CLion 2024.1 Help

Run multiple configurations

CLion provides several ways to run/debug multiple program instances at once, for example, a client-server app or a complex test, which requires launching several different processes or tasks. The first step in any case would be to create run configurations for each of the tasks or processes that need to be launched. Once all necessary configurations are in place, you have several options of launching them:

When multiple configurations are launched at once, each will be available in a separate tab in the Run or Debug tool window.

Parallel launch with a compound run/debug configuration

A Compound run configuration lets you launch several run/debug configurations simultaneously.

Create a compound run/debug configuration

  1. Create a run/debug configuration for each app and process that should be launched in your session.

  2. Go to Run | Edit Configurations. Alternatively, press Alt+Shift+F10, then 0.

  3. In the Run/Debug Configurations dialog, click the Add button or press Alt+Insert, then select Compound.

    compound run/debug configuration
  4. Specify the run/debug configuration name in the Name field. This name will be shown in the list of the available run/debug configurations.

  5. To include a new run/debug configuration into the compound configuration (and choose the desired CMake profile for it) , click Add the Add button and select the desired one from the list.

    Then select the preferred CMake profile:

    cmake profile for a configuration included in compound
  6. Apply the changes and close the dialog.

Once you set up the compound configuration, you can launch it with or without debugging.

Sequential launch with the Before Launch task

You can use run/debug configuration's Before Launch tasks for many different things, and one of them is to launch other run/debug configurations.

Configure 'Before Launch' tasks

  1. Create a run/debug configuration for each app and process that should be launched in your session.

  2. Go to Run | Edit Configurations. Alternatively, press Alt+Shift+F10, then 0.

  3. In the Run/Debug Configuration dialog, select the configuration that should be launched last.

  4. Click Modify options and select Add before launch task.

  5. Click Add Add task, then select Run Another Configuration, and choose the desired configuration.

  6. Make sure that all necessary configurations are added. Use the Up Alt+Up and Down Alt+Down to arrange the launch order (configurations at the top will be launched first).

  7. Apply the changes and close the dialog.

Once you set up Before Launch tasks in the configuration that should be started last, you can launch it with or without debugging.

Last modified: 16 April 2024