[pjmlp]

It really isn't, but it is a bit like democracy, it could be better, but given the landscape and IDE integration capabilities, it is the best the C and C++ community alongside tool vendors have agreed upon.

I certainly rather use CMake, even if I need an open book on the side, than Gradle, Blaze, autotools, yet another Python based build tool,....

However, most of the times, since my use of C++ is related to personal projects, IDE project files are more than enough, they have been serving me well for the last 30 years.

[IshKebab]

> it is the best the C and C++ community alongside tool vendors have agreed upon.

Well yeah but only because it's the only build tool that the C++ community has vaguely agreed upon.

Meson and Bazel are much better, but also much less popular.

[pjmlp]

Certainly not better in their dependency on Python and JVM, or IDE integration across Qt Creator, KDevelop, Visual Studio, Android Studio, Clion, VSCode, C++ Builder.

[plorkyeran]

CMake has working Xcode support, while Meson has an unmaintained proof-of-concept hackjob that doesn't work. I really like a lot of what Meson does, but as long as I have to choose between working IDE support and a good project definition language I'm always going to choose the first.

[nottorp]

The fact that there simply isn't a widely accepted build system just means it's not a solved problem yet.