# cmake > Cross-platform build system generator. > It generates Makefiles, Visual Studio projects or others, depending on the target system. - Generate a Makefile and use it to compile a project in the same folder as the source: `cmake && make` - Generate a Makefile and use it to compile a project in a separate "build" folder (out-of-source build): `mkdir -p {{build}} && cd {{build}} && cmake ../ && make` - Run cmake in interactive mode (it will ask for each variable, instead of using defaults): `cmake -i`