How to develop C++ GdExtensions with Rider on Linux using CMake

Question

How to How to develop C++ GdExtensions with Rider on Linux?

Answer

Starting from 2026.1 Rider supports CMake, which allows building/running/debugging CMake projects. There is a template for creating GdExtensions available on GitHub: https://github.com/godotengine/godot-cpp-template. It is recommended to start using this official project template.

Steps:

• Clone https://github.com/godotengine/godot-cpp-template or download the zip. Rename the resulting directory.

  • git clone git@github.com:godotengine/godot-cpp-template.git ./MyGdExtensionProjectName ;

• Open the resulting directory and ensure to pull godot-cpp repository (a submodule of godot-cpp-template):

  cd MyGdExtensionProjectName; # The cloned/unarchived directory
  git submodule update --init;
  

• As recommended in the readme file, it is necessary to edit several placeholders in the configuration files:

  • Change the entry_symbol string inside project/bin/example.gdextension file, e.g. MyGdExtensionProjectName_init

    • rename the example_library_init function in src/register_types.cpp to the same name you chose for entry_symbol.

  • Replace EXTENSION-NAME (40 entries) in project/bin/example.gdextension to the choosen name of your extension, e.g. MyGdExtension

  • Rename the example.gdextension to a choosen name, e.g. MyGdExtension.gdextension ;

  • Open MyGdExtensionProjectName/CMakeList.txt. Edit as follows:

    - set(LIBNAME "EXTENSION-NAME" CACHE STRING "The name of the library")
    + set(LIBNAME "MyGdExtension" CACHE STRING "The name of the library")
    
    -     OUTPUT_NAME "${LIBNAME}${GODOTCPP_SUFFIX}"
    +     OUTPUT_NAME "lib${LIBNAME}${GODOTCPP_SUFFIX}"
    # the resulting OUTPUT_NAME should match name of the library in ./project/bin/MyGdExtension.gdextension file
    # e.g. Having this in MyGdExtension.gdextension:
    # linux.x86_64.single.debug = "./linux/libMyGdExtension.linux.template_debug.x86_64.so"
    # The OUTPUT_NAME row in CMakeList.txt should be: 
    # OUTPUT_NAME "lib${LIBNAME}${GODOTCPP_SUFFIX}"
    

  • (Optional) edit the following lines in CMakeList.txt. This project data can be edited later when necessary:

    project(godot-cpp-template
        VERSION 1.0
        DESCRIPTION "This repository serves as a quickstart template for GDExtension development with Godot 4.0+."
        HOMEPAGE_URL "https://github.com/enetheru/godot-cpp-template/tree/main"
        LANGUAGES CXX
    )
    

• Now, depending on the way the above steps are performed, do below:

  • Above steps are done outside Rider: just open the project in Rider. Select CMakeList.txt file in the Open Solution dialog;
  • You opened the project in Rider already, ensure to follow the below steps:
    • Enable "Show All Files" and delete the cmake-build-debug directory (select -> press the "Delete" key):
    • Open the CMake tool window: View | Tool Windows | CMake;
    • Click Reload CMake Project:

• Find and open for edit the run configuration named as your GdExtension:

• Specify the below fields. Create an extra run configuration if necessary:

  • "Executable" - point to exact Godot executable, e.g. Godot_v4.6.1-stable_linux.x86_64
  • "Program arguments": --editor stands for launching the Godot editor itself. Or leave it empty. One can duplicate the run configuration and have two different configurations: for running the game and for running the editor;
  • "Working directory" - point to the directory with project.godot file ({ProjectRoot}/project/)

• Save changes;

• Set the Debugger in File | Settings | Build, Execution, Deployment | Toolchains to Bundled LLDB;

• Launch the editor at least once to be able to run/debug the game.

Now you can run/debug the gdextension. Try setting a breakpoint in src/example_class.cpp:8, then start the Debug of game configuration ( the one without --editor argument).