vcpkg C++ Package Manager

vcpkg is a free open-source C and C++ package manager developed by Microsoft, designed to simplify acquisition and building of C/C++ libraries on Windows, Linux, and macOS. Released in 2016 under MIT license, vcpkg has over 2,500 libraries in its curated registry as of 2026. Key features: port-based system where each package is defined by a vcpkg.json manifest and portfile.cmake build script. Automatic binary caching of compiled packages via local cache, NuGet, GitHub Actions cache, or custom backend, dramatically reducing rebuild time. Manifest mode with vcpkg.json declaring dependencies and automatic resolution during build, similar to package.json for Node.js. Triplet system defines target platform and build configuration including architecture x86, x64, ARM, ARM64 and runtime library linkage, enabling cross-compilation. Custom ports and triplets overlay system for private or modified package definitions. Seamless CMake integration via vcpkg toolchain file with find_package. Automatic Visual Studio integration for Windows MSBuild projects. Versioning with version constraints in manifest mode including minimum, exact, and semver ranges for reproducible builds. Download caching for source archives enabling offline builds. Shared caches across CI pipelines and development environments. Curated registry plus custom registries for private packages with Git-based versioning and portfile overlay.