https://github.com/tpalmerstudios/c-template

C-Template is a small tool that generates a ready-to-use C project with CMake, debug/release targets, testing, clang-format, and Doxygen, so you can start writing C instead of configuring build systems.
https://github.com/tpalmerstudios/c-template

beginner-friendly beginner-project c cmake starter-template template

Last synced: 5 months ago
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C-Template is a small tool that generates a ready-to-use C project with CMake, debug/release targets, testing, clang-format, and Doxygen, so you can start writing C instead of configuring build systems.

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/tpalmerstudios/c-template
• Owner: tpalmerstudios
• License: gpl-3.0
• Created: 2026-01-10T22:34:26.000Z (6 months ago)
• Default Branch: main
• Last Pushed: 2026-02-04T05:20:49.000Z (5 months ago)
• Last Synced: 2026-02-04T16:25:44.315Z (5 months ago)
• Topics: beginner-friendly, beginner-project, c, cmake, starter-template, template
• Language: Shell
• Homepage:
• Size: 147 KB
• Stars: 2
• Watchers: 0
• Forks: 1
• Open Issues: 14
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md
  • Changelog: CHANGELOG.md
  • Contributing: CONTRIBUTING.md
  • License: LICENSE

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README

          
# C-Template

![C-Template Logo](https://github.com/tpalmerstudios/c-template/blob/main/assets/inkscape-logo.svg)

C-Template is a project made to save time in starting a new project. It uses a script to take the name of the project and a brief description and add that into Doxygen as well as creating and running basic CMake setup.

Intended to set up a basic program structure and common targets to save time so you can focus on coding.

[![Super-Linter](https://github.com/tpalmerstudios/c-template/actions/workflows/super-linter.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/marketplace/actions/super-linter)

[![code style: prettier](https://img.shields.io/badge/code_style-prettier-ff69b4.svg?style=flat-square)](https://github.com/prettier/prettier)

![Build & Test](https://github.com/tpalmerstudios/c-template/actions/workflows/cmake-single-platform.yml/badge.svg)

## Usage

```bash

./project-gen.sh

```

Input a name for the project and a description.

> Some validation occurs, but I'd recommend not naming your project something that has a lot of special characters

> If you do, use a simplified version of the name that would be suitable in regular files and manually change it in the human readable locations.

That will generate a directory as a sibling to wherever the `c-template` package is or where you select when using the `--path` flag.

A Git repository will init and files with the new names and valued are copied.

| Flags                | Description                                                                         |

| -------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

| `-v`,`--version`     | output version information and exit                                                 |

| `-h`,`--help`,`help` | display this help and exit                                                          |

| `--no-git`           | skips all setup related to Git                                                      |

| `--force`            | uses a direcotry even if it already exists. does NOT empty that folder              |

| `--remove`           | removes a directory COMPLETELY before creating the template files in that directory |

| `--path PATH`        | sets a directory where the project will be installed under                          |

## Project Content

The generated project contains several targets and base files to build from.

1. Documentation (Doxygen)

2. Formatting and Linting (clang-format, shfmt)

   - `clang-format` is defined

   - `super-linter` is added as a GitHub Action

3. Testing (ctest)

   - Automated with GitHub Action

4. Issue Templates

5. Meta Files

   - README.md

   - LICENSE

   - CHANGELOG.md

   - CONTRIBUTING.md

6. Debug (target in CMake)

7. ~~Automatic Versioning~~

## Test Install

```bash

cd ../proj-name

./post-install.sh

```

This runs cmake with all targets including documentation.

## Dependencies

### Required

```bash

bash

```

### Optional

```bash

CMake

Doxygen

clang-format

gcc || clang

make

git

ninja

```

## Post Setup

I make the assumption you know how to run all of the dependencies, but here are the most vital

```bash

# From the directory of your new project

# generates documentation see: man doxygen

doxygen Doxyfile

# Runs all targets of cmake through ninja

cmake -G Ninja -B build

ninja -C build

# Runs all targets of cmake through make

cmake -B build

cd build

make dev_build

# Formats code

clang-format -i filename.c

```

## CMake Options

`-DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug` for debug builds

`-DBUILD_TESTS=OFF` to turn off testing

`-DENABLE_WARNINGS=OFF` to disable compiler warnings

**NOTE**: The bottom two should be turned off for release builds.

I will be reworking those in CMake to have them set based on target or build type.

---

## Internal Variables

The following strings are found and replaced throughout the entire child directory.

**01PROJTEMP**

**01PROJUPPER**

**01PROJCMD**

**01PROJDESC**

## Contact

**** is the best way to contact me.

In an emergency, try calling +1 911. _(/s)_

## License

_I love supporting the **[EFF](https://eff.org)**. Please donate to them if this program has been of any help_

Copyright © 2026 [tpalmerstudios](mailto:obsoleteTiger@protonmail.com)

License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later [https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html](https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html).

This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.

There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

Written by **tpalmerstudios**