#5813·pybind11

[BUG]: Python_ADD_LIBRARY: target Python::Module not defined

Author: rhaschkeCreated Aug 24, 2025Updated Aug 8, 2026
Labelstriage

Required prerequisites

What version (or hash if on master) of pybind11 are you using?

3.0.0

Problem description

When using find_package(Python COMPONENTS Interpreter) before using find_package(pybind11), I get the following error:

cmake
CMake Error at /usr/share/cmake-3.28/Modules/FindPython/Support.cmake:4064 (message):
  Python_ADD_LIBRARY: dependent target 'Python::Module' is not defined.

     Did you miss to request COMPONENT 'Development.Module'?
Call Stack (most recent call first):
  /usr/share/cmake-3.28/Modules/FindPython.cmake:635 (__Python_add_library)
  /opt/ros/one/share/pybind11_catkin/cmake/pybind11NewTools.cmake:283 (python_add_library)

Obviously, the first call to find_package(Python) should include the Development component. However, I don't have control about this find_package call as it occurs in another upstream software package. IMHO, pybind11 needs to ensure itself that all required components are find_packaged.

This issue is related to #3996, which identified an order dependency of find_package calls too.

Reproducible example code

Is this a regression? Put the last known working version here if it is.

Not a regression