Build cpp examples from CMakeLists

Author: stephen-derosa

.gitignore

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ build.log
 build/
 build-debug/
 build-release/
+local-install/
 release/
 vcpkg_installed/
 # Generated header

.gitmodules

@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
 [submodule "client-sdk-rust"]
 	path = client-sdk-rust
 	url = https://github.com/livekit/client-sdk-rust
+[submodule "cpp-example-collection"]
+	path = cpp-example-collection
+	url = https://github.com/livekit-examples/cpp-example-collection.git

CMakeLists.txt

@@ -690,7 +690,8 @@ install(FILES
 add_subdirectory(bridge)
 
 if(LIVEKIT_BUILD_EXAMPLES)
-  add_subdirectory(examples)
+  include(cpp-example-collection)
+  livekit_configure_cpp_example_collection()
 endif()
 
 if(LIVEKIT_BUILD_TESTS)

cmake/cpp-example-collection.cmake

@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# Copyright 2026 LiveKit, Inc.
+#
+# LiveKit examples integration helpers.
+
+include_guard(GLOBAL)
+
+function(livekit_configure_cpp_example_collection)
+  set(LIVEKIT_CPP_EXAMPLES_SOURCE_DIR
+      "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/cpp-example-collection")
+  set(LIVEKIT_CPP_EXAMPLES_INSTALL_PREFIX
+      "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/../local-install"
+      CACHE PATH "Install prefix used by cpp-example-collection")
+  set(LIVEKIT_CPP_EXAMPLES_BINARY_DIR
+      "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/cpp-example-collection-build"
+      CACHE PATH "Build directory for cpp-example-collection")
+  set(LIVEKIT_CPP_EXAMPLES_LIVEKIT_DIR
+      "${LIVEKIT_CPP_EXAMPLES_INSTALL_PREFIX}/${CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBDIR}/cmake/LiveKit")
+
+  if(NOT EXISTS "${LIVEKIT_CPP_EXAMPLES_SOURCE_DIR}/CMakeLists.txt")
+    message(FATAL_ERROR
+      "cpp-example-collection submodule is missing. Run: "
+      "git submodule sync --recursive && "
+      "git submodule update --init --recursive --checkout")
+  endif()
+
+  add_custom_target(install_livekit_sdk_for_examples
+    COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E make_directory "${LIVEKIT_CPP_EXAMPLES_INSTALL_PREFIX}"
+    COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} --install "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
+            --prefix "${LIVEKIT_CPP_EXAMPLES_INSTALL_PREFIX}"
+            --config "$<CONFIG>"
+    DEPENDS livekit
+    COMMENT "Installing LiveKit SDK for cpp-example-collection"
+    VERBATIM
+  )
+
+  add_custom_target(cpp_example_collection ALL
+    COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -S "${LIVEKIT_CPP_EXAMPLES_SOURCE_DIR}"
+            -B "${LIVEKIT_CPP_EXAMPLES_BINARY_DIR}"
+            -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH="${LIVEKIT_CPP_EXAMPLES_INSTALL_PREFIX}"
+            -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE="${CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE}"
+            -DLiveKit_DIR="${LIVEKIT_CPP_EXAMPLES_LIVEKIT_DIR}"
+    COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} --build "${LIVEKIT_CPP_EXAMPLES_BINARY_DIR}"
+            --config "$<CONFIG>"
+    DEPENDS install_livekit_sdk_for_examples
+    COMMENT "Configuring and building cpp-example-collection"
+    VERBATIM
+  )
+endfunction()