Best folder structure for C++ cross-platform library and bindings

Question

I am about to begin work on a cross-platform library to be written in C++. Down the road, I intend to implement bindings for other languages such as Python, Java, etc. The library needs to be available on the major platforms: win32, Linux and Mac OSX.

Although the application is really a library, some basic console programs will be bundled along with it for demonstration and testing.

I'd like to come up with an optimum folder structure before I start storing stuff in Subversion.

I am thinking of something like:

/project                    //Top level folder

        /bin                //Binaries ready for deployment
            /linux_amd64    //Linux AMD64 platform
                  /debug    //Debug build - duplicated in all platforms
                  /release  //Release build - duplicated in all platforms
            /linux_i386     //Linux 32-bit platform
            /macosx         //Mac OS X
            /win32          //Windows 32-bit platform
                  /cygwin   //Windows 32-bit platform compiled with Cygwin
                  /vs.net   //Windows 32-bit platform compiled with Visual Studio .NET
            /win64          //Windows 64-bit platform

        /build              //Make and build files, IDE project files
            /linux_amd64    //Linux AMD64 platform
            /linux_i386     //Linux 32-bit platform
            /macosx         //Mac OS X
            /win32          //Windows 32-bit platform
            /win64          //Windows 64-bit platform

        /config             //Configuration files that accompany the binaries

        /data               //Data files that accompany the binaries

        /doc                //Documentation

        /lib                //External or third-party libraries
            /platforms      //Platform-specific code for ...
                      /linux_amd64    //Linux AMD64 platform
                      /linux_i386     //Linux 32-bit platform
                      /macosx         //Mac OS X
                      /win32          //Windows 32-bit platform
                      /win64          //Windows 64-bit platform
            /src            //Available library source code in subfolders

        /src                //Source code tree - this will contain main.cpp
            /bindings       //Bindings to other languages such as ...
                      /python
                      /java
            /h              //Header files
            /modules        //Platform-independent modules, components or subprojects
            /platforms      //Platform-specific code for ...
                      /linux_amd64 //Linux AMD64 platform-specific code
                      /linux_i386  //Linux 32-bit platform-specific code
                      /macosx
                      /win32       //Windows 32-bit platform-specific code
                      /win64       //Windows 64-bit platform

        /test               //Automated test scripts

If you have suggestions, I'd love to hear them. I wonder if there is a tool that can help create this structure.

I am planning on using CMake and Subversion.

Answer 1

The structure looks good to me, but there are a few points:

• it's normal to separate C++ header and source files into different directories, or maybe there is structure in the modules directory you are not showing?
• you probably want directories to put intermediate files like *.obj in
• you will need different directories for debug and release output files
• a directory for installers like InnoSetup and their install files can be useful - you have to make the philosphical decision about whether to version control these

As for tools to create the structure, a few minutes spent writing a bash script is all you need - it's worth having the same tools (like bash) available on all platforms.