# How to find/manage Ninja?
**URL:** https://discourse.cmake.org/t/how-to-find-manage-ninja/2518
**Category:** Usage
**Tags:** gen:ninja
**Created:** [January 12, 2021, 3:53pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/how-to-find-manage-ninja/2518 "2021-01-12T15:53:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2021, 3:53pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/how-to-find-manage-ninja/2518/1 "2021-01-12T15:53:34Z")
I’m confused how I should find/manage Ninja.
The easiest solution I have found is to simply add Ninja to my PATH.
1. What are the alternatives to simply adding Ninja to my PATH? I don’t really like the idea of developers having to modify their path.
2. How should I enforce a specific version of Ninja? (EX 1.10.2)
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### Author:  [@ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ben.boeckel)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2021, 4:05pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/how-to-find-manage-ninja/2518/2 "2021-01-12T16:05:18Z")
> [@YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y](#):
>
> What are the alternatives to simply adding Ninja to my PATH? I don’t really like the idea of developers having to modify their path.
Pass `-DCMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM=/full/path/to/ninja` should work.
> [@YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y](#):
>
> How should I enforce a specific version of Ninja? (EX 1.10.2)
You’d have to detect this yourself. Note that there are other ninja-compatible tools (`shake` comes to mind).
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### Author:  [@YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2021, 5:17pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/how-to-find-manage-ninja/2518/3 "2021-01-12T17:17:11Z")
I’ve never heard of shake before! What is it and can I use it with cmake?
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### Author:  [@ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ben.boeckel)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2021, 5:40pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/how-to-find-manage-ninja/2518/4 "2021-01-12T17:40:38Z")
It is one of a number of tools that can consume a `build.ninja`. As far as CMake is concerned, it is just another consumer of the `Ninja` generator.
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### Author:  [@YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/YMba9g8j9CJp0wLoQf5y)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2021, 5:51pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/how-to-find-manage-ninja/2518/5 "2021-01-12T17:51:15Z")
Wow I was never aware of this! Thank you for pointing it out!
Are you referring to this project?
> **[ndmitchell/shake](https://github.com/ndmitchell/shake)**
>
> Shake build system. Contribute to ndmitchell/shake development by creating an account on GitHub.
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### Author:  [@ben.boeckel](https://discourse.cmake.org/u/ben.boeckel)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2021, 6:50pm UTC](https://discourse.cmake.org/t/how-to-find-manage-ninja/2518/6 "2021-01-12T18:50:21Z")
Yep, that looks like it.