Help/policy/CMP0189.rst

CMP0189
-------

.. versionadded:: 4.1

:genex:`TARGET_PROPERTY` evaluates ``LINK_LIBRARIES`` properties transitively.

The :prop_tgt:`LINK_LIBRARIES` and :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES`
target properties record link dependencies through which the
:genex:`TARGET_PROPERTY` generator expression evaluates transitive properties.
However, in CMake 4.0 and below, the properties themselves were not evaluated
transitively.  CMake 4.1 and above prefer to evaluate the
:prop_tgt:`LINK_LIBRARIES` and :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES`
target properties transitively because they are among the
:ref:`build specification <Target Build Specification>` and
:ref:`usage requirement <Target Usage Requirements>` properties, respectively.
This policy provides compatibility for projects that have not been updated to
expect the new behavior.

The ``OLD`` behavior of this policy is for :genex:`TARGET_PROPERTY` to not
evaluate :prop_tgt:`LINK_LIBRARIES` and :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES`
transitively.  The ``NEW`` behavior is for :genex:`TARGET_PROPERTY` to
evaluate :prop_tgt:`LINK_LIBRARIES` and :prop_tgt:`INTERFACE_LINK_LIBRARIES`
transitively.

.. |INTRODUCED_IN_CMAKE_VERSION| replace:: 4.1
.. |WARNS_OR_DOES_NOT_WARN| replace:: does *not* warn
.. include:: STANDARD_ADVICE.txt

.. include:: DEPRECATED.txt