By default, the project() CMake command defaults to C and C++. [1] Therefore, CMake might perform tests for both C and C++ compilers as part of the configuration phase. However, this has the consequence of the configuration phase to fail if the system does not have a C++ toolchain installed, even if C++ is not really used by the top-level project under the default settings. Some configurations might still require a C++ toolchain, so enable_language is selectively called under such circumstances. [1]: https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/command/project.html