C++ and OpenGL template

This repository serves as a template for starting OpenGL development in C++. It provides a basic setup with necessary configurations to kickstart your OpenGL projects.

Prerequisites

In order to use this template, you must have a few things installed:

• CMake
• LLVM
• Ninja
• VSCode

Make sure that all of the above are installed correctly and that they are set in your PATH environment variable. This template is specifically tailored to development with VSCode.

Getting Started

1. Clone this repository:

git clone https://github.com/unique-ones/cpp-opengl-template.git

2. Rename the cloned repository to a name of your liking:

mv cpp-opengl-template your-cool-project-name

3. Navigate into the cloned repository:

cd your-cool-project-name

4. Open VSCode

code .

This should fire up a new instance of VSCode. On the bottom right, you should get a notification that sounds something like this: This workspace has extension recommendations.

The project is preconfigured to include important extensions such as support for CMake, debugging and code completion (clangd). Click on Install All.

5. Rename the project in the CMakeLists.txt file

You should see a line that looks something like this:

project(cpp-opengl-template LANGUAGES C CXX)

Change this to the name of your project:

project(your-cool-project-name LANGUAGES C CXX)

Building

VSCode

In order to build the project using VSCode, you must first configure the CMake project:

1. Press F1 to open the command palette
2. Type in CMake: Configure
3. Press Enter

You will probably get asked what preset you want to choose, you can choose from

• Debug: <os>-64-debug
• Release: <os>-64-release

Then you can build the project:

1. Press F1 to open the command palette
2. Type in CMake: Build
3. Press Enter

Command Line

In order to build the project using the commandline, you must first configure the CMake project. There are different presets to choose from, you can list them using:

cmake --list-presets

There will probably be two presets to choose from:

• Debug: <os>-64-debug
• Release: <os>-64-release

You can then go on and choose a preset using the following command:

cmake --preset=<preset-name>

After this, you can build the project. For building, there are also different presets to choose from. It must be noted that the build preset must match with the configure preset. You can see all possible build presets using the following command:

cmake --build --list-presets

Now you can build the project using a preset of your choice:

cmake --build --preset=<preset-name>

Development

Adding Source Files

The CMake project is configured in a way, such that if you add source files to the source folder, they are automatically picked up and compiled if you reconfigure CMake. It must be noted that this only works if your source files end with .cpp and your header files end with .h.

Handling Of Assets

The project's assets should be contained in the assets folder. This folder is automatically copied into the build folder whenever the CMake project is reconfigured. That implies that in order to use newly added assets, you must reconfigure the CMake project.

Optional Libraries

Currently, the only optional library that is included with this template is Dear ImGui. To use it in your project, you simple have to locate the following line in the root CMakeLists.txt:

set(IMGUI_LIBRARY OFF)

and change it as follows:

set(IMGUI_LIBRARY ON)