How To Install CMake on Debian 12

In this tutorial, we will show you how to install CMake on Debian 12. CMake, a powerful cross-platform build system generator, plays a pivotal role in modern software development. As developers strive for efficiency and portability, understanding how to install CMake on Debian 12 is essential.

This article assumes you have at least basic knowledge of Linux, know how to use the shell, and most importantly, you host your site on your own VPS. The installation is quite simple and assumes you are running in the root account, if not you may need to add ‘sudo‘ to the commands to get root privileges. I will show you the step-by-step installation of CMake on a Debian 12 (Bookworm).

Prerequisites

• A server running one of the following operating systems: Debian 12 (Bookworm).
• It’s recommended that you use a fresh OS install to prevent any potential issues.
• SSH access to the server (or just open Terminal if you’re on a desktop).
• An active internet connection. You’ll need an internet connection to download the necessary packages and dependencies for CMake.
• A non-root sudo user or access to the root user. We recommend acting as a non-root sudo user, however, as you can harm your system if you’re not careful when acting as the root.

Install CMake on Debian 12 Bookworm

Step 1. Before installing any package, it is recommended to update the package list to ensure that you are installing the latest version of the package. You can do this by running the following command in the terminal:

sudo apt update

This command will refresh the repository, allowing you to install the latest versions of software packages.

Step 2. Installing CMake on Debian 12.

• Installing CMake via Package Manager:

The easiest way to install CMake on Debian 12 is by using the package manager. Execute the following command in the terminal:

sudo apt install cmake

• Manual Installation from Source:

If you prefer to have more control over the installation process or need a specific CMake version not available in the package manager, you can build and install CMake from the source code. Follow these detailed steps:

wget https://github.com/Kitware/CMake/releases/download/v3.27.0/cmake-3.27.0.tar.gz

Replace 3.x.x with the latest version available.

Next, extract the downloaded tarball:

tar -xvzf cmake-3.27.0.tar.gz

Change into the extracted CMake directory and create a build directory where CMake will be built:

cd cmake-3.x.x
mkdir build
cd build

Use CMake to configure the build. This step prepares the build system:

cmake ..

Now, compile the CMake source code and install it on your system:

make
sudo make install

After installing CMake, it’s crucial to verify its successful installation. To check the version of CMake, use the following command:

cmake --version

Congratulations! You have successfully installed CMake. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing the latest version of CMake on Debian 12 Bookworm. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the official CMake website.