribution package
cd build/application/default/debug
cpack -G TGZ

# Run specific test
ctest --test-dir build/application/default/debug -R TestName

# Verbose build output
cmake --build build/application/default/debug --verbose

# Show Conan profile
conan profile show --profile default
conan profile show --profile x86_64_w64_mingw32

Build Options

option(ENABLE_GTESTS "Build and run unit tests" ON)
option(ENABLE_CCACHE "Use ccache compiler cache" ON)
option(ENABLE_COVERAGE "Enable code coverage analysis" OFF)
option(ENABLE_IPO "Enable link-time optimization" OFF)
option(ENABLE_HARDENING "Enable security hardening" OFF)
option(SANITIZE_ADDRESS "Enable address sanitizer" OFF)

Prerequisites

Essential Tools

Tool	Minimum Version	Purpose	Installation
Git	2.25+	Version control	Download
CMake	3.31+	Build system	Download
Conan	2.0+	Package manager	`pip install conan`
Python	3.8+	Automation scripts	Download
Ninja	1.10+	Build tool	Download
VSCode	Latest	IDE	Download

Recommended Tools

Tool	Purpose	Installation
ccache	Compilation cache	Download
clang-tidy	Static analysis	Part of LLVM
clang-format	Code formatting	Part of LLVM (base config: `clang-format -style=llvm -dump-config > .clang-format` + small individual adjustments)
cmake-format	CMake formatting	`pip install cmake-format`
Doxygen	Documentation	Download
gcovr	Code coverage	`pip install gcovr`
Emscripten	WebAssembly compilation	Download

Supported Compilers

Platform	Compilers	Versions
Linux	GCC, Clang	GCC 11+, Clang 14+
macOS	Clang, GCC	Xcode 14+, GCC 11+
Windows	MSVC, Clang, GCC	VS 2022, Clang 14+, MinGW 11+
Emscripten	emcc	3.1.0+

CMake Dependencies (Forked for Stability)

This project uses forked versions of key CMake utilities hosted on the maintainer's GitHub for future stability and version control:

CPM.cmake - CMake package manager for automated dependency fetching
PackageProject.cmake - CMake library packaging and installation helper
CPMLicenses.cmake - Automated third-party license collection

Note: These forks ensure long-term stability and allow for custom modifications if upstream changes break compatibility. The original projects are properly credited in respective repositories.

Development Tools

Static Analysis: Ctrl+Alt+L (clang-tidy - requires build artifacts)
Code Formatting: Ctrl+Alt+F (C++), Ctrl+Alt+M (CMake)
Documentation: Ctrl+F7 → "Generate Documentation" (Doxygen)
Code Coverage: Ctrl+Alt+H (native builds only)

Maintenance Scripts

SolutionRenamer.py

Rename project from template defaults:

python3 SolutionRenamer.py DotNameLib NewAwesomeLib DotNameApplication NewAwesomeApplication

SolutionUpgrader.py

Sync files from upstream template:

python SolutionUpgrader.py -i    # Interactive mode
python SolutionUpgrader.py -c    # Check for updates
python SolutionUpgrader.py -u README.md  # Update specific file

SolutionController.py

Central automation hub (normally accessed via VSCode shortcuts):

python SolutionController.py <product> "<task>" <arch> [build_type]

# Examples:
python SolutionController.py application "Build" default Debug
python SolutionController.py both "Zero to Hero" default Release

License

Important Notes

Coverage: Native default Debug builds only
Emscripten: Requires appropriate Conan profile (not auto-installed)
Cross-compilation: Conan profiles must be created manually
CI/CD: See badges at top for current build status

For support: Open an issue · Discussions

Happy coding!

Back to top

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 188 Commits
.github/workflows		.github/workflows
.vscode		.vscode
application		application
assets		assets
cmake		cmake
include/DotNameLib		include/DotNameLib
src/Utils		src/Utils
.ccls		.ccls
.clang-format		.clang-format
.clang-format-ignore		.clang-format-ignore
.clangd		.clangd
.cmake-format		.cmake-format
.gitattributes		.gitattributes
.gitignore		.gitignore
CMakeLists.txt		CMakeLists.txt
Doxyfile		Doxyfile
LICENSE		LICENSE
README.md		README.md
SolutionController.py		SolutionController.py
SolutionRenamer.py		SolutionRenamer.py
SolutionUpgrader.py		SolutionUpgrader.py
conanfile.py		conanfile.py
conantools.py		conantools.py

License

tomasmark79/DotNameCpp

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Latest commit

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DotNameCpp — Advanced C++ Development Template

Table of Contents

Overview

Why?

Quick Start

Clone Template

Recommended: VSCode Workflow

GitHub Codespaces

VSCode Keyboard Workflow

Core Development Shortcuts

Build Tasks Menu (Shift+F7)

Utility Tasks Menu (Ctrl+F7)

Code Quality Shortcuts

Coverage Analysis Shortcuts

Recommended Development Flow

Pro Tips

Build Methods

Method 1: VSCode Shortcuts (Recommended)

Method 2: CMake + Conan (Raw Commands)

Native Builds

Cross-Compilation Examples

Build Type Variations

Advanced Options

Utility Commands

Build Options

Prerequisites

Essential Tools

Recommended Tools

Supported Compilers

CMake Dependencies (Forked for Stability)

Development Tools

Maintenance Scripts

SolutionRenamer.py

SolutionUpgrader.py

SolutionController.py

License

Important Notes

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