What it does
Conan is a decentralized package manager for C and C++ projects. A Conan recipe describes a package's sources, build steps, dependencies, and settings; the client can install dependencies from remotes or create packages for reuse. It is useful for teams managing native-code dependencies across platforms and build configurations, where a language-neutral package registry alone may not capture the build process.
The Conan 2 tutorial separates consuming a package from creating one. For an existing project, install Conan and add the required package references to the project recipe, then resolve them from the configured remotes. When publishing an internal library, use the conan new scaffold as a starting point, define its recipe and dependencies, and follow the package-creation guide to build it. Conan recipes can describe source retrieval, patches, requirements, and build settings, which helps when a C or C++ project needs different binaries for different platforms or compiler configurations. A useful tip is to lock down the compiler, architecture, and build options that matter to your team instead of assuming one package binary will fit every target. Review the configured remote and package provenance when dependencies enter a production build. Conan is MIT-licensed open-source software. It is the package manager client and recipe ecosystem; JFrog Artifactory can host private packages, but using Conan does not require this listing to imply a particular paid registry or hosted plan.
Strengths
- Recipes describe dependency requirements and package build steps for C and C++ projects.
- The tutorials cover both consuming packages and creating a reusable package.
- The project is designed for multiple operating systems and build configurations.
Watch out for
- Teams must maintain recipes, remotes, and build settings that match their supported platforms.
- Native package resolution introduces compiler and architecture choices that may be more involved than a single-language package install.
Best for
- C and C++ teams sharing dependencies across projects or organizations.
- Builds that need package variants for different compilers, platforms, or configurations.
- Teams able to maintain package recipes and choose trusted remotes.
Sources
- Conan C and C++ Open Source Package Manager (Oct 25, 2026)
- Creating packages (Oct 25, 2026)
- Installation (Oct 25, 2026)
- conan-io/conan (Oct 25, 2026)
- MIT License (Oct 25, 2026)