Reproducible and traceable configuration for Conan C and C++ package manager - Conan Blog
Hacker News
February 18, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Conan, the popular C and C++ package manager, has introduced a significant update with the release of `conan config install-pkg`, a new command that enhances configuration management. This feature allows users to package their custom configurations, including remotes, profiles, hooks, and settings, as Conan packages. By leveraging the same versioning and dependency resolution capabilities used for C++ libraries, this approach elevates configuration management to a first-class citizen within the Conan ecosystem. The ability to version and lock specific configurations ensures reproducibility and traceability, which are critical for CI/CD pipelines and developer environments.
One of the key advantages of `conan config install-pkg` is its improved versioning system. Configurations can now be managed using version ranges and lockfiles, making it easier to update and maintain consistent builds across different environments. For example, users can specify exact versions or ranges like `>=1.0 =1 =1 <2` to ensure compatibility and avoid unexpected rebuilds. This level of control is particularly valuable for large organizations with complex build systems, where maintaining consistency across multiple projects and teams is essential.
Another important feature is the integration with Conan's package ID calculation. By enabling `core.package_id:config_mode`, configurations can be included in the package ID, ensuring that minor updates to configurations do not unnecessarily trigger rebuilds. However, major version changes will still require rebuilding packages, providing a balance between flexibility and stability. This approach aligns with Conan's existing binary model while offering an additional layer of traceability for specific configuration changes.
The new feature also simplifies the management of multiple configurations. Organizations can now install multiple configuration packages tailored to different projects or teams, ensuring that each project uses the appropriate settings without conflicts. This capability is particularly useful in large-scale environments where standardized remotes are required for most users, while individual teams may need custom configurations for specific tasks.
In a world where reproducibility and traceability are increasingly important, `conan config install-pkg` represents a significant advancement in configuration management for C++ development. By packaging configurations as Conan packages, users benefit from the same robust version
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Originally published on Hacker News on 2/18/2026