An alternative build system where you write your build script in c++. Something like this could be in the c++ standard for simple programs.

You can use this file on Windows with the MinGW compiler. Put the files cppbuild.cmd and cppbuild.hpp in any folder from your PATH. Then create your build file with the name __build__.cpp and add the following code to this file:

#include <cppbuild.hpp>

int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
    cppbuild::init(argc, argv);

    cppbuild::Target target("program");

    target.files({
                "program.cpp",
                "library.cpp",
            });

    target.includeDirs({
        "include",
    });

    return 0;
}

This will create one target with the name program that will compile and link the files program.cpp and library.cpp into program.exe. It will add the include directory as -I parameter to the compiler.

The following methods can be used on the cppbuild::Target class:

• files - Adds files to compile
• includeDirs - Adds directories with the -I parameter
• libraries - Adds libraries with the -l parameter
• libraryDirs - Adds directories with the -L parameter
• compilerFlags - Adds compiler flags
• linkerFlags - Adds linker flags
• installDir - Adds directory to install build artifacts into
• installFiles - Adds files to install

To build your program open a commandline window at the folder containing the __build__.cpp and type cppbuild.

The following parameters can be passed to the cppbuild command:

• clean - Cleans all build files
• build - Builds all project targets
• test - Runs all project tests
• run - Runs project target
• install - Installs the project