Multiple source directories for one executable with CMake

Question

I want my source organised in a number of subdirectories but be able to create a single executable without having to build a library for each subdirectory. Can CMake do this

Answer 1

Another (arguably better for big code bases) variant is to use a separate CMakeLists.txt for each sub-directory where you isolate adding sources of the directory to a target using target_sources and maybe some particular configuration settings \ include conditions for those sources:

target_sources( SomeExeOrLib PRIVATE source1.h source1.cpp )

here you also have more control of the scope by specifying PRIVATE, other options are INTERFACE or PUBLIC. See details here: https://cmake.org/cmake/help/v3.3/command/target_sources.html