diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 4ebc4921..0132e8ff 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -5,16 +5,20 @@ set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_VERSION 10.0 CACHE STRING "" FORCE)
 project(StgSharpDevelop C)
 
 ################################################################################
-# Set target arch type if empty. Visual studio solution generator provides it.
+# Compiler and environment checks
 ################################################################################
-if(NOT CMAKE_VS_PLATFORM_NAME)
-    set(CMAKE_VS_PLATFORM_NAME "x64")
-endif()
-message("${CMAKE_VS_PLATFORM_NAME} architecture in use")
 
-if(NOT ("${CMAKE_VS_PLATFORM_NAME}" STREQUAL "Any CPU"
-     OR "${CMAKE_VS_PLATFORM_NAME}" STREQUAL "x64"))
-    message(FATAL_ERROR "${CMAKE_VS_PLATFORM_NAME} arch is not supported!")
+# Detect compiler family and allow only GCC or Clang when using CMake.
+if(MSVC)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "MSVC detected while configuring with CMake. This repository provides .vcxproj files for MSVC/Visual Studio.\nPlease open the solution in Visual Studio or use the existing .vcxproj files to build with MSVC. CMake-based MSVC builds are not supported by this project.")
+endif()
+
+if(CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "GNU")
+    message(STATUS "Using GCC: ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER}")
+elseif(CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "Clang")
+    message(STATUS "Using Clang: ${CMAKE_C_COMPILER}")
+else()
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "Unsupported compiler '${CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID}'. Supported compilers for CMake builds are: GCC and Clang. MSVC users: use the provided .vcxproj and Visual Studio.")
 endif()
 
 ################################################################################
@@ -26,35 +30,6 @@ set(CMAKE_CONFIGURATION_TYPES
     CACHE STRING "" FORCE
 )
 
-################################################################################
-# Global compiler options
-################################################################################
-if(MSVC)
-    # remove default flags provided with CMake for MSVC
-    set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "")
-    set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_DEBUG "")
-    set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_RELEASE "")
-endif()
-
-################################################################################
-# Global linker options
-################################################################################
-if(MSVC)
-    # remove default flags provided with CMake for MSVC
-    set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS "")
-    set(CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS "")
-    set(CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS "")
-    set(CMAKE_STATIC_LINKER_FLAGS "")
-    set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS}")
-    set(CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS}")
-    set(CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS}")
-    set(CMAKE_STATIC_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_STATIC_LINKER_FLAGS}")
-    set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS}")
-    set(CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE "${CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS}")
-    set(CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE "${CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS}")
-    set(CMAKE_STATIC_LINKER_FLAGS_RELEASE "${CMAKE_STATIC_LINKER_FLAGS}")
-endif()
-
 ################################################################################
 # Nuget packages function stub.
 ################################################################################
@@ -82,5 +57,5 @@ set_property(GLOBAL PROPERTY USE_FOLDERS ON)
 ################################################################################
 # Sub-projects
 ################################################################################
-add_subdirectory(StgSharp.C)
+add_subdirectory(StgSharp.Native)
 
diff --git a/StgSharp.Native/CMakeLists.txt b/StgSharp.Native/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..87df33d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/StgSharp.Native/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.16)
+project(StgSharp.Native C)
+
+# Include helper for external libraries if present
+include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/ExternalLibs.cmake OPTIONAL)
+
+# Add main source directory
+# Follow naming convention: prefer sn-src/sn-head (StgSharp native naming).
+if(EXISTS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/sn-src)
+  add_subdirectory(sn-src)
+elseif(EXISTS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/src)
+  add_subdirectory(src)
+else()
+  message(STATUS "No sn-src/ or src/ directory in StgSharp.Native; create one to add sources.")
+endif()
+
+# Register include directories according to naming convention: sn-head preferred
+if(EXISTS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/sn-head)
+  include_directories(${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/sn-head)
+elseif(EXISTS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/include)
+  include_directories(${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/include)
+endif()
+
+# Discover external libraries laid out under external/<libname> (each with head/ and lib/)
+if(EXISTS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/external)
+  file(GLOB EXTERNAL_DIRS RELATIVE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/external/*)
+  foreach(_d ${EXTERNAL_DIRS})
+    if(IS_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/external/${_d}")
+      if(COMMAND use_external_lib)
+        use_external_lib(${_d} "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/external/${_d}")
+      else()
+        message(STATUS "External lib '${_d}' found at external/${_d} (no use_external_lib defined).")
+      endif()
+    endif()
+  endforeach()
+endif()
diff --git a/StgSharp.Native/ExternalLibs.cmake b/StgSharp.Native/ExternalLibs.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cdd27bb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/StgSharp.Native/ExternalLibs.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# Helper for external libs layout: external/<libname>/{head,lib}
+# Provides function `use_external_lib(<name> <path>)` that sets include directories
+# and attempts to link static/shared libs found under lib/.
+
+function(use_external_lib NAME PATH)
+    # Expect headers in ${PATH}/head and libs in ${PATH}/lib
+    set(HEAD_DIR "${PATH}/head")
+    set(LIB_DIR "${PATH}/lib")
+
+    if(EXISTS "${HEAD_DIR}")
+        message(STATUS "Registering external include: ${HEAD_DIR}")
+        include_directories(${HEAD_DIR})
+    else()
+        message(WARNING "External lib ${NAME} missing head/ directory at ${HEAD_DIR}")
+    endif()
+
+    if(EXISTS "${LIB_DIR}")
+        # try to find static/shared libs inside LIB_DIR
+        file(GLOB LIB_FILES RELATIVE ${LIB_DIR} ${LIB_DIR}/*)
+        foreach(_lib ${LIB_FILES})
+            if(_lib MATCHES ".*\\.(a|lib|so|dylib)$")
+                message(STATUS "Found library for ${NAME}: ${LIB_DIR}/${_lib}")
+                # Consumer targets should link explicitly; provide variable for convenience
+                set(EXTERNAL_LIB_${NAME} "${LIB_DIR}/${_lib}" PARENT_SCOPE)
+            endif()
+        endforeach()
+    else()
+        message(STATUS "No lib/ directory for external lib ${NAME} at ${LIB_DIR}")
+    endif()
+endfunction()
diff --git a/StgSharp.Native/README.md b/StgSharp.Native/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d9b4555d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/StgSharp.Native/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+StgSharp.Native layout
+
+Conventions:
+- src/        : project C sources and CMakeLists.txt calling add_library/add_executable
+- include/    : public headers (if used)
+- external/   : third-party libraries, each library lives in its own folder
+    - <libname>/
+        - head/   : header files for the library
+        - lib/    : static or shared lib files (or CMake build for that lib)
+
+The root `CMakeLists.txt` in this folder includes `ExternalLibs.cmake` if present.