compare
CMake vs Meson
The same facts for both, read from GitHub every night, and the relation a person reviewed.
| Fact | CMake | Meson |
|---|---|---|
| Language | C | Python |
| Licence | BSD-3-Clause | Apache-2.0 |
| Stars | 8.1k | 6.6k |
| Latest | v4.4.4 | 1.12.1 |
| Last push | 2026-10-19 | 2026-10-14 |
| Release cadence | about 10 days between releases | about 37 days between releases |
| Active contributors | 32+ commit authors on the default branch in the last 90 days | 65 commit authors on the default branch in the last 90 days |
| Flags | none | none |
How they relate
Meson replaces CMake. Alternatives to CMake →
Full replacementIts own declarative build language that generates Ninja files.
CMake
- v4.5.0-rc12026-10-15See also the release notes and release milestone.pre-release
- v4.4.42026-10-02See also the release notes and release milestone.
- v4.3.52026-09-04See also the release notes and release milestone.
- v4.2.82026-09-04See also the release notes and release milestone.
- v4.4.32026-08-25See also the release notes and release milestone.
CMake
✓ signed The latest release, v4.4.4, carries a signature GitHub verified.
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Meson
unsigned The latest release, 1.12.1, carries no signature GitHub could verify.
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