ModernCppStarter is a CMake-based project template for modern C++ development that provides a complete starting point with testing, continuous integration, and code quality tooling pre-configured.
The template addresses the overhead of setting up a new C++ project from scratch. It bundles modern CMake practices with an integrated test suite, GitHub Actions workflows for continuous integration, code coverage tracking via codecov, and automated code formatting enforcement through clang-format and cmake-format. Dependency management is handled reproducibly through CPM.cmake, while PackageProject.cmake automates versioning and header generation for installable targets. Documentation generation and deployment to GitHub Pages via Doxygen are built in, along with support for sanitizer tools.
Developers should adopt this template when starting a new C++ project where they want to avoid repetitive boilerplate setup. It suits projects of any scale, from single-header libraries to larger applications, and is particularly valuable for teams that want consistent practices around testing, formatting, and CI/CD from the beginning. The template requires manual customization—replacing placeholder names like "Greeter" throughout the CMakeLists.txt files and renaming directories to match your project—but this is straightforward and documented in the README.
The project maintains active engagement with its template through regular updates to its supporting tools and workflows. Development shows responsiveness to issues and pull requests, with maintainers providing guidance on template customization and integration patterns. The project demonstrates commitment to keeping dependencies current and ensuring compatibility with modern C++ tooling ecosystems.
