I built a Cargo-like build tool for C/C++

In plain words

Craft is a lightweight build tool for C and C++ that simplifies project setup through a simple craft.toml configuration file instead of writing CMake manually. Developers define project settings, language standards, and build types in plain configuration, then run craft build to automatically generate CMakeLists.txt and compile. It streamlines dependency management through commands that add libraries from Git repositories, local paths, or package managers, eliminating boilerplate and configuration friction for developers starting new C and C++ projects.

written from the facts on this page · September 2026

From the sources

A lightweight build and workflow tool for C/C++. Contribute to randerson112/craft development by creating an account on GitHub.

C and C++ development has always required wrestling with CMake, configuring build systems, and manually managing dependencies. Craft eliminates that friction. You describe your project in a simple craft.toml file and Craft handles the rest by generating CMake configuration, managing dependencies, and providing a clean command-line interface that feels modern and smooth. # Create a new project craft project my_app cd my_app # Add a dependency craft add --git https://github.com/raysan5/raylib.git --links raylib # Build it craft build # Run it craft run What Craft Solves One file defines your project Describe your project in a simple, readable config: [ project ] name = " my_app " version = "…from github.com

In the maker’s words, at launch

I love C and C++, but setting up projects can sometimes be a pain. Every time I wanted to start something new I'd spend the first hour writing CMakeLists.txt, figuring out find_package, copying boilerplate from my last project, and googling why my library isn't linking. By the time the project was actually set up I'd…

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