# CMAKE_<LANG>_USING_LINKER_MODE

Added in version 3.29.

This controls how the value of the `CMAKE_<LANG>_USING_LINKER_<TYPE>` variable should be interpreted. The supported linker mode values are:

`FLAG`

  `CMAKE_<LANG>_USING_LINKER_<TYPE>` holds a semicolon-separated list of flags to be passed to the compiler frontend. This is also the default behavior if `CMAKE_<LANG>_USING_LINKER_MODE` is not set.

`TOOL`

  `CMAKE_<LANG>_USING_LINKER_<TYPE>` holds the path to the linker tool.

Warning

The variable must be set accordingly to how CMake manage the link step:

- value `TOOL` is expected and required when the linker is used directly for the link step.

- value `FLAGS` is expected or the variable not set when the compiler is used as driver for the link step.

Deprecated since version 4.0.

This variable is no longer used. The type of information stored in the `CMAKE_<LANG>_USING_LINKER_<TYPE>` variable is determined by the `CMAKE_<LANG>_LINK_MODE` variable.