diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d986f5ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+name: CI for CMake
+
+on:
+  push:
+  pull_request:
+  release:
+    types: [published]
+
+
+jobs:
+
+  unix:
+
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        os: [ubuntu-latest]
+# mac, clang etc. work, just saving CI time
+
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+
+    steps:
+
+    - name: install prereqs (Linux)
+      if: runner.os == 'Linux'
+      run: |
+        sudo apt update
+        sudo apt install --no-install-recommends libxt-dev libxaw7-dev libxpm-dev libxmu-dev libx11-dev
+
+    - name: install prereqs (macOS)
+      if: runner.os == 'macOS'
+      run: brew install libxt libxaw libx11 libxpm libxmu
+
+    - &checkout
+      uses: actions/checkout@v6
+
+    - name: CMake build
+      run: cmake --workflow build
+
+    - name: CMake install (for examples)
+      run: cmake --install build
+
+    - name: CMake example build and test
+      working-directory: demos
+      run: cmake --workflow default
+
+    - &cpack
+      name: Create package
+      if: github.event.action == 'published'
+      run: cpack --config build/CPackConfig.cmake
+
+    - &upload_pkg
+      name: Upload package
+      if: github.event.action == 'published'
+      uses: actions/upload-artifact@v7
+      with:
+        name: ${{ runner.os }}-pkg
+        path: build/package
+
+
+  windows:
+    runs-on: windows-2025-vs2026
+    timeout-minutes: 10
+
+    steps:
+    - *checkout
+
+    - name: CMake build
+      run: cmake --workflow msvc-build
+
+    - name: CMake install (for examples)
+      run: cmake --install build --config Release
+
+    - name: CMake configure examples
+      working-directory: demos
+      run: cmake --preset msvc
+
+    - *cpack
+
+    - *upload_pkg
+
+
+  dos:
+    timeout-minutes: 10
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+
+    steps:
+    - uses: open-watcom/setup-watcom@v1
+      with:
+        version: "2.0"
+        target: "dos"
+
+    - *checkout
+
+    - name: CMake build
+      run: cmake --workflow dos
+
+    - name: CMake install (for examples)
+      run: cmake --install build
+
+    # cannot build examples, even locally
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..61970098
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.19...4.3)
+
+if(CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR STREQUAL CMAKE_BINARY_DIR)
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "Please use out-of-source build
+  cmake -B build")
+endif()
+
+project(PDCurses
+LANGUAGES C
+VERSION 3.9
+DESCRIPTION "PDCurses - a curses library for environments that don't fit the termcap/terminfo model."
+HOMEPAGE_URL "https://github.com/wmcbrine/PDCurses")
+
+include(CheckIncludeFile)
+include(CheckSymbolExists)
+
+# --- system config
+option(PDCurses_WIDE "Enable wide-character support" ON)
+option(PDCurses_UTF8 "Enable UTF-8 support")
+option(PDCurses_sdl "Use SDL2")
+option(PDCurses_xaw3d "Use Xaw3d instead of Xaw")
+option(PDCurses_nextaw "Use NeXT Athena widgets instead of Xaw")
+
+include(cmake/compilers.cmake)
+
+add_library(pdcurses pdcurses/addch.c pdcurses/addchstr.c pdcurses/addstr.c
+pdcurses/attr.c pdcurses/beep.c pdcurses/bkgd.c pdcurses/border.c pdcurses/clear.c
+pdcurses/color.c pdcurses/delch.c pdcurses/deleteln.c pdcurses/getch.c
+pdcurses/getstr.c pdcurses/getyx.c pdcurses/inch.c pdcurses/inchstr.c
+pdcurses/initscr.c pdcurses/inopts.c pdcurses/insch.c pdcurses/insstr.c
+pdcurses/instr.c pdcurses/kernel.c pdcurses/keyname.c pdcurses/mouse.c pdcurses/move.c
+pdcurses/outopts.c pdcurses/overlay.c pdcurses/pad.c pdcurses/panel.c pdcurses/printw.c
+pdcurses/refresh.c pdcurses/scanw.c pdcurses/scr_dump.c pdcurses/scroll.c
+pdcurses/slk.c pdcurses/termattr.c pdcurses/touch.c pdcurses/util.c
+pdcurses/window.c pdcurses/debug.c
+)
+set_property(TARGET pdcurses PROPERTY EXPORT_NAME Curses)
+target_include_directories(pdcurses
+PUBLIC
+$<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}>
+$<INSTALL_INTERFACE:include>
+PRIVATE pdcurses
+)
+target_compile_definitions(pdcurses
+PUBLIC
+$<$<BOOL:${PDCurses_WIDE}>:PDC_WIDE>
+PRIVATE
+$<$<BOOL:${PDCurses_UTF8}>:PDC_FORCE_UTF8>
+$<$<BOOL:${PDCurses_xaw3d}>:USE_XAW3D>
+$<$<BOOL:${PDCurses_nextaw}>:USE_NEXTAW>
+$<$<CONFIG:Debug,RelWithDebugInfo>:PDCDEBUG>
+)
+
+add_library(Curses::Curses ALIAS pdcurses)
+
+check_symbol_exists("vsnprintf" "stdio.h" HAVE_VSNPRINTF)
+check_symbol_exists("vsscanf" "stdio.h" HAVE_VSSCANF)
+
+target_compile_definitions(pdcurses PRIVATE
+$<$<BOOL:${HAVE_VSNPRINTF}>:HAVE_VSNPRINTF>
+$<$<BOOL:${HAVE_VSSCANF}>:HAVE_VSSCANF>
+)
+
+if(PDCurses_sdl)
+  find_package(SDL2 CONFIG REQUIRED)
+
+  target_link_libraries(pdcurses PRIVATE SDL2::SDL2)
+  target_include_directories(pdcurses PRIVATE sdl2)
+
+  target_sources(pdcurses PRIVATE sdl2/pdcclip.c sdl2/pdcdisp.c sdl2/pdcgetsc.c
+    sdl2/pdckbd.c sdl2/pdcscrn.c sdl2/pdcsetsc.c sdl2/pdcutil.c sdl2/pdcsdl.h
+  )
+elseif(WIN32)
+  target_compile_definitions(pdcurses PRIVATE
+  $<$<BOOL:${MSVC}>:_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS>
+  $<$<BOOL:${BUILD_SHARED_LIBS}>:PDC_DLL_BUILD>
+  )
+  target_include_directories(pdcurses PRIVATE wincon)
+
+  target_sources(pdcurses PRIVATE wincon/pdcclip.c wincon/pdcdisp.c wincon/pdcgetsc.c
+    wincon/pdckbd.c wincon/pdcscrn.c wincon/pdcsetsc.c wincon/pdcutil.c wincon/pdcwin.h
+  )
+elseif(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "DOS")
+  target_sources(pdcurses PRIVATE dos/pdcclip.c dos/pdcdisp.c dos/pdcgetsc.c
+      dos/pdckbd.c dos/pdcscrn.c dos/pdcsetsc.c dos/pdcutil.c)
+  target_include_directories(pdcurses PRIVATE dos)
+else()
+  check_include_file("DECkeySym.h" HAVE_DECKEYSYM_H)
+  check_include_file("Sunkeysym.h" HAVE_SUNKEYSYM_H)
+  check_include_file("unistd.h" HAVE_UNISTD_H)
+  check_symbol_exists("poll" "poll.h" HAVE_POLL)
+  check_symbol_exists("usleep" "unistd.h" HAVE_USLEEP)
+
+  target_compile_definitions(pdcurses PRIVATE
+  $<$<BOOL:${HAVE_DECKEYSYM_H}>:HAVE_DECKEYSYM_H>
+  $<$<BOOL:${HAVE_SUNKEYSYM_H}>:HAVE_SUNKEYSYM_H>
+  $<$<BOOL:${HAVE_UNISTD_H}>:HAVE_UNISTD_H>
+  $<$<BOOL:${HAVE_POLL}>:HAVE_POLL>
+  $<$<BOOL:${HAVE_USLEEP}>:HAVE_USLEEP>
+  )
+
+  include(cmake/x11.cmake)
+
+  target_compile_definitions(pdcurses PRIVATE XCURSES)
+
+  target_include_directories(pdcurses PRIVATE ${X11_INCLUDE_DIR} x11)
+  target_link_libraries(pdcurses PRIVATE X11::X11 X11::Xaw X11::Xt X11::Xpm X11::Xmu)
+
+  target_sources(pdcurses PRIVATE x11/pdcclip.c x11/pdcdisp.c x11/pdcgetsc.c
+    x11/pdckbd.c x11/pdcscrn.c x11/pdcsetsc.c x11/pdcutil.c x11/sb.c x11/scrlbox.c
+    x11/pdcx11.h x11/scrlbox.h
+  )
+endif()
+
+install(TARGETS pdcurses EXPORT ${PROJECT_NAME}-targets)
+install(FILES curses.h panel.h TYPE INCLUDE)
+
+include(cmake/install.cmake)
+
+# --- auto-ignore build directory
+file(GENERATE OUTPUT .gitignore CONTENT "*")
diff --git a/CMakePresets.json b/CMakePresets.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..05e80bc0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CMakePresets.json
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+{
+  "version": 6,
+
+"configurePresets": [
+{
+  "name": "default",
+  "generator": "Ninja",
+  "binaryDir": "build",
+  "installDir": "${fileDir}/build/local",
+  "cacheVariables": {
+    "CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE": "Release",
+    "CMAKE_COMPILE_WARNING_AS_ERROR": true,
+    "CMAKE_LINK_WARNING_AS_ERROR": true
+  }
+},
+{ "name": "build", "inherits": "default" },
+{ "name": "msvc", "inherits": "default", "generator": "Visual Studio 18 2026" },
+{ "name": "msvc-build", "inherits": "msvc" },
+{ "name": "dos", "generator": "Watcom WMake", "inherits": "default",
+  "toolchainFile": "${sourceDir}/cmake/dos.cmake",
+  "displayName": "OpenWatcom DOS"
+}
+],
+"buildPresets": [
+  { "name": "default", "configurePreset": "default", "configuration": "Release" },
+  { "name": "build", "configurePreset": "build", "inherits": "default" },
+  { "name": "dos", "configurePreset": "dos", "inherits": "default" },
+  { "name": "msvc", "configurePreset": "msvc", "configuration": "Release", "inherits": "default" },
+  { "name": "msvc-build", "inherits": "msvc" }
+],
+"testPresets": [
+{
+  "name": "default",
+  "configurePreset": "default",
+  "configuration": "Release",
+  "output": {
+    "outputOnFailure": true,
+    "verbosity": "verbose"
+  },
+  "execution": {
+    "noTestsAction": "error",
+    "scheduleRandom": true,
+    "stopOnFailure": false,
+    "jobs": 8,
+    "$comment": "don't put 0 or ulimit too many open files failures result"
+  }
+},
+{ "name": "msvc", "configurePreset": "msvc", "inherits": "default" },
+{ "name": "msvc-build", "inherits": "msvc" }
+],
+"workflowPresets": [
+  {
+    "name": "default",
+    "steps": [
+      { "type": "configure", "name": "default" },
+      { "type": "build", "name": "default" },
+      { "type": "test", "name": "default" }
+    ]
+  },
+  {
+    "name": "build",
+    "steps": [
+      { "type": "configure", "name": "default" },
+      { "type": "build", "name": "default" }
+    ]
+  },
+  {
+    "name": "dos",
+    "steps": [
+      { "type": "configure", "name": "dos" },
+      { "type": "build", "name": "dos" }
+    ]
+  },
+  {
+    "name": "msvc-build",
+    "steps": [
+      { "type": "configure", "name": "msvc" },
+      { "type": "build", "name": "msvc" }
+    ]
+  },
+  {
+    "name": "msvc",
+    "steps": [
+      { "type": "configure", "name": "msvc" },
+      { "type": "build", "name": "msvc" },
+      { "type": "test", "name": "msvc" }
+    ]
+  }
+]
+}
diff --git a/cmake/compilers.cmake b/cmake/compilers.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..30b3e675
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/compilers.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+if(CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "OpenWatcom")
+  message(STATUS "OpenWatcom: $ENV{WATCOM}
+  Host: ${CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM_NAME} ${CMAKE_HOST_SYSTEM_VERSION}
+  Target: ${CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME} ${CMAKE_SYSTEM_VERSION}
+  ")
+  # https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Open_Watcom
+  add_compile_options(-bt=dos -bcl=dos)
+endif()
diff --git a/cmake/config.cmake.in b/cmake/config.cmake.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c285d217
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/config.cmake.in
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+@PACKAGE_INIT@
+include(CMakeFindDependencyMacro)
+include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/@PROJECT_NAME@-targets.cmake)
+
+set(PDCurses_X11 @X11_FOUND@)
+if(PDCurses_X11)
+  find_dependency(X11)
+endif()
+
+check_required_components(@PROJECT_NAME@)
diff --git a/cmake/dos.cmake b/cmake/dos.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d3ecdf8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/dos.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME DOS)
+
+if(NOT DEFINED ENV{WATCOM})
+  if(WIN32)
+    set(scr ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/dos.ps1)
+  else()
+    set(scr ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/dos.sh)
+  endif()
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "WATCOM environment variable not set. Try running ${scr} first.")
+endif()
+
+file(TO_CMAKE_PATH "$ENV{WATCOM}" watcom_root)
+
+set(CMAKE_SYSROOT ${watcom_root})
+
+if(WIN32)
+  set(bin ${watcom_root}/binnt64 ${watcom_root}/binnt)
+else()
+  set(bin ${watcom_root}/binl64 ${watcom_root}/binl)
+endif()
+
+find_program(CMAKE_C_COMPILER
+NAMES wcl386
+HINTS ${bin}
+NO_DEFAULT_PATH
+REQUIRED
+)
diff --git a/cmake/dos.ps1 b/cmake/dos.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f20cfb76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/dos.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+$watcom = "$Env:SYSTEMDRIVE:\WATCOM"
+
+if (!(Test-Path -Path $watcom)) {
+  Throw "OpenWatcom not found at $watcom"
+}
+
+$env:WATCOM = $watcom
+$env:EDPATH = "$watcom\EDDAT"
+$env:WHTMLHELP = "$watcom\BINNT\HELP"
+$env:WIPFC = "$watcom\WIPFC"
+
+$env:LIBPATH = "$watcom\lib386\"
+$env:INCLUDE = "$watcom\H"
+
+$env:Path += ";$watcom\BINNT64;$watcom\BINNT"
diff --git a/cmake/dos.sh b/cmake/dos.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2faf25f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/dos.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+watcom="/opt/watcom/"
+
+if [ ! -d $watcom ]; then
+  echo "OpenWatcom not found at $watcom" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+export WATCOM=$watcom
+export EDPATH="$watcom/eddat"
+export WIPFC="$watcom/wipfc"
+
+export INCLUDE="$watcom/h"
+export PATH="$watcom/binl64:$watcom/binl:$PATH"
diff --git a/cmake/install.cmake b/cmake/install.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7c5909e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/install.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# --- BOILERPLATE: install / packaging
+
+include(CMakePackageConfigHelpers)
+
+configure_package_config_file(${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/config.cmake.in
+${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/CMakeFiles/${PROJECT_NAME}Config.cmake
+INSTALL_DESTINATION cmake
+)
+
+write_basic_package_version_file(
+${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/CMakeFiles/${PROJECT_NAME}ConfigVersion.cmake
+COMPATIBILITY SameMinorVersion
+)
+
+install(EXPORT ${PROJECT_NAME}-targets
+NAMESPACE Curses::
+DESTINATION cmake
+)
+
+install(FILES
+${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/CMakeFiles/${PROJECT_NAME}Config.cmake
+${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/CMakeFiles/${PROJECT_NAME}ConfigVersion.cmake
+DESTINATION cmake
+)
+
+# --- CPack
+
+set(CPACK_GENERATOR "TBZ2")
+set(CPACK_SOURCE_GENERATOR "TBZ2")
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VENDOR "William McBrine")
+set(CPACK_PACKAGE_CONTACT "William McBrine")
+set(CPACK_RESOURCE_FILE_README "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/README.md")
+
+install(FILES ${CPACK_RESOURCE_FILE_README}
+DESTINATION share/docs/${PROJECT_NAME}
+)
+
+include(CPack)
diff --git a/cmake/x11.cmake b/cmake/x11.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bb1f4e2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/x11.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+# extra parts of X11 needed
+find_package(X11 REQUIRED)
+
+find_package(PkgConfig)
+
+# xt.pc is broken on Ubuntu
+if(PKG_CONFIG_FOUND)
+
+pkg_check_modules(_xt xt)
+pkg_check_modules(_x11 x11)
+pkg_check_modules(_xmu xmu)
+pkg_check_modules(_xpm xpm)
+pkg_check_modules(_xaw xaw7)
+
+endif()
+
+# Ubuntu may need this
+find_path(_xt_inc
+NAMES Intrinsic.h
+HINTS ${_xt_INCLUDE_DIRS} ${X11_INCLUDE_DIR}
+PATH_SUFFIXES X11
+REQUIRED
+)
+
+# macOS may need this
+find_path(_xatom_inc
+NAMES Xatom.h
+HINTS ${_x11_INCLUDE_DIRS} ${X11_INCLUDE_DIR}
+PATH_SUFFIXES X11
+REQUIRED
+)
+
+# macOS may need this
+find_path(_xmu_inc
+NAMES StdSel.h
+HINTS ${_xmu_INCLUDE_DIRS} ${X11_INCLUDE_DIR}
+PATH_SUFFIXES X11/Xmu
+REQUIRED
+)
+
+# macOS may need this
+find_path(_xpm_inc
+NAMES xpm.h
+HINTS ${_xpm_INCLUDE_DIRS} ${X11_INCLUDE_DIR}
+PATH_SUFFIXES X11
+REQUIRED
+)
+
+# macOS may need this
+find_path(_xaw_inc
+NAMES Box.h
+HINTS ${_xaw_INCLUDE_DIRS} ${X11_INCLUDE_DIR}
+PATH_SUFFIXES X11/Xaw
+REQUIRED
+)
+
+list(APPEND X11_INCLUDE_DIR
+${_xt_inc} ${_xatom_inc}
+${_xmu_inc} ${_xmu_inc}/..
+${_xpm_inc}
+${_xaw_inc} ${_xaw_inc}/..
+)
+
+message(STATUS "X11_INCLUDE_DIR: ${X11_INCLUDE_DIR}
+X11_LIBRARIES: ${X11_LIBRARIES}")
diff --git a/demos/CMakeLists.txt b/demos/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..de6b1310
--- /dev/null
+++ b/demos/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.19)
+
+if(CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR STREQUAL CMAKE_BINARY_DIR)
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "Please use out-of-source build
+  cmake -B build")
+endif()
+
+project(PDcursesDemos LANGUAGES C)
+
+enable_testing()
+
+find_package(PDCurses CONFIG REQUIRED)
+
+foreach(f IN ITEMS testcurs ozdemo xmas firework ptest rain worm test_init)
+  add_executable(${f} ${f}.c)
+  target_link_libraries(${f} PRIVATE Curses::Curses)
+endforeach()
+
+add_executable(tuidemo tui.c tuidemo.c)
+target_link_libraries(tuidemo PRIVATE Curses::Curses)
+
+file(GENERATE OUTPUT .gitignore CONTENT "*")
+
+add_test(NAME Init COMMAND test_init)
+set_tests_properties(Init PROPERTIES
+SKIP_REGULAR_EXPRESSION "Can't open display|no DISPLAY variable set"
+SKIP_RETURN_CODE 77
+)
+
+# Note: using STDIN INPUT_FILE for CTest doesn't work as Curses wants an actual keypress, not pipe.
diff --git a/demos/CMakePresets.json b/demos/CMakePresets.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..48fb8c3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/demos/CMakePresets.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+  "version": 6,
+  "include": [ "../CMakePresets.json" ]
+}
diff --git a/demos/README.md b/demos/README.md
index 107873bb..da62fd33 100644
--- a/demos/README.md
+++ b/demos/README.md
@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@ and link with any curses library; e.g., "cc -orain rain.c -lcurses".
 There are no dependencies besides curses and the standard C library, and
 no configuration is needed.
 
+To use CMake, assuming the main PDcurses has been built and installed:
+
+```sh
+cmake -S demos -B demos/build -DPDCurses_ROOT=/path/to/pdcurses
+
+cmake --build demos/build
+```
 
 Distribution Status
 -------------------
diff --git a/demos/test_init.c b/demos/test_init.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ca1328a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/demos/test_init.c
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+// test the very basics are working
+// no refresh() or getch() as this requires a terminal and wouldn't work on CI
+// without additional measures.
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+#include <curses.h>
+
+int main(void){
+    WINDOW* w = initscr();
+    if(w == NULL){
+        fprintf(stderr, "Error initialising ncurses.\n");
+        return 77;
+    }
+
+    int i = noecho();
+    if(i == ERR){
+        fprintf(stderr, "Error turning off echo.\n");
+        return 77;
+    }
+
+    i = printw("Hello, PDCurses!");
+    if(i == ERR){
+        fprintf(stderr, "Error printing to screen.\n");
+        return 77;
+    }
+
+    endwin();
+
+    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+}
diff --git a/demos/tui.c b/demos/tui.c
index f49a3b8a..9db5e30a 100644
--- a/demos/tui.c
+++ b/demos/tui.c
@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@ static char wordchar(void)
 static char *padstr(char *s, int length)
 {
     static char buf[MAXSTRLEN];
-    char fmt[10];
+    char fmt[20];
 
-    sprintf(fmt, (int)strlen(s) > length ? "%%.%ds" : "%%-%ds", length);
+    snprintf(fmt, sizeof(fmt), (int)strlen(s) > length ? "%%.%ds" : "%%-%ds", length);
     sprintf(buf, fmt, s);
 
     return buf;
diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md
index 020504b2..fa721c79 100644
--- a/docs/README.md
+++ b/docs/README.md
@@ -21,6 +21,27 @@ Also consult the README for each specific platform you'll be using:
 Building
 --------
 
+The PDcurses library can be built for Unix-like systems and Windows via Makefiles
+or CMake.
+To build with CMake:
+
+```sh
+cmake --workflow build
+```
+
+optionally, install the library binary and headers:
+
+```sh
+cmake -B build --install-prefix /path/to/install
+cmake --build build
+cmake --install build
+```
+
+If using X11, install X11 like:
+
+* Linux: `apt install --no-install-recommends libxt-dev libxaw7-dev libxpm-dev libxmu-dev libx11-dev`
+* macOS: `brew install xorgproto libxt libxaw libx11 libxpm libxmu pkgconf`
+
 - To rebuild MANUAL.md from the "man page" sections of the source code,
   type "./mkman.sh". Needs a Unix-like shell and an Awk interpreter.