Xmake Feature Check

Feature & Capability Checks

Xmake can probe the target toolchain at configure time for:

• Does a compiler flag work? (check_cflags, check_cxxflags)
• Does a C/C++ function exist? (has_cfuncs, has_cxxfuncs)
• Does a type exist? (has_ctypes, has_cxxtypes)
• Does an include exist? (has_cincludes, has_cxxincludes)
• Does an arbitrary snippet compile? (check_csnippets, check_cxxsnippets)
• Does a C++ feature work? (has_features("cxx_constexpr"), …)
• Is a tool/program on PATH? (find_tool, find_program)
• Is a library findable? (find_package)

Use these to branch configuration on capability instead of hard-coding if is_plat(...).

In an option (the declarative form)

Options have a short-hand for capability probes — if the probe succeeds, the option is automatically enabled.

option("has_avx2")
    add_cxflags("-mavx2")
    add_cxxincludes("immintrin.h")
    add_cxxsnippets("int f(){ return _mm256_set1_epi32(1)[0]; }")
option_end()

target("app")
    if has_config("has_avx2") then
        add_cxflags("-mavx2")
        add_defines("HAVE_AVX2=1")
    end

At configure time xmake compiles the snippet with -mavx2 and the header — the option becomes true if the whole probe succeeds, false otherwise. Transparently handles cross-compile, different compilers, and cached results.

Short-hands available in option():

| API | Probes | | --- | --- | | add_cincludes("x.h") | #include compiles | | add_cxxincludes("x.hpp") | C++ header is usable | | add_ctypes("ssize_t") | type exists | | add_cxxtypes("std::filesystem::path") | C++ type exists | | add_cfuncs("pthread_create") | function is linkable | | add_cxxfuncs("std::thread") | C++ function/class is usable | | add_csnippets("snippet code") | arbitrary C snippet compiles | | add_cxxsnippets("snippet code") | arbitrary C++ snippet compiles | | add_cflags / add_cxflags | flag probe | | add_features("c_static_assert") | named compiler feature | | add_links("foo") | library links |

The option succeeds only if all configured probes pass.

In a script hook (the imperative form)

For complex logic, probe from on_config / on_load using lib.detect.*:

target("app")
    on_config(function (target)
        import("lib.detect.check_cxsnippets")
        import("lib.detect.has_cfuncs")

        if has_cfuncs("pthread_create", {includes = "pthread.h"}) then
            target:add("syslinks", "pthread")
            target:add("defines", "HAVE_PTHREAD")
        end

        if check_cxsnippets([[
            #include 
            int main() { std::filesystem::path p; return 0; }
        ]], {configs = {languages = "c++17"}}) then
            target:add("defines", "HAVE_STD_FILESYSTEM")
        end
    end)

Common detect modules:

import("lib.detect.find_tool")          -- program on PATH / SDK
import("lib.detect.find_program")       -- lower-level program probe
import("lib.detect.find_package")       -- library pkg-config / xmake lookup
import("lib.detect.find_library")       -- find a library file
import("lib.detect.find_file")          -- find a file in search dirs
import("lib.detect.find_path")          -- find a dir that contains a file
import("lib.detect.find_cudadevices")   -- CUDA devices
import("lib.detect.has_flags")          -- does the compiler accept this flag?
import("lib.detect.has_cfuncs")
import("lib.detect.has_cxxfuncs")
import("lib.detect.has_ctypes")
import("lib.detect.has_cxxtypes")
import("lib.detect.has_cincludes")
import("lib.detect.has_cxxincludes")
import("lib.detect.has_features")
import("lib.detect.check_csnippets")
import("lib.detect.check_cxxsnippets")
import("lib.detect.check_cflags")
import("lib.detect.check_cxxflags")
import("lib.detect.check_ldflags")

find_tool

import("lib.detect.find_tool")
local protoc = find_tool("protoc")
if protoc then
    print("found protoc at %s (version %s)", protoc.program, protoc.version)
end

Returns a table {program = "...", version = "..."} on success, nil on failure.

has_flags / check_cflags

import("lib.detect.has_flags")
if has_flags("-Wshadow=local", "cxxflags") then
    target:add("cxxflags", "-Wshadow=local")
end

has_flags returns boolean; check_cflags returns the flag itself if supported, else nil. Both cache their result across runs in .xmake/.

check_cxxsnippets

import("lib.detect.check_cxxsnippets")
local ok = check_cxxsnippets([[
    #include 
    struct task { struct promise_type { task get_return_object(){return {};} }; };
]], {configs = {languages = "c++20"}, includes = "coroutine"})

if ok then
    target:add("defines", "HAVE_COROUTINES")
end

configs gets passed to the probe compile — languages, cxflags, defines, etc.

Generating a config header from checks

option("enable_foo")
    set_default(false)

target("app")
    add_files("src/*.c")
    set_configdir("$(buildir)/config")
    add_configfiles("src/config.h.in")
    set_configvar("HAVE_STD_FILESYSTEM",
        check_cxxsnippets([[
            #include 
            int main(){ return 0; }
        ]]) and 1 or 0)
    set_configvar("ENABLE_FOO", has_config("enable_foo") and 1 or 0)

src/config.h.in:

#define HAVE_STD_FILESYSTEM ${HAVE_STD_FILESYSTEM}
#define ENABLE_FOO          ${ENABLE_FOO}

Caching

All probes cache their result in .xmake/ keyed by compiler+flag+arch. Results persist across builds. To force re-probing:

xmake f -c          # drop cached config
xmake f --check     # re-run all detections

Pitfalls

• Probe cached from the wrong config. Switching toolchain/arch without xmake f -c leaves stale probe results. Re-configure on any toolchain change.
• has_cfuncs passes but linker fails. The probe links against the compiler's default libs; if you need an explicit -lpthread, declare it too: has_cfuncs("pthread_create", {includes = "pthread.h", links = "pthread"}).
• Probes run at configure time, not build time. Changing a header after xmake f won't invalidate the probe. Edit, then xmake f -c.
• Snippet without int main(). Most probes wrap your snippet for you, but some (check_csnippets) expect a self-contained compilation unit. Test with xmake f -vD if something looks off.
• Using is_plat to fake a probe. Hard-coding if is_plat("linux") then add_cfuncs ... end drifts on newer platforms. Probes are portable.

When to branch out

• Option declaration mechanics → xmake-options
• Scripting / import of detect modules → xmake-scripting
• Generated config headers → xmake-options / xmake-targets

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: xmake-io
• Source: xmake-io/xmake-skills
• License: Apache-2.0

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.