Define options

Customize command line options

We can define an option switch to control the internal configuration logic, for example:

option("tests", {default = false, description = "Enable Tests"})

target("foo")
    set_kind("binary")
    add_files("src/*.cpp")
    if has_config("tests") then
        add_defines("TESTS")
    end

Then, we can enable this custom option in the command line, so that the macro definition of -DTESTS is automatically added when the foo target is compiled.

$ xmake f --tests=y
$ xmake

The above option configuration is relatively simple, so we use a single-line simplified writing method, and we can also use the complete domain configuration writing method.

option("tests")
    set_default(false)
    set_description("Enable Tests")

Bind options to targets

We can also use add_options to bind options to a specified target directly without using has_config and add_defines to set them manually.

In this way, when the option is enabled, all associated settings in the tests option will be automatically set to the bound target.

option("tests")
    set_description("Enable Tests")
    set_default(false)
    add_defines("TEST")

target("foo")
    set_kind("binary")
    add_files("src/*.cpp")
    add_options("tests")

In the above example, when tests is enabled, the foo target will automatically be added with -DTEST.

Option Types and Common APIs

Option Types

• Boolean: Switch option, usually for enabling/disabling features
• String: For paths, patterns, or custom values
• Multi-value: Use set_values to provide choices (menu)

Common APIs

• set_default(value): Set default value (bool or string)
• set_showmenu(true/false): Show in xmake f --menu
• set_description("desc"): Set description
• set_values("a", "b", "c"): Set selectable values (menu)
• add_defines("FOO"): Add macro when enabled
• add_links("bar"): Add link library when enabled
• add_cflags("-O2"): Add compile flag when enabled

Option Dependency and Conditional Control

• add_deps("otheropt"): Depend on other options, often used with on_check/after_check
• before_check/on_check/after_check: Custom check logic, can enable/disable options dynamically

Dependency Example

option("feature_x")
    set_default(false)
    on_check(function (option)
        if has_config("feature_y") then
            option:enable(false)
        end
    end)

Option Instance APIs

In on_check, after_check, etc., you can use the option instance APIs:

• option:name() get option name
• option:value() get option value
• option:enable(true/false) enable/disable option
• option:enabled() check if enabled
• option:get("defines") get config value
• option:set("defines", "FOO") set config value
• option:add("links", "bar") append config value

Option and Target Integration

• Use add_options("opt1", "opt2") to bind options to targets
• When enabled, related configs are automatically applied to the target
• You can also use has_config("opt") for conditional logic in target scope

Typical Examples

1. Boolean Switch Option

option("enable_lto")
    set_default(false)
    set_showmenu(true)
    set_description("Enable LTO optimization")
    add_cflags("-flto")

target("foo")
    add_options("enable_lto")

2. Path/String Option

option("rootdir")
    set_default("/tmp/")
    set_showmenu(true)
    set_description("Set root directory")

target("foo")
    add_files("$(rootdir)/*.c")

3. Multi-value Menu Option

option("arch")
    set_default("x86_64")
    set_showmenu(true)
    set_description("Select architecture")
    set_values("x86_64", "arm64", "mips")

More Information

• Complete API documentation: Option API
• Option instance APIs: option instance API