Table of Contents

Using Ninja to build .NET nanoFramework firmware

Inside VS Code using CMake Tools

To setup the CMake tools to build using Ninja you have to follow the following steps:

  1. Download and place the Ninja executable in a folder.
  2. Edit the settings.json file that VS Code places inside the .vscode folder
  3. Find a line for "cmake.generator". If you don't have one just add it like this: "cmake.generator": "Ninja",
  4. Find a line for "cmake.configureSettings". This is were the full path to the Nina executable should be set. Mind the forward slashes. If you don't have one just add a block like this: "cmake.configureSettings": { "CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM": "E:/ninja/ninja.exe" },

And that is it! Hit F7 or click the build configuration options for CMake Tools at the bottom toolbar.

Performance comparison

A simple test to compare the performance of NMake and Ninja was carried. It's a complete build (nanoBooter and nanoCLR) for a STM32F429I_DISCOVERY target with debugger and GPIO enabled.

Build tool Time to complete build
NMake 3m 17sec
Ninja 1m 19sec
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