Linking static vs shared libraries (Qt 6 CMake)

paulmasri

Could someone explain the following please.

If I create a SHARED library as follows...

qt_add_library(NovaLib SHARED)

qt_add_qml_module(NovaLib
  URI Nova
  ...)

qt_add_executable(app
  main.cpp)

qt_add_qml(app
  URI MyApp VERSION 1.0
  QML_FILES main.qml)

then I need to link to the library itself

target_link_libraries(app PRIVATE ... NovaLib)

But if I create a STATIC library as follows...

qt_add_library(NovaLib STATIC)

qt_add_qml_module(NovaLib
  URI Nova
  ...)

qt_add_executable(app
  main.cpp)

qt_add_qml(app
  URI MyApp VERSION 1.0
  QML_FILES main.qml)

then I need to link to the library plugin

target_link_libraries(app PRIVATE ... NovaLibplugin)

Why is this?

NB: when I say "I need to", I mean that if I don't do it this way then either I get a CMake error (linking SHARED library plugin) or it builds but I get a QML runtime error using import Nova (linking STATIC library itself).

JoeCFD

target_link_libraries( ${PROJECT_NAME} path/NovaLib.a ) should work.