Conan

Overview

Conan is a free, open-source package manager for C and C++ development. It is best suited to teams that must reproduce native dependency graphs across many compilers, architectures, and target devices. Its broad build-system coverage and source fallback make it a strong choice for heterogeneous C++ estates, while projects seeking a language-specific public registry may prefer a narrower tool.

Conan uses recipes to define packages and manages both dependencies and compiled binaries. It supports local caches, remote repositories, lockfiles, workspaces, private-registry authentication, and offline installation. The project is MIT-licensed; the downloads page lists version 2.32.0.

Key features

Dependency and binary management

Dependency resolution, lockfiles, and workspaces address the problems that appear when several related C or C++ components must stay on a consistent set of versions. Offline installation is useful for restricted networks and repeatable builds. Private-registry authentication supports controlled access to internal packages.

Conan can select binaries for different architectures, compilers, compiler versions, runtimes, and C++ standard libraries. That matrix is a practical advantage for organizations shipping several native variants, though it also means teams must manage more package configurations. When no matching binary exists, Conan can build from source on demand, reducing hard failures at the cost of build time.

Build and tool integrations

Integrations cover CMake, MSBuild, Makefiles, Meson, SCons, and proprietary build systems. Docker, MinGW, WSL, and JFrog Artifactory integrations extend it into container, Windows-toolchain, and repository workflows. This breadth suits established build environments rather than teams willing to standardize on a single build tool.

Private repositories and collaboration

Artifactory Community Edition can host private packages on a team’s own server. Its WebUI, advanced authentication, permissions, generic CLI, and generic repositories provide more administration than a cache alone. Teams can create, share, and reuse native binaries across an organization, making Conan more useful for internal C++ platforms than for isolated projects.

The ecosystem reports 3.4M monthly PyPI downloads, 1,948 recipes, and 10,287 references. More than 70 expert users and contributors participate in the Conan 2.0 community, and full-time maintainers support many thousands of users. Installation help is available through documentation, Slack, and GitHub.

Pricing

Conan

Conan is billed Free and open source, with custom pricing not stated. The package manager includes C and C++ package management, dependency and binary management, a local cache, and remote repositories. It fits individual developers and teams that can operate their own package infrastructure without a subscription.

Artifactory Community Edition

Artifactory Community Edition is a free server for hosting private packages on your own server; pricing is custom pricing. Choose it when Conan’s client-side management needs an internally controlled registry, authentication, permissions, and a web interface. It requires self-hosting, so organizations wanting a managed service should look elsewhere.

Platforms

Conan runs on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, and Windows. It also works with FreeBSD and other operating systems. Its targets include desktop, server, mobile, embedded, and bare-metal platforms, making it appropriate for cross-compilation and device-oriented C++ work rather than only conventional desktop builds.

Who it's for

Choose Conan for C and C++ teams maintaining multiple native configurations, integrating several build systems, or distributing reusable binaries internally. It is especially compelling when lockfile reproducibility, offline installs, private packages, and source fallback all matter. A small project with a single platform and a public-only dependency set may find its configuration breadth unnecessary.

Pros and cons

Pro: Supports dependency resolution, lockfiles, workspaces, local caching, remote repositories, and offline installation in one workflow.

Pro: Handles binary variations across architectures, compilers, runtimes, and C++ standard libraries, with source builds when binaries are missing.

Pro: Connects to major build systems and tools, including proprietary build systems, Docker, MinGW, WSL, and Artifactory.

Pro: MIT licensing and a free package manager avoid per-seat software charges.

Con: Supporting many binary configurations can create a substantial matrix of artifacts and build combinations to maintain.

Con: Private package hosting through Community Edition requires operating your own server.

Alternatives

For a broader private-package and repository platform, consider Inedo ProGet, which offers a free edition with unlimited feeds for private packages and Docker but limited security and compliance features. npm is the better fit for JavaScript teams centered on public packages and registry access. Choose Hex for an Elixir-focused public package registry with an open-source option. LuaRocks suits Lua module management and hosting. pypiserver is a minimal self-hosted, PyPI-compatible server. Bioconductor is aimed at R and bioinformatics software. aptly is a free CLI and HTTP REST service for Debian repositories. CPAN serves Perl software and documentation. Browse Package Registries or Package Managers for more options.

Verdict

Conan is the right choice for C and C++ organizations that need reproducible dependency and binary management across diverse targets and toolchains. Its main reason to choose it is the combination of configuration-aware binaries, broad build integrations, and source fallback at no package-manager charge. Look elsewhere if you need a managed private registry or a simpler, language-specific package workflow without self-hosting and binary-matrix overhead.