---
title: "Configure a CLion project"
url: "https://docs.yugabyte.com/stable/contribute/core-database/clion-setup/"
---

# Configure a CLion project

Configure a CLion project for building YugabyteDB using cmake or ninja.

Use the CLion IDE with YugabyteDB

Configure a project in the [CLion](https://www.jetbrains.com/clion/ "CLion") C/C++ IDE.

## Configure a CLion compilation database project

For best performance, configure the project as a compilation database project:

1. Run `./yb_build.sh compilecmds` to generate the `compile_commands.json` file in the `yugabyte-db` directory.
2. Verify that `compile_commands.json` is present in the `yugabyte-db` folder. From the `yugabyte-db` folder, run the following command:
   
   ```sh
   $ find . -name "compile_commands.json"
   ```
   
   You should see output similar to the following:
   
   ```output
   ./compile_commands.json
   ./build/compilecmds-clang-dynamic-arm64-ninja/compile_commands.json
   ./build/compilecmds-clang-dynamic-arm64-ninja/compile_commands/combined_raw/compile_commands.json
   ./build/compilecmds-clang-dynamic-arm64-ninja/compile_commands/yb_postprocessed/compile_commands.json
   ./build/compilecmds-clang-dynamic-arm64-ninja/compile_commands/yb_raw/compile_commands.json
   ./build/compilecmds-clang-dynamic-arm64-ninja/compile_commands/combined_postprocessed/compile_commands.json
   ./build/compilecmds-clang-dynamic-arm64-ninja/compile_commands/pg_raw/compile_commands.json
   ./build/compilecmds-clang-dynamic-arm64-ninja/compile_commands/pg_postprocessed/compile_commands.json
   ./build/compilecmds-clang-dynamic-arm64-ninja/postgres_build/compile_commands.json
   ./build/compilecmds-clang-dynamic-arm64-ninja/postgres_build/contrib/compile_commands.json
   ./build/compilecmds-clang-dynamic-arm64-ninja/postgres_build/third-party-extensions/compile_commands.json
   ```
3. If `./compile_commands.json` is not there, then make a symlink to the one in the build folder as follows:
   
   ```sh
   ln -s build/compilecmds-clang-dynamic-arm64-ninja/compile_commands/combined_postprocessed/compile_commands.json compile_commands.json
   ```
   
   Replace `compilecmds-clang-dynamic-arm64-ninja` as appropriate.
4. Close the CLion project.
5. If you previously opened the folder in CLion, delete the `.idea` folder in the `yugabyte-db` folder:
   
   ```sh
   rm -r .idea
   ```
6. Re-open the `yugabyte-db` folder in CLion.
7. When prompted to open the folder as a CMake project or as a Compilation Database project, choose **Compilation Database project**.