CMAKE_SYSTEM_PREFIX_PATH

:ref:Semicolon-separated list <CMake Language Lists> of directories specifying installation prefixes to be searched by the :command:find_package, :command:find_program, :command:find_library, :command:find_file, and :command:find_path commands. Each command will add appropriate subdirectories (like bin, lib, or include) as specified in its own documentation.

By default this contains the system directories for the current system, the :variable:CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX, and the :variable:CMAKE_STAGING_PREFIX. The installation and staging prefixes may be excluded by setting the :variable:CMAKE_FIND_NO_INSTALL_PREFIX variable before the first :command:project invocation.

The system directories that are contained in CMAKE_SYSTEM_PREFIX_PATH are locations that typically include installed software. An example being /usr/local for UNIX based platforms. In addition to standard platform locations, CMake will also add values to CMAKE_SYSTEM_PREFIX_PATH based on environment variables. The environment variables and search locations that CMake uses may evolve over time, as platforms and their conventions also evolve. The following provides an indicative list of environment variables and locations that CMake searches, but they are subject to change:

CrayLinuxEnvironment:

ENV{SYSROOT_DIR}/
ENV{SYSROOT_DIR}/usr
ENV{SYSROOT_DIR}/usr/local

Darwin:

ENV{SDKROOT}/usr When CMAKE_OSX_SYSROOT is not explicitly specified.

OpenBSD:

ENV{LOCALBASE}

Unix:

ENV{CONDA_PREFIX} when using a conda compiler

MSYSTEM environment with MinGW toolchain: .. versionadded:: 3.28

ENV{MSYSTEM_PREFIX}/local
ENV{MSYSTEM_PREFIX}

Windows:

ENV{ProgramW6432}
ENV{ProgramFiles}
ENV{ProgramFiles(x86)}
ENV{SystemDrive}/Program Files
ENV{SystemDrive}/Program Files (x86)

CMAKE_SYSTEM_PREFIX_PATH is not intended to be modified by the project; use :variable:CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH for this.

See also :variable:CMAKE_SYSTEM_INCLUDE_PATH, :variable:CMAKE_SYSTEM_LIBRARY_PATH, :variable:CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROGRAM_PATH, and :variable:CMAKE_SYSTEM_IGNORE_PATH.