install — CMake 3.27.7 Documentation

# install

Specify rules to run at install time.

## Synopsis

    install(TARGETS <target>... [...])
    install(IMPORTED_RUNTIME_ARTIFACTS <target>... [...])
    install({FILES | PROGRAMS} <file>... [...])
    install(DIRECTORY <dir>... [...])
    install(SCRIPT <file> [...])
    install(CODE <code> [...])
    install(EXPORT <export-name> [...])
    install(RUNTIME_DEPENDENCY_SET <set-name> [...])

## Introduction

This command generates installation rules for a project. Install rules specified by calls to the `install()` command within a source directory are executed in order during installation.

Changed in version 3.14: Install rules in subdirectories added by calls to the `add_subdirectory()` command are interleaved with those in the parent directory to run in the order declared (see policy `CMP0082`).

Changed in version 3.22: The environment variable `CMAKE_INSTALL_MODE` can override the default copying behavior of `install()`.

There are multiple signatures for this command. Some of them define installation options for files and targets. Options common to multiple signatures are covered here but they are valid only for signatures that specify them. The common options are:

`DESTINATION`

  Specify the directory on disk to which a file will be installed. Arguments can be relative or absolute paths.

  If a relative path is given it is interpreted relative to the value of the `CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX` variable. The prefix can be relocated at install time using the `DESTDIR` mechanism explained in the `CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX` variable documentation.

  If an absolute path (with a leading slash or drive letter) is given it is used verbatim.

  As absolute paths are not supported by `cpack` installer generators, it is preferable to use relative paths throughout. In particular, there is no need to make paths absolute by prepending `CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX`; this prefix is used by default if the DESTINATION is a relative path.

`PERMISSIONS`

  Specify permissions for installed files. Valid permissions are `OWNER_READ`, `OWNER_WRITE`, `OWNER_EXECUTE`, `GROUP_READ`, `GROUP_WRITE`, `GROUP_EXECUTE`, `WORLD_READ`, `WORLD_WRITE`, `WORLD_EXECUTE`, `SETUID`, and `SETGID`. Permissions that do not make sense on certain platforms are ignored on those platforms.

`CONFIGURATIONS`

  Specify a list of build configurations for which the install rule applies (Debug, Release, etc.). Note that the values specified for this option only apply to options listed AFTER the `CONFIGURATIONS` option. For example, to set separate install paths for the Debug and Release configurations, do the following:

      install(TARGETS target
              CONFIGURATIONS Debug
              RUNTIME DESTINATION Debug/bin)
      install(TARGETS target
              CONFIGURATIONS Release
              RUNTIME DESTINATION Release/bin)

  Note that `CONFIGURATIONS` appears BEFORE `RUNTIME DESTINATION`.

`COMPONENT`

  Specify an installation component name with which the install rule is associated, such as `Runtime` or `Development`. During component-specific installation only install rules associated with the given component name will be executed. During a full installation all components are installed unless marked with `EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL`. If `COMPONENT` is not provided a default component "Unspecified" is created. The default component name may be controlled with the `CMAKE_INSTALL_DEFAULT_COMPONENT_NAME` variable.

`EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL`

  New in version 3.6.

  Specify that the file is excluded from a full installation and only installed as part of a component-specific installation

`RENAME`

  Specify a name for an installed file that may be different from the original file. Renaming is allowed only when a single file is installed by the command.

`OPTIONAL`

  Specify that it is not an error if the file to be installed does not exist.

New in version 3.1: Command signatures that install files may print messages during installation. Use the `CMAKE_INSTALL_MESSAGE` variable to control which messages are printed.

New in version 3.11: Many of the `install()` variants implicitly create the directories containing the installed files. If `CMAKE_INSTALL_DEFAULT_DIRECTORY_PERMISSIONS` is set, these directories will be created with the permissions specified. Otherwise, they will be created according to the uname rules on Unix-like platforms. Windows platforms are unaffected.

## Installing Targets

    install(TARGETS targets... [EXPORT <export-name>]
            [RUNTIME_DEPENDENCIES args...|RUNTIME_DEPENDENCY_SET <set-name>]
            [[ARCHIVE|LIBRARY|RUNTIME|OBJECTS|FRAMEWORK|BUNDLE|
              PRIVATE_HEADER|PUBLIC_HEADER|RESOURCE|FILE_SET <set-name>|CXX_MODULES_BMI]
             [DESTINATION <dir>]
             [PERMISSIONS permissions...]
             [CONFIGURATIONS [Debug|Release|...]]
             [COMPONENT <component>]
             [NAMELINK_COMPONENT <component>]
             [OPTIONAL] [EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL]
             [NAMELINK_ONLY|NAMELINK_SKIP]
            ] [...]
            [INCLUDES DESTINATION [<dir> ...]]
            )

The `TARGETS` form specifies rules for installing targets from a project. There are several kinds of target Output Artifacts that may be installed:

`ARCHIVE`

  Target artifacts of this kind include:

  - Static libraries (except on macOS when marked as `FRAMEWORK`, see below);

  - DLL import libraries (on all Windows-based systems including Cygwin; they have extension `.lib`, in contrast to the `.dll` libraries that go to `RUNTIME`);

  - On AIX, the linker import file created for executables with `ENABLE_EXPORTS` enabled.

  - On macOS, the linker import file created for shared libraries with `ENABLE_EXPORTS` enabled (except when marked as `FRAMEWORK`, see below).

`LIBRARY`

  Target artifacts of this kind include:

  - Shared libraries, except

    - DLLs (these go to `RUNTIME`, see below),

    - on macOS when marked as `FRAMEWORK` (see below).

`RUNTIME`

  Target artifacts of this kind include:

  - Executables (except on macOS when marked as `MACOSX_BUNDLE`, see `BUNDLE` below);

  - DLLs (on all Windows-based systems including Cygwin; note that the accompanying import libraries are of kind `ARCHIVE`).

`OBJECTS`

  New in version 3.9.

  Object files associated with object libraries.

`FRAMEWORK`

  Both static and shared libraries marked with the `FRAMEWORK` property are treated as `FRAMEWORK` targets on macOS.

`BUNDLE`

  Executables marked with the `MACOSX_BUNDLE` property are treated as `BUNDLE` targets on macOS.

`PUBLIC_HEADER`

  Any `PUBLIC_HEADER` files associated with a library are installed in the destination specified by the `PUBLIC_HEADER` argument on non-Apple platforms. Rules defined by this argument are ignored for `FRAMEWORK` libraries on Apple platforms because the associated files are installed into the appropriate locations inside the framework folder. See `PUBLIC_HEADER` for details.

`PRIVATE_HEADER`

  Similar to `PUBLIC_HEADER`, but for `PRIVATE_HEADER` files. See `PRIVATE_HEADER` for details.

`RESOURCE`

  Similar to `PUBLIC_HEADER` and `PRIVATE_HEADER`, but for `RESOURCE` files. See `RESOURCE` for details.

`FILE_SET <set>`

  New in version 3.23.

  File sets are defined by the `target_sources(FILE_SET)` command. If the file set `<set>` exists and is `PUBLIC` or `INTERFACE`, any files in the set are installed under the destination (see below). The directory structure relative to the file set's base directories is preserved. For example, a file added to the file set as `/blah/include/myproj/here.h` with a base directory `/blah/include` would be installed to `myproj/here.h` below the destination.

`CXX_MODULES_BMI`

> Note

> Experimental. Gated by `CMAKE_EXPERIMENTAL_CXX_MODULE_CMAKE_API`

> Any module files from C++ modules from `PUBLIC` sources in a file set of type `CXX_MODULES` will be installed to the given `DESTINATION`. All modules are placed directly in the destination as no directory structure is derived from the names of the modules. An empty `DESTINATION` may be used to suppress installing these files (for use in generic code).

For each of these arguments given, the arguments following them only apply to the target or file type specified in the argument. If none is given, the installation properties apply to all target types.

For regular executables, static libraries and shared libraries, the `DESTINATION` argument is not required. For these target types, when `DESTINATION` is omitted, a default destination will be taken from the appropriate variable from `GNUInstallDirs`, or set to a built-in default value if that variable is not defined. The same is true for file sets, and the public and private headers associated with the installed targets through the `PUBLIC_HEADER` and `PRIVATE_HEADER` target properties. A destination must always be provided for module libraries, Apple bundles and frameworks. A destination can be omitted for interface and object libraries, but they are handled differently (see the discussion of this topic toward the end of this section).

For shared libraries on DLL platforms, if neither `RUNTIME` nor `ARCHIVE` destinations are specified, both the `RUNTIME` and `ARCHIVE` components are installed to their default destinations. If either a `RUNTIME` or `ARCHIVE` destination is specified, the component is installed to that destination, and the other component is not installed. If both `RUNTIME` and `ARCHIVE` destinations are specified, then both components are installed to their respective destinations.

The following table shows the target types with their associated variables and built-in defaults that apply when no destination is given:

Target Type | GNUInstallDirs Variable | Built-In Default
--- | --- | ---
`RUNTIME` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR}` | `bin`
`LIBRARY` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR}` | `lib`
`ARCHIVE` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR}` | `lib`
`PRIVATE_HEADER` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}` | `include`
`PUBLIC_HEADER` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}` | `include`
`FILE_SET` (type `HEADERS`) | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}` | `include`

Projects wishing to follow the common practice of installing headers into a project-specific subdirectory may prefer using file sets with appropriate paths and base directories. Otherwise, they must provide a `DESTINATION` instead of being able to rely on the above (see next example below).

To make packages compliant with distribution filesystem layout policies, if projects must specify a `DESTINATION`, it is recommended that they use a path that begins with the appropriate `GNUInstallDirs` variable. This allows package maintainers to control the install destination by setting the appropriate cache variables. The following example shows a static library being installed to the default destination provided by `GNUInstallDirs`, but with its headers installed to a project-specific subdirectory without using file sets:

    add_library(mylib STATIC ...)
    set_target_properties(mylib PROPERTIES PUBLIC_HEADER mylib.h)
    include(GNUInstallDirs)
    install(TARGETS mylib
            PUBLIC_HEADER
              DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}/myproj
    )

In addition to the common options listed above, each target can accept the following additional arguments:

`NAMELINK_COMPONENT`

  New in version 3.12.

  On some platforms a versioned shared library has a symbolic link such as:

      lib<name>.so -> lib<name>.so.1

  where `lib<name>.so.1` is the soname of the library and `lib<name>.so` is a "namelink" allowing linkers to find the library when given `-l<name>`. The `NAMELINK_COMPONENT` option is similar to the `COMPONENT` option, but it changes the installation component of a shared library namelink if one is generated. If not specified, this defaults to the value of `COMPONENT`. It is an error to use this parameter outside of a `LIBRARY` block.

  Changed in version 3.27: This parameter is also usable for an `ARCHIVE` block to manage the linker import file created, on macOS, for shared libraries with `ENABLE_EXPORTS` enabled.

  Consider the following example:

      install(TARGETS mylib
              LIBRARY
                COMPONENT Libraries
                NAMELINK_COMPONENT Development
              PUBLIC_HEADER
                COMPONENT Development
             )

  In this scenario, if you choose to install only the `Development` component, both the headers and namelink will be installed without the library. (If you don't also install the `Libraries` component, the namelink will be a dangling symlink, and projects that link to the library will have build errors.) If you install only the `Libraries` component, only the library will be installed, without the headers and namelink.

  This option is typically used for package managers that have separate runtime and development packages. For example, on Debian systems, the library is expected to be in the runtime package, and the headers and namelink are expected to be in the development package.

  See the `VERSION` and `SOVERSION` target properties for details on creating versioned shared libraries.

`NAMELINK_ONLY`

  This option causes the installation of only the namelink when a library target is installed. On platforms where versioned shared libraries do not have namelinks or when a library is not versioned, the `NAMELINK_ONLY` option installs nothing. It is an error to use this parameter outside of a `LIBRARY` block.

  Changed in version 3.27: This parameter is also usable for an `ARCHIVE` block to manage the linker import file created, on macOS, for shared libraries with `ENABLE_EXPORTS` enabled.

  When `NAMELINK_ONLY` is given, either `NAMELINK_COMPONENT` or `COMPONENT` may be used to specify the installation component of the namelink, but `COMPONENT` should generally be preferred.

`NAMELINK_SKIP`

  Similar to `NAMELINK_ONLY`, but it has the opposite effect: it causes the installation of library files other than the namelink when a library target is installed. When neither `NAMELINK_ONLY` or `NAMELINK_SKIP` are given, both portions are installed. On platforms where versioned shared libraries do not have symlinks or when a library is not versioned, `NAMELINK_SKIP` installs the library. It is an error to use this parameter outside of a `LIBRARY` block.

  Changed in version 3.27: This parameter is also usable for an `ARCHIVE` block to manage the linker import file created, on macOS, for shared libraries with `ENABLE_EXPORTS` enabled.

  If `NAMELINK_SKIP` is specified, `NAMELINK_COMPONENT` has no effect. It is not recommended to use `NAMELINK_SKIP` in conjunction with `NAMELINK_COMPONENT`.

The install(TARGETS) command can also accept the following options at the top level:

`EXPORT`

  This option associates the installed target files with an export called `<export-name>`. It must appear before any target options. To actually install the export file itself, call install(EXPORT), documented below. See documentation of the `EXPORT_NAME` target property to change the name of the exported target.

  If `EXPORT` is used and the targets include `PUBLIC` or `INTERFACE` file sets, all of them must be specified with `FILE_SET` arguments. All `PUBLIC` or `INTERFACE` file sets associated with a target are included in the export.

`INCLUDES DESTINATION`

  This option specifies a list of directories which will be added to the `INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES` target property of the `<targets>` when exported by the install(EXPORT) command. If a relative path is specified, it is treated as relative to the `$<INSTALL_PREFIX>`.

`RUNTIME_DEPENDENCY_SET`

  New in version 3.21.

  This option causes all runtime dependencies of installed executable, shared library, and module targets to be added to the specified runtime dependency set. This set can then be installed with an install(RUNTIME_DEPENDENCY_SET) command.

  This keyword and the `RUNTIME_DEPENDENCIES` keyword are mutually exclusive.

`RUNTIME_DEPENDENCIES`

  New in version 3.21.

  This option causes all runtime dependencies of installed executable, shared library, and module targets to be installed along with the targets themselves. The `RUNTIME`, `LIBRARY`, `FRAMEWORK`, and generic arguments are used to determine the properties (`DESTINATION`, `COMPONENT`, etc.) of the installation of these dependencies.

  `RUNTIME_DEPENDENCIES` is semantically equivalent to the following pair of calls:

      install(TARGETS ... RUNTIME_DEPENDENCY_SET <set-name>)
      install(RUNTIME_DEPENDENCY_SET <set-name> args...)

  where `<set-name>` will be a randomly generated set name. The `args...` may include any of the following keywords supported by the install(RUNTIME_DEPENDENCY_SET) command:

  - `DIRECTORIES`

  - `PRE_INCLUDE_REGEXES`

  - `PRE_EXCLUDE_REGEXES`

  - `POST_INCLUDE_REGEXES`

  - `POST_EXCLUDE_REGEXES`

  - `POST_INCLUDE_FILES`

  - `POST_EXCLUDE_FILES`

  The `RUNTIME_DEPENDENCIES` and `RUNTIME_DEPENDENCY_SET` keywords are mutually exclusive.

One or more groups of properties may be specified in a single call to the `TARGETS` form of this command. A target may be installed more than once to different locations. Consider hypothetical targets `myExe`, `mySharedLib`, and `myStaticLib`. The code:

    install(TARGETS myExe mySharedLib myStaticLib
            RUNTIME DESTINATION bin
            LIBRARY DESTINATION lib
            ARCHIVE DESTINATION lib/static)
    install(TARGETS mySharedLib DESTINATION /some/full/path)

will install `myExe` to `<prefix>/bin` and `myStaticLib` to `<prefix>/lib/static`. On non-DLL platforms `mySharedLib` will be installed to `<prefix>/lib` and `/some/full/path`. On DLL platforms the `mySharedLib` DLL will be installed to `<prefix>/bin` and `/some/full/path` and its import library will be installed to `<prefix>/lib/static` and `/some/full/path`.

Interface Libraries may be listed among the targets to install. They install no artifacts but will be included in an associated `EXPORT`. If Object Libraries are listed but given no destination for their object files, they will be exported as Interface Libraries. This is sufficient to satisfy transitive usage requirements of other targets that link to the object libraries in their implementation.

Installing a target with the `EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL` target property set to `TRUE` has undefined behavior.

New in version 3.3: An install destination given as a `DESTINATION` argument may use "generator expressions" with the syntax `$<...>`. See the `cmake-generator-expressions(7)` manual for available expressions.

New in version 3.13: install(TARGETS) can install targets that were created in other directories. When using such cross-directory install rules, running `make install` (or similar) from a subdirectory will not guarantee that targets from other directories are up-to-date. You can use `target_link_libraries()` or `add_dependencies()` to ensure that such out-of-directory targets are built before the subdirectory-specific install rules are run.

## Installing Imported Runtime Artifacts

New in version 3.21.

    install(IMPORTED_RUNTIME_ARTIFACTS targets...
            [RUNTIME_DEPENDENCY_SET <set-name>]
            [[LIBRARY|RUNTIME|FRAMEWORK|BUNDLE]
             [DESTINATION <dir>]
             [PERMISSIONS permissions...]
             [CONFIGURATIONS [Debug|Release|...]]
             [COMPONENT <component>]
             [OPTIONAL] [EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL]
            ] [...]
            )

The `IMPORTED_RUNTIME_ARTIFACTS` form specifies rules for installing the runtime artifacts of imported targets. Projects may do this if they want to bundle outside executables or modules inside their installation. The `LIBRARY`, `RUNTIME`, `FRAMEWORK`, and `BUNDLE` arguments have the same semantics that they do in the TARGETS mode. Only the runtime artifacts of imported targets are installed (except in the case of `FRAMEWORK` libraries, `MACOSX_BUNDLE` executables, and `BUNDLE` CFBundles.) For example, headers and import libraries associated with DLLs are not installed. In the case of `FRAMEWORK` libraries, `MACOSX_BUNDLE` executables, and `BUNDLE` CFBundles, the entire directory is installed.

The `RUNTIME_DEPENDENCY_SET` option causes the runtime artifacts of the imported executable, shared library, and module library `targets` to be added to the `<set-name>` runtime dependency set. This set can then be installed with an install(RUNTIME_DEPENDENCY_SET) command.

## Installing Files

Note

If installing header files, consider using file sets defined by `target_sources(FILE_SET)` instead. File sets associate headers with a target and they install as part of the target.

    install(<FILES|PROGRAMS> files...
            TYPE <type> | DESTINATION <dir>
            [PERMISSIONS permissions...]
            [CONFIGURATIONS [Debug|Release|...]]
            [COMPONENT <component>]
            [RENAME <name>] [OPTIONAL] [EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL])

The `FILES` form specifies rules for installing files for a project. File names given as relative paths are interpreted with respect to the current source directory. Files installed by this form are by default given permissions `OWNER_WRITE`, `OWNER_READ`, `GROUP_READ`, and `WORLD_READ` if no `PERMISSIONS` argument is given.

The `PROGRAMS` form is identical to the `FILES` form except that the default permissions for the installed file also include `OWNER_EXECUTE`, `GROUP_EXECUTE`, and `WORLD_EXECUTE`. This form is intended to install programs that are not targets, such as shell scripts. Use the `TARGETS` form to install targets built within the project.

The list of `files...` given to `FILES` or `PROGRAMS` may use "generator expressions" with the syntax `$<...>`. See the `cmake-generator-expressions(7)` manual for available expressions. However, if any item begins in a generator expression it must evaluate to a full path.

Either a `TYPE` or a `DESTINATION` must be provided, but not both. A `TYPE` argument specifies the generic file type of the files being installed. A destination will then be set automatically by taking the corresponding variable from `GNUInstallDirs`, or by using a built-in default if that variable is not defined. See the table below for the supported file types and their corresponding variables and built-in defaults. Projects can provide a `DESTINATION` argument instead of a file type if they wish to explicitly define the install destination.

`TYPE` Argument | GNUInstallDirs Variable | Built-In Default
--- | --- | ---
`BIN` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR}` | `bin`
`SBIN` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_SBINDIR}` | `sbin`
`LIB` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR}` | `lib`
`INCLUDE` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}` | `include`
`SYSCONF` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_SYSCONFDIR}` | `etc`
`SHAREDSTATE` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_SHARESTATEDIR}` | `com`
`LOCALSTATE` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_LOCALSTATEDIR}` | `var`
`RUNSTATE` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_RUNSTATEDIR}` | `<LOCALSTATE dir>/run`
`DATA` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_DATADIR}` | `<DATAROOT dir>`
`INFO` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_INFODIR}` | `<DATAROOT dir>/info`
`LOCALE` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_LOCALEDIR}` | `<DATAROOT dir>/locale`
`MAN` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_MANDIR}` | `<DATAROOT dir>/man`
`DOC` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_DOCDIR}` | `<DATAROOT dir>/doc`

Projects wishing to follow the common practice of installing headers into a project-specific subdirectory will need to provide a destination rather than rely on the above. Using file sets for headers instead of `install(FILES)` would be even better (see `target_sources(FILE_SET)`).

Note that some of the types' built-in defaults use the `DATAROOT` directory as a prefix. The `DATAROOT` prefix is calculated similarly to the types, with `CMAKE_INSTALL_DATAROOTDIR` as the variable and `share` as the built-in default. You cannot use `DATAROOT` as a `TYPE` parameter; please use `DATA` instead.

To make packages compliant with distribution filesystem layout policies, if projects must specify a `DESTINATION`, it is recommended that they use a path that begins with the appropriate `GNUInstallDirs` variable. This allows package maintainers to control the install destination by setting the appropriate cache variables. The following example shows how to follow this advice while installing an image to a project-specific documentation subdirectory:

    include(GNUInstallDirs)
    install(FILES logo.png
            DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_DOCDIR}/myproj
    )

New in version 3.4: An install destination given as a `DESTINATION` argument may use "generator expressions" with the syntax `$<...>`. See the `cmake-generator-expressions(7)` manual for available expressions.

New in version 3.20: An install rename given as a `RENAME` argument may use "generator expressions" with the syntax `$<...>`. See the `cmake-generator-expressions(7)` manual for available expressions.

## Installing Directories

Note

To install a directory sub-tree of headers, consider using file sets defined by `target_sources(FILE_SET)` instead. File sets not only preserve directory structure, they also associate headers with a target and install as part of the target.

    install(DIRECTORY dirs...
            TYPE <type> | DESTINATION <dir>
            [FILE_PERMISSIONS permissions...]
            [DIRECTORY_PERMISSIONS permissions...]
            [USE_SOURCE_PERMISSIONS] [OPTIONAL] [MESSAGE_NEVER]
            [CONFIGURATIONS [Debug|Release|...]]
            [COMPONENT <component>] [EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL]
            [FILES_MATCHING]
            [[PATTERN <pattern> | REGEX <regex>]
             [EXCLUDE] [PERMISSIONS permissions...]] [...])

The `DIRECTORY` form installs contents of one or more directories to a given destination. The directory structure is copied verbatim to the destination. The last component of each directory name is appended to the destination directory but a trailing slash may be used to avoid this because it leaves the last component empty. Directory names given as relative paths are interpreted with respect to the current source directory. If no input directory names are given the destination directory will be created but nothing will be installed into it. The `FILE_PERMISSIONS` and `DIRECTORY_PERMISSIONS` options specify permissions given to files and directories in the destination. If `USE_SOURCE_PERMISSIONS` is specified and `FILE_PERMISSIONS` is not, file permissions will be copied from the source directory structure. If no permissions are specified files will be given the default permissions specified in the `FILES` form of the command, and the directories will be given the default permissions specified in the `PROGRAMS` form of the command.

New in version 3.1: The `MESSAGE_NEVER` option disables file installation status output.

Installation of directories may be controlled with fine granularity using the `PATTERN` or `REGEX` options. These "match" options specify a globbing pattern or regular expression to match directories or files encountered within input directories. They may be used to apply certain options (see below) to a subset of the files and directories encountered. The full path to each input file or directory (with forward slashes) is matched against the expression. A `PATTERN` will match only complete file names: the portion of the full path matching the pattern must occur at the end of the file name and be preceded by a slash. A `REGEX` will match any portion of the full path but it may use `/` and `$` to simulate the `PATTERN` behavior. By default all files and directories are installed whether or not they are matched. The `FILES_MATCHING` option may be given before the first match option to disable installation of files (but not directories) not matched by any expression. For example, the code

    install(DIRECTORY src/ DESTINATION doc/myproj
            FILES_MATCHING PATTERN "*.png")

will extract and install images from a source tree.

Some options may follow a `PATTERN` or `REGEX` expression as described under string(REGEX) and are applied only to files or directories matching them. The `EXCLUDE` option will skip the matched file or directory. The `PERMISSIONS` option overrides the permissions setting for the matched file or directory. For example the code

    install(DIRECTORY icons scripts/ DESTINATION share/myproj
            PATTERN "CVS" EXCLUDE
            PATTERN "scripts/*"
            PERMISSIONS OWNER_EXECUTE OWNER_WRITE OWNER_READ
                        GROUP_EXECUTE GROUP_READ)

will install the `icons` directory to `share/myproj/icons` and the `scripts` directory to `share/myproj`. The icons will get default file permissions, the scripts will be given specific permissions, and any `CVS` directories will be excluded.

Either a `TYPE` or a `DESTINATION` must be provided, but not both. A `TYPE` argument specifies the generic file type of the files within the listed directories being installed. A destination will then be set automatically by taking the corresponding variable from `GNUInstallDirs`, or by using a built-in default if that variable is not defined. See the table below for the supported file types and their corresponding variables and built-in defaults. Projects can provide a `DESTINATION` argument instead of a file type if they wish to explicitly define the install destination.

`TYPE` Argument | GNUInstallDirs Variable | Built-In Default
--- | --- | ---
`BIN` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_BINDIR}` | `bin`
`SBIN` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_SBINDIR}` | `sbin`
`LIB` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR}` | `lib`
`INCLUDE` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}` | `include`
`SYSCONF` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_SYSCONFDIR}` | `etc`
`SHAREDSTATE` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_SHARESTATEDIR}` | `com`
`LOCALSTATE` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_LOCALSTATEDIR}` | `var`
`RUNSTATE` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_RUNSTATEDIR}` | `<LOCALSTATE dir>/run`
`DATA` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_DATADIR}` | `<DATAROOT dir>`
`INFO` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_INFODIR}` | `<DATAROOT dir>/info`
`LOCALE` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_LOCALEDIR}` | `<DATAROOT dir>/locale`
`MAN` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_MANDIR}` | `<DATAROOT dir>/man`
`DOC` | `${CMAKE_INSTALL_DOCDIR}` | `<DATAROOT dir>/doc`

Note that some of the types' built-in defaults use the `DATAROOT` directory as a prefix. The `DATAROOT` prefix is calculated similarly to the types, with `CMAKE_INSTALL_DATAROOTDIR` as the variable and `share` as the built-in default. You cannot use `DATAROOT` as a `TYPE` parameter; please use `DATA` instead.

To make packages compliant with distribution filesystem layout policies, if projects must specify a `DESTINATION`, it is recommended that they use a path that begins with the appropriate `GNUInstallDirs` variable. This allows package maintainers to control the install destination by setting the appropriate cache variables.

New in version 3.4: An install destination given as a `DESTINATION` argument may use "generator expressions" with the syntax `$<...>`. See the `cmake-generator-expressions(7)` manual for available expressions.

New in version 3.5: The list of `dirs...` given to `DIRECTORY` may use "generator expressions" too.

## Custom Installation Logic

    install([[SCRIPT <file>] [CODE <code>]]
            [ALL_COMPONENTS | COMPONENT <component>]
            [EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL] [...])

The `SCRIPT` form will invoke the given CMake script files during installation. If the script file name is a relative path it will be interpreted with respect to the current source directory. The `CODE` form will invoke the given CMake code during installation. Code is specified as a single argument inside a double-quoted string. For example, the code

    install(CODE "MESSAGE(\"Sample install message.\")")

will print a message during installation.

New in version 3.21: When the `ALL_COMPONENTS` option is given, the custom installation script code will be executed for every component of a component-specific installation. This option is mutually exclusive with the `COMPONENT` option.

New in version 3.14: `<file>` or `<code>` may use "generator expressions" with the syntax `$<...>` (in the case of `<file>`, this refers to their use in the file name, not the file's contents). See the `cmake-generator-expressions(7)` manual for available expressions.

## Installing Exports

    install(EXPORT <export-name> DESTINATION <dir>
            [NAMESPACE <namespace>] [FILE <name>.cmake]
            [PERMISSIONS permissions...]
            [CONFIGURATIONS [Debug|Release|...]
            [CXX_MODULES_DIRECTORY <directory>]
            [EXPORT_LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES]
            [COMPONENT <component>]
            [EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL])
    install(EXPORT_ANDROID_MK <export-name> DESTINATION <dir> [...])

The `EXPORT` form generates and installs a CMake file containing code to import targets from the installation tree into another project. Target installations are associated with the export `<export-name>` using the `EXPORT` option of the install(TARGETS) signature documented above. The `NAMESPACE` option will prepend `<namespace>` to the target names as they are written to the import file. By default the generated file will be called `<export-name>.cmake` but the `FILE` option may be used to specify a different name. The value given to the `FILE` option must be a file name with the `.cmake` extension. If a `CONFIGURATIONS` option is given then the file will only be installed when one of the named configurations is installed. Additionally, the generated import file will reference only the matching target configurations. See the `CMAKE_MAP_IMPORTED_CONFIG_<CONFIG>` variable to map configurations of dependent projects to the installed configurations. The `EXPORT_LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES` keyword, if present, causes the contents of the properties matching `(IMPORTED_)?LINK_INTERFACE_LIBRARIES(_<CONFIG>)?` to be exported, when policy `CMP0022` is `NEW`.

Note

The installed `<export-name>.cmake` file may come with additional per-configuration `<export-name>-*.cmake` files to be loaded by globbing. Do not use an export name that is the same as the package name in combination with installing a `<package-name>-config.cmake` file or the latter may be incorrectly matched by the glob and loaded.

When a `COMPONENT` option is given, the listed `<component>` implicitly depends on all components mentioned in the export set. The exported `<name>.cmake` file will require each of the exported components to be present in order for dependent projects to build properly. For example, a project may define components `Runtime` and `Development`, with shared libraries going into the `Runtime` component and static libraries and headers going into the `Development` component. The export set would also typically be part of the `Development` component, but it would export targets from both the `Runtime` and `Development` components. Therefore, the `Runtime` component would need to be installed if the `Development` component was installed, but not vice versa. If the `Development` component was installed without the `Runtime` component, dependent projects that try to link against it would have build errors. Package managers, such as APT and RPM, typically handle this by listing the `Runtime` component as a dependency of the `Development` component in the package metadata, ensuring that the library is always installed if the headers and CMake export file are present.

New in version 3.7: In addition to cmake language files, the `EXPORT_ANDROID_MK` mode may be used to specify an export to the android ndk build system. This mode accepts the same options as the normal export mode. The Android NDK supports the use of prebuilt libraries, both static and shared. This allows cmake to build the libraries of a project and make them available to an ndk build system complete with transitive dependencies, include flags and defines required to use the libraries.

`CXX_MODULES_DIRECTORY`

> Note

> Experimental. Gated by `CMAKE_EXPERIMENTAL_CXX_MODULE_CMAKE_API`

> Specify a subdirectory to store C++ module information for targets in the export set. This directory will be populated with files which add the necessary target property information to the relevant targets. Note that without this information, none of the C++ modules which are part of the targets in the export set will support being imported in consuming targets.

The `EXPORT` form is useful to help outside projects use targets built and installed by the current project. For example, the code

    install(TARGETS myexe EXPORT myproj DESTINATION bin)
    install(EXPORT myproj NAMESPACE mp_ DESTINATION lib/myproj)
    install(EXPORT_ANDROID_MK myproj DESTINATION share/ndk-modules)

will install the executable `myexe` to `<prefix>/bin` and code to import it in the file `<prefix>/lib/myproj/myproj.cmake` and `<prefix>/share/ndk-modules/Android.mk`. An outside project may load this file with the include command and reference the `myexe` executable from the installation tree using the imported target name `mp_myexe` as if the target were built in its own tree.

Note

This command supersedes the `install_targets()` command and the `PRE_INSTALL_SCRIPT` and `POST_INSTALL_SCRIPT` target properties. It also replaces the `FILES` forms of the `install_files()` and `install_programs()` commands. The processing order of these install rules relative to those generated by `install_targets()`, `install_files()`, and `install_programs()` commands is not defined.

## Installing Runtime Dependencies

New in version 3.21.

    install(RUNTIME_DEPENDENCY_SET <set-name>
            [[LIBRARY|RUNTIME|FRAMEWORK]
             [DESTINATION <dir>]
             [PERMISSIONS permissions...]
             [CONFIGURATIONS [Debug|Release|...]]
             [COMPONENT <component>]
             [NAMELINK_COMPONENT <component>]
             [OPTIONAL] [EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL]
            ] [...]
            [PRE_INCLUDE_REGEXES regexes...]
            [PRE_EXCLUDE_REGEXES regexes...]
            [POST_INCLUDE_REGEXES regexes...]
            [POST_EXCLUDE_REGEXES regexes...]
            [POST_INCLUDE_FILES files...]
            [POST_EXCLUDE_FILES files...]
            [DIRECTORIES directories...]
            )

Installs a runtime dependency set previously created by one or more install(TARGETS) or install(IMPORTED_RUNTIME_ARTIFACTS) commands. The dependencies of targets belonging to a runtime dependency set are installed in the `RUNTIME` destination and component on DLL platforms, and in the `LIBRARY` destination and component on non-DLL platforms. macOS frameworks are installed in the `FRAMEWORK` destination and component. Targets built within the build tree will never be installed as runtime dependencies, nor will their own dependencies, unless the targets themselves are installed with install(TARGETS).

The generated install script calls `file(GET_RUNTIME_DEPENDENCIES)` on the build-tree files to calculate the runtime dependencies. The build-tree executable files are passed as the `EXECUTABLES` argument, the build-tree shared libraries as the `LIBRARIES` argument, and the build-tree modules as the `MODULES` argument. On macOS, if one of the executables is a `MACOSX_BUNDLE`, that executable is passed as the `BUNDLE_EXECUTABLE` argument. At most one such bundle executable may be in the runtime dependency set on macOS. The `MACOSX_BUNDLE` property has no effect on other platforms. Note that `file(GET_RUNTIME_DEPENDENCIES)` only supports collecting the runtime dependencies for Windows, Linux and macOS platforms, so `install(RUNTIME_DEPENDENCY_SET)` has the same limitation.

The following sub-arguments are forwarded through as the corresponding arguments to `file(GET_RUNTIME_DEPENDENCIES)` (for those that provide a non-empty list of directories, regular expressions or files). They all support `generator expressions`.

- `DIRECTORIES <directories>`

- `PRE_INCLUDE_REGEXES <regexes>`

- `PRE_EXCLUDE_REGEXES <regexes>`

- `POST_INCLUDE_REGEXES <regexes>`

- `POST_EXCLUDE_REGEXES <regexes>`

- `POST_INCLUDE_FILES <files>`

- `POST_EXCLUDE_FILES <files>`

## Generated Installation Script

Note

Use of this feature is not recommended. Please consider using the `cmake --install` instead.

The `install()` command generates a file, `cmake_install.cmake`, inside the build directory, which is used internally by the generated install target and by CPack. You can also invoke this script manually with `cmake -P`. This script accepts several variables:

`COMPONENT`

  Set this variable to install only a single CPack component as opposed to all of them. For example, if you only want to install the `Development` component, run `cmake -DCOMPONENT=Development -P cmake_install.cmake`.

`BUILD_TYPE`

  Set this variable to change the build type if you are using a multi-config generator. For example, to install with the `Debug` configuration, run `cmake -DBUILD_TYPE=Debug -P cmake_install.cmake`.

`DESTDIR`

  This is an environment variable rather than a CMake variable. It allows you to change the installation prefix on UNIX systems. See `DESTDIR` for details.