CMAKE_<LANG>_HOST_COMPILER

.. versionadded:: 3.10 CMAKE_CUDA_HOST_COMPILER

.. versionadded:: 3.28 CMAKE_HIP_HOST_COMPILER

This variable is available when <LANG> is CUDA or HIP.

When :variable:CMAKE_<LANG>_COMPILER_ID is NVIDIA, CMAKE_<LANG>_HOST_COMPILER selects the compiler executable to use when compiling host code for CUDA or HIP language files. This maps to the nvcc -ccbin option.

The CMAKE_<LANG>_HOST_COMPILER variable may be set explicitly before CUDA or HIP is first enabled by a :command:project or :command:enable_language command. This can be done via -DCMAKE_<LANG>_HOST_COMPILER=... on the command line or in a :ref:toolchain file <Cross Compiling Toolchain>. Or, one may set the :envvar:CUDAHOSTCXX or :envvar:HIPHOSTCXX environment variable to provide a default value.

Once the CUDA or HIP language is enabled, the CMAKE_<LANG>_HOST_COMPILER variable is read-only and changes to it are undefined behavior.

.. note::

Since CMAKE_<LANG>_HOST_COMPILER is meaningful only when the :variable:CMAKE_<LANG>_COMPILER_ID is NVIDIA, it does not make sense to set CMAKE_<LANG>_HOST_COMPILER without also setting CMAKE_<LANG>_COMPILER to NVCC.

.. note::

Projects should not try to set CMAKE_<LANG>_HOST_COMPILER to match :variable:CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER <CMAKE_<LANG>_COMPILER> themselves. It is the end-user's responsibility, not the project's, to ensure that NVCC targets the same ABI as the C++ compiler.

.. note::

Ignored when using :ref:Visual Studio Generators.

See the :variable:CMAKE_<LANG>_HOST_COMPILER_ID and :variable:CMAKE_<LANG>_HOST_COMPILER_VERSION variables for information about the host compiler used by nvcc, whether by default or specified by CMAKE_<LANG>_HOST_COMPILER.