# INTERFACE_LINK_OPTIONS

Added in version 3.13.

List of public link options requirements for a library.

Targets may populate this property to publish the link options required to compile against the headers for the target. The `target_link_options()` command populates this property with values given to the `PUBLIC` and `INTERFACE` keywords. Projects may also get and set the property directly.

When target dependencies are specified using `target_link_libraries()`, CMake will read this property from all target dependencies to determine the build properties of the consumer.

Contents of `INTERFACE_LINK_OPTIONS` may use "generator expressions" with the syntax `$<...>`. See the `cmake-generator-expressions(7)` manual for available expressions. See the `cmake-buildsystem(7)` -manual for more on defining buildsystem properties.

## Host And Device Specific Link Options

Added in version 3.18: When a device link step is involved, which is controlled by `CUDA_SEPARABLE_COMPILATION` and `CUDA_RESOLVE_DEVICE_SYMBOLS` properties and policy `CMP0105`, the raw options will be delivered to the host and device link steps (wrapped in `-Xcompiler` or equivalent for device link). Options wrapped with `$<DEVICE_LINK:...>` generator expression will be used only for the device link step. Options wrapped with `$<HOST_LINK:...>` generator expression will be used only for the host link step.

## Option De-duplication

The final set of options used for a target is constructed by accumulating options from the current target and the usage requirements of its dependencies. The set of options is de-duplicated to avoid repetition.

Added in version 3.12: While beneficial for individual options, the de-duplication step can break up option groups. For example, `-option A -option B` becomes `-option A B`. One may specify a group of options using shell-like quoting along with a `SHELL:` prefix. The `SHELL:` prefix is dropped, and the rest of the option string is parsed using the `separate_arguments()` `UNIX_COMMAND` mode. For example, `"SHELL:-option A" "SHELL:-option B"` becomes `-option A -option B`.

## Handling Compiler Driver Differences

To pass options to the linker tool, each compiler driver has its own syntax. The `LINKER:` prefix and `,` separator can be used to specify, in a portable way, options to pass to the linker tool. `LINKER:` is replaced by the appropriate driver option and `,` by the appropriate driver separator. The driver prefix and driver separator are given by the values of the `CMAKE_<LANG>_LINKER_WRAPPER_FLAG` and `CMAKE_<LANG>_LINKER_WRAPPER_FLAG_SEP` variables.

For example, `"LINKER:-z,defs"` becomes `-Xlinker -z -Xlinker defs` for `Clang` and `-Wl,-z,defs` for `GNU GCC`.

The `LINKER:` prefix can be specified as part of a `SHELL:` prefix expression.

The `LINKER:` prefix supports, as an alternative syntax, specification of arguments using the `SHELL:` prefix and space as separator. The previous example then becomes `"LINKER:SHELL:-z defs"`.

Note

Specifying the `SHELL:` prefix anywhere other than at the beginning of the `LINKER:` prefix is not supported.