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Xmake v3.0.8 Preview, C# Language Support, Custom Templates and WASI Running ​

In this release, we have added C# language and dotnet toolchain support, along with C# and C/C++ interop support via P/Invoke. We also introduced custom project templates with xmake create --list for listing templates and remote template distribution.

Additionally, we added the build.release.strip policy, winos.file_signature function, WASI target running support, nnd debugger support, and the tarxz pack format.

New Features ​

C# Language and Dotnet Toolchain Support ​

We have added full C# language support with dotnet toolchain integration, allowing you to build C# projects directly with xmake, including console apps, shared libraries, multi-library dependencies, and NuGet package integration.

Basic Console Application ​

lua
add_rules("mode.debug", "mode.release")

target("hello")
    set_kind("binary")
    add_files("src/Program.cs")

C# Shared Libraries and Dependencies ​

Build C# shared libraries with dependencies between multiple targets:

lua
target("mylib")
    set_kind("shared")
    add_files("src/lib/*.cs")

target("app")
    set_kind("binary")
    add_deps("mylib")
    add_files("src/app/*.cs")

Cascading multi-library dependencies are also supported:

lua
target("libalpha")
    set_kind("shared")
    add_files("src/libalpha/*.cs")

target("libbeta")
    set_kind("shared")
    add_deps("libalpha")
    add_files("src/libbeta/*.cs")

target("sample")
    set_kind("binary")
    add_deps("libbeta")
    add_files("src/sample/*.cs")

NuGet Package Integration ​

Use NuGet packages directly via add_requires:

lua
add_requires("nuget::Humanizer.Core 2.14.1")

target("app")
    set_kind("binary")
    add_files("src/Program.cs")
    add_packages("nuget::Humanizer.Core")

ASP.NET Core Web Project ​

Build ASP.NET Core web projects by setting the SDK type via csharp.sdk:

lua
target("webapp")
    set_kind("binary")
    add_values("csharp.sdk", "Microsoft.NET.Sdk.Web")
    add_files("src/Program.cs")

Rich Configuration Options ​

The C# rule supports a wide range of .NET project properties via set_values():

lua
target("app")
    set_kind("binary")
    add_files("src/*.cs")
    set_values("csharp.target_framework", "net8.0")
    set_values("csharp.lang_version", "12")
    set_values("csharp.nullable", "enable")
    set_values("csharp.allow_unsafe_blocks", true)
    set_values("csharp.publish_single_file", true)
    set_values("csharp.publish_trimmed", true)

C# and C/C++ Interop (P/Invoke) ​

We now support C# calling C/C++ native libraries via P/Invoke for cross-language interoperability. Xmake automatically handles native shared library search paths, so you don't need to manually configure LD_LIBRARY_PATH or similar environment variables.

xmake.lua Configuration ​

lua
add_rules("mode.debug", "mode.release")

-- Build C native library
target("mathlib")
    set_kind("shared")
    add_files("src/native/*.c")

-- C# app depending on the native library
target("app")
    set_kind("binary")
    add_deps("mathlib")
    add_files("src/app/*.cs")

C Native Library (mathlib.c) ​

c
#ifdef _WIN32
#define EXPORT __declspec(dllexport)
#else
#define EXPORT __attribute__((visibility("default")))
#endif

EXPORT int add(int a, int b) {
    return a + b;
}

EXPORT int multiply(int a, int b) {
    return a * b;
}

C# Calling Code (Program.cs) ​

csharp
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;

int sum = NativeMethods.add(3, 4);
int product = NativeMethods.multiply(5, 6);
Console.WriteLine($"add(3,4)={sum}");
Console.WriteLine($"multiply(5,6)={product}");

internal static class NativeMethods {
    private const string NativeLib = "mathlib";

    [DllImport(NativeLib)]
    internal static extern int add(int a, int b);

    [DllImport(NativeLib)]
    internal static extern int multiply(int a, int b);
}

Custom Templates ​

We added custom template support. Templates are searched in priority order from the following locations:

  1. Repository templates - <global-repo>/templates directory
  2. Global templates - <globaldir>/templates directory

Templates are organized as <rootdir>/<language>/<template_id>/xmake.lua, and template files can use variables like ${TARGET_NAME} that are automatically replaced during project creation.

bash
# List all available templates (repo, global, and built-in)
$ xmake create --list

# Filter templates by language
$ xmake create --list -l c++

# Create a project using a specific template
$ xmake create -t mytemplate hello

Templates also support remote distribution via repositories. Users can upload custom templates to a repository, and others can use them by adding that repository.

build.release.strip Policy ​

A new build.release.strip policy (enabled by default) has been added to automatically strip debug symbols from binaries in mode.release and mode.releasedbg modes, reducing the final artifact size.

lua
-- Enabled by default, set to false to disable
set_policy("build.release.strip", false)

When this policy is enabled and the target has not explicitly set set_strip(), it will automatically apply set_strip("all").

WASI Target Running Support ​

We added support for running WASI targets. After compiling with the WASI SDK toolchain, you can use xmake run to run WASI programs directly:

bash
$ xmake f --toolchain=wasi --sdk=/path/to/wasi-sdk
$ xmake
$ xmake run

nnd Debugger Support ​

We added support for the nnd debugger, a lightweight Linux debugger. You can use it as follows:

bash
$ xmake f --debugger=nnd
$ xmake run -d hello

tarxz Pack Format ​

We added tarxz and srctarxz pack formats, allowing you to package programs as .tar.xz files via xpack for better compression ratios:

lua
xpack("mypkg")
    set_formats("tarxz")
    -- ...

winos.file_signature Function ​

A new winos.file_signature function has been added to retrieve digital signature information for files on Windows. It returns a table with signature status:

lua
local info = winos.file_signature("C:\\Windows\\System32\\notepad.exe")
if info then
    print(info.is_signed)    -- Is the file digitally signed?
    print(info.is_trusted)   -- Is the signature valid and trusted?
    print(info.signer_name)  -- Signer name, e.g. "Microsoft Corporation"
end

Changelog ​

New features ​

  • #7398: Add C# language and dotnet toolchain support
  • #7410: Add C# and C/C++ interop support via P/Invoke
  • #7360: Support custom templates
  • #7367: Add xmake create --list and remote template distribution
  • #7313: Add build.release.strip policy
  • #7333: Add winos.file_signature function
  • #7336: Add support for running wasi target
  • #7346: Add nnd debugger support
  • #7366: Add tarxz pack format

Changes ​

  • #7309: Keep package source
  • #7310: Improve check tips
  • #7311: Improve Xcode toolchain
  • #7312: Improve binutils to support wasm
  • #7320: Add haiku ci
  • #7329: Improve qt deploy for macapp
  • #7349: Strip embed-dir on clang/gcc for C++ modules
  • #7368: Move templates to repository
  • #7383: Split zig toolchain to zig/zigcc
  • #7384: Improve find_hdk
  • #7387: Show target name in progress
  • #7391: Improve to find package with vcpkg features
  • #7392: Fix zig for shared libraries
  • #7396: Improve vcpkg
  • #7399: Extend formatting to C++ modules
  • #7409: Improve ldc on windows

Bugs fixed ​

  • #7299: Fix dependency handling for vcpkg
  • #7316: Fix components typo
  • #7318: Update tbox to fix tolower/toupper
  • #7339: Update tbox to fix start process on win7
  • #7344: Fix swig jar package module
  • #7345: Fix check clang info
  • #7341: Fix WASM QT 6.9
  • #7356: Fix issue #7354
  • #7371: Fix test verbose output
  • #7386: Fix install script incompatibility with coreutils 9.10
  • #7393: Fix build target validation