include — CMake 3.29.6 Documentation

# include

Load and run CMake code from a file or module.

    include(<file|module> [OPTIONAL] [RESULT_VARIABLE <var>]
                          [NO_POLICY_SCOPE])

Loads and runs CMake code from the file given. Variable reads and writes access the scope of the caller (dynamic scoping). If `OPTIONAL` is present, then no error is raised if the file does not exist. If `RESULT_VARIABLE` is given the variable `<var>` will be set to the full filename which has been included or `NOTFOUND` if it failed.

If a module is specified instead of a file, the file with name `<modulename>.cmake` is searched first in `CMAKE_MODULE_PATH`, then in the CMake module directory. There is one exception to this: if the file which calls `include()` is located itself in the CMake builtin module directory, then first the CMake builtin module directory is searched and `CMAKE_MODULE_PATH` afterwards. See also policy `CMP0017`.

See the `cmake_policy()` command documentation for discussion of the `NO_POLICY_SCOPE` option.