CMake

CMake is a cross-platform build system generator. It is used to easily integrate a project/library into another project.

Overview

CMake is a cross-platform build system generator. It is used to easily integrate a project/library into another project. It also offers the possibility to configure the build with different options, to enable or disable components, or to integrate custom scripts executions during the configuration/build phase.

LVGL includes CMake natively, which means that one can use it to configure and build LVGL directly or integrate it into a higher level cmake build.

This project uses CMakePresets to ensure an easy build. Find out more on Cmake Presets here: https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/manual/cmake-presets.7.html

Prerequisites

You need to install

• CMake with GNU make or Ninja (for Linux builds). Be sure to add ninja/make to your PATH!
• The prerequisites listed in scripts/install-prerequisites.sh/bat
• A python3 interpreter if you wish to use KConfig.

How to build this project using cmake

Build with Command line

The simplest way to build LVGL using cmake is to use the command line calls:

# Method 1
cd <lvgl_repo>
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..            # Configure phase
cmake --build .     # Build phase

# Method 2
cd <lvgl_repo>
cmake -B build      # Configure phase
cmake --build build # build phase

Build with cmake presets

Another way to build this project is to use the provided CMakePresets.json or pass options using the command line. The CMakePresets.json file describes some cmake configurations and build phase. It is a way to quickly use a set of predefined cmake options.

For now, these configuration presets are available:

• windows-base: A Windows configuration, using VS MSVC. Uses lv_conf.h as the configuration system.
• windows-kconfig: A Windows configuration, using VS MSVC. Uses Kconfig as the configuration system.
• linux-base: A Linux configuration, using Ninja and GCC. Uses lv_conf.h as the configuration system.
• linux-kconfig: A Linux configuration, using Ninja and GCC. Uses Kconfig as the configuration system.

And these build presets:

• windows-base_dbg: Windows Debug build.
• windows-base_rel: Windows Release build.
• linux-base_dbg: Linux Debug build.
• linux-base_rel: Linux Release build.

Here is how to build using the presets:

cmake --preset windows-base
cmake --build --preset windows-base_dbg
ctest --preset windows-base_dbg

Build with IDE

The recommended way for consuming CMakePresets is a CMakePresets aware IDE such as

• VS 2022
• VS Code
• CLion

Simply load this project into your IDE and select your desired preset and you are good to go.

Build with CMake GUI

Open this project with CMake GUI and select your desired preset. When hitting the generate button, CMake will create solution files (for VS) or Ninja Files (for Linux Ninja Build)

The following targets are available.

• lvgl (the actual library, required)
• lvgl_thorvg (a vector graphics extension, optional)
• lvgl_examples (example usages, optional)
• lvgl_demos (some demos, optional)

All optional targets can be disabled by setting the proper cache variables. If you use cmake to install lvgl, 3 folders will be created.

• include/lvgl (contains all public headers)
• bin (contains all binaries (*.dll))
• lib (contains all precompiled source files (*.lib))

Integrate LVGL to your project using cmake

The LVGL cmake system is made to be integrated into higher level projects. To do so, simply add this to your project's CMakeLists.txt.

This snippet adds LVGL and needs an lv_conf.h file present next to the lvgl folder:

add_subdirectory(lvgl)

This snippet sets up LVGL and tells it which lv_conf.h file to use:

set(LV_BUILD_CONF_PATH path/to/my_lv_conf.h)
add_subdirectory(lvgl)

This snippet sets up LVGL and points to the folder where lv_conf.h is located:

set(LV_BUILD_CONF_DIR path/to/directory)
add_subdirectory(lvgl)

This snippet adds LVGL and specifies to use Kconfig as the configuration system:

set(LV_BUILD_USE_KCONFIG ON)
add_subdirectory(lvgl)

This snippet adds LVGL and specifies to use Kconfig as the configuration system and to use a specific defconfig:

set(LV_BUILD_USE_KCONFIG ON)
set(LV_BUILD_DEFCONFIG_PATH path/to/my_defconfig)
add_subdirectory(lvgl)

To enable the demos and examples set these options:

set(CONFIG_LV_BUILD_EXAMPLES ON)
set(CONFIG_LV_BUILD_DEMOS ON)
add_subdirectory(lvgl)

Dependency Management

When LV_BUILD_SET_CONFIG_OPTS is enabled, LVGL can automatically resolve, and optionally fetch, the dependencies required by the features enabled in lv_conf.h. For example, enabling LV_USE_WAYLAND in lv_conf.h will cause LVGL to find or fetch the Wayland libraries automatically.

Dependency resolution is attempted in this order:

1. find_package — uses CMake's built-in package discovery
2. pkg-config — uses the system's pkg-config tool (Linux/macOS)
3. FetchContent — fetches and builds the dependency from source

Each strategy can be disabled globally or per dependency. This is particularly useful for cross-compilation environments where system libraries should not be used.

Disabling system resolution globally (e.g. for cross-compilation):

cmake -DLV_USE_FIND_PACKAGE=OFF -DLV_USE_PKG_CONFIG=OFF ..

Disabling system resolution for a specific dependency only:

cmake -DLV_USE_FIND_PACKAGE_FREETYPE=OFF -DLV_USE_PKG_CONFIG_FREETYPE=OFF ..

Disabling automatic fetching from source:

cmake -DLV_FETCH_DEPENDENCIES=OFF ..

Fetched dependency sources are cached in the .deps directory at the root of your project, so they are not re-downloaded between builds.

Below is a list of the available options/variables