To effectively use CMake with C projects, you need to understand its typical workflow, which is designed to simplify and organize the build process. The workflow consists of several clear steps that help you manage your project's configuration and compilation in a structured manner.

First, you start by writing a CMakeLists.txt file. This file acts as the central script that describes your project to CMake. In the CMakeLists.txt, you specify details such as the minimum required CMake version, the project name, the source files, and any instructions for building executables or libraries. This file is placed at the root of your project directory.

Once your CMakeLists.txt is ready, you move to the configuration step. During configuration, you run the cmake command and point it to your project directory. CMake reads the CMakeLists.txt, checks your system for required tools and compilers, and prepares to generate the appropriate build files. This step allows you to tailor the build process to your environment, such as choosing build types or setting compiler flags.

After configuration, CMake generates build files for your chosen build system. These files could be Makefiles, Ninja files, or project files for IDEs like Visual Studio, depending on your platform and preferences. The generated files are placed in a separate build directory, which helps keep your source code clean and organized.

The final step is building the project. You use your build system (such as running make if Makefiles were generated) to compile the code and produce the final executables or libraries. This step is completely separate from configuration, which means you can rebuild as often as needed without reconfiguring unless you change the project structure or settings.

A key aspect of CMake's workflow is its separation of configuration from build. Configuration is the process of analyzing your project and environment, while the build step is where compilation actually happens. This separation is beneficial for several reasons:

• It keeps your source directory clean by placing all build artifacts in a separate build directory;
• It allows you to use multiple build directories with different configurations (such as Debug or Release) without modifying your source files;
• It makes it easy to rebuild or clean your project without affecting your original code;
• It improves reproducibility and portability, since the configuration step adapts your project to different platforms and toolchains.

Understanding and following this workflow will help you avoid common pitfalls and make your build process efficient and maintainable.

A key aspect of CMake's workflow is its separation of configuration from build. Configuration is the process of analyzing your project and environment, while the build step is where compilation actually happens. This separation is beneficial for several reasons:

• It keeps your source directory clean by placing all build artifacts in a separate build directory;
• It allows you to use multiple build directories with different configurations (such as Debug or Release) without modifying your source files;
• It makes it easy to rebuild or clean your project without affecting your original code;
• It improves reproducibility and portability, since the configuration step adapts your project to different platforms and toolchains.

Understanding and following this workflow will help you avoid common pitfalls and make your build process efficient and maintainable.