.. note::
  It is assumed that the linker specified is fully compatible with the default
  one the compiler would normally invoke. CMake will not do any option
  translation.

Linker types are case-sensitive and may only contain letters, numbers and
underscores. Linker types defined in all uppercase are reserved for CMake's own
built-in types. The pre-defined linker types are:

``DEFAULT``
  This type corresponds to standard linking, essentially equivalent to the
  :prop_tgt:`LINKER_TYPE` target property not being set at all.

``SYSTEM``
  Use the standard linker provided by the platform or toolchain. For example,
  this implies the Microsoft linker for all MSVC-compatible compilers.
  This type is supported for the following platform-compiler combinations:

  * Linux: ``GNU``, ``Clang``, ``LLVMFlang``, ``NVIDIA``, and ``Swift``
    compilers.
  * Apple platforms: ``AppleClang``, ``Clang``, ``GNU``, and ``Swift``
    compilers.
  * Windows: ``MSVC``, ``GNU``, ``Clang``, ``NVIDIA``, and ``Swift`` compilers.

``LLD``
  Use the ``LLVM`` linker. This type is supported for the following
  platform-compiler combinations:

  * Linux: ``GNU``, ``Clang``, ``LLVMFlang``, ``NVIDIA``, and ``Swift``
    compilers.
  * Apple platforms: ``Clang``, ``AppleClang``, and ``Swift`` compilers.
  * Windows: ``GNU``, ``Clang`` with MSVC-like front-end, ``Clang`` with
    GNU-like front-end, ``MSVC``, ``NVIDIA`` with MSVC-like front-end,
    and ``Swift``.

``BFD``
  Use the ``GNU`` linker.  This type is supported for the following
  platform-compiler combinations:

  * Linux: ``GNU``, ``Clang``, ``LLVMFlang``, and ``NVIDIA`` compilers.
  * Windows: ``GNU``, ``Clang`` with GNU-like front-end.

``GOLD``
  Supported on Linux platform with ``GNU``, ``Clang``, ``LLVMFlang``,
  ``NVIDIA``, and ``Swift`` compilers.

``MOLD``
  Use the `mold linker <https://github.com/rui314/mold>`_. This type is
  supported on the following platform-compiler combinations:

  * Linux: ``GNU``, ``Clang``, ``LLVMFlang``, and ``NVIDIA`` compilers.
  * Apple platforms: ``Clang`` and ``AppleClang`` compilers (acts as an
    alias to the `sold linker`_).

``SOLD``
  Use the `sold linker`_. This type is only supported on Apple platforms
  with ``Clang`` and ``AppleClang`` compilers.

``APPLE_CLASSIC``
  Use the Apple linker in the classic behavior (i.e. before ``Xcode 15.0``).
  This type is only supported on Apple platforms with ``GNU``, ``Clang``,
  ``AppleClang``, and ``Swift`` compilers.

``MSVC``
  Use the Microsoft linker. This type is only supported on the Windows
  platform with ``MSVC``, ``Clang`` with MSVC-like front-end, and ``Swift``
  compilers.

.. _sold linker: https://github.com/bluewhalesystems/sold