diff --git a/lua/cmake-tools/const.lua b/lua/cmake-tools/const.lua
index 71f02535..eb732360 100644
--- a/lua/cmake-tools/const.lua
+++ b/lua/cmake-tools/const.lua
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ local const = {
     ---@type string|fun(): string
     target = vim.loop.cwd, -- path or function returning path to directory, this is used only if action == "soft_link" or action == "copy"
   },
+  cmake_config_path = vim.fn.stdpath("config") .. "/cmake-tools/", -- this is used to specify global cmake config path
   cmake_kits_path = nil, -- this is used to specify global cmake kits path, see CMakeKits for detailed usage
   cmake_variants_message = {
     short = { show = true }, -- whether to show short message
diff --git a/lua/cmake-tools/init.lua b/lua/cmake-tools/init.lua
index 6a1007fc..9efb440b 100644
--- a/lua/cmake-tools/init.lua
+++ b/lua/cmake-tools/init.lua
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ local const = require("cmake-tools.const")
 local Config = require("cmake-tools.config")
 local variants = require("cmake-tools.variants")
 local kits = require("cmake-tools.kits")
+local scanner = require("cmake-tools.scanner")
 local Presets = require("cmake-tools.presets")
 local log = require("cmake-tools.log")
 local hints = require("cmake-tools.hints")
@@ -65,6 +66,9 @@ function cmake.setup(values)
   cmake.register_autocmd()
   cmake.register_autocmd_provided_by_users()
   cmake.register_scratch_buffer(config.executor.name, config.runner.name)
+  if not vim.uv.fs_stat(const.cmake_kits_path) then
+    scanner.scan_for_kits()
+  end
 end
 
 ---@param callback fun(result: cmake.Result)
@@ -214,7 +218,7 @@ function cmake.generate(opt, callback)
 
   -- if exists cmake-kits.json, kit is used to set
   -- environmental variables and args.
-  local kits_config = kits.parse(const.cmake_kits_path, config.cwd)
+  local kits_config = kits.parse(const.cmake_config_path, config.cwd)
   if kits_config and not config.kit then
     return cmake.select_kit(function(result)
       if not result:is_ok() then
@@ -770,6 +774,10 @@ function cmake.select_build_type(callback)
   )
 end
 
+function cmake.scan_for_kits()
+  scanner.scan_for_kits()
+end
+
 ---@param callback? fun(result: cmake.Result)
 function cmake.select_kit(callback)
   callback = type(callback) == "function" and callback
diff --git a/lua/cmake-tools/scanner.lua b/lua/cmake-tools/scanner.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..592076d3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lua/cmake-tools/scanner.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,172 @@
+local constants = require("cmake-tools.const")
+local scanner = {}
+
+local C_COMPILERS = { "gcc", "clang" }
+local TOOLCHAIN_SEARCH_PATHS = {
+  vim.fn.expand("~/.cmake/toolchains"),
+  "/usr/share/cmake/toolchains",
+  "/usr/local/share/cmake/toolchains",
+  "/etc/cmake/toolchains",
+}
+
+local function toolchain_candidates(prefix)
+  if prefix == "" then
+    return {}
+  end
+
+  local triplet = prefix:gsub("%-$", "")
+
+  return {
+    triplet .. ".cmake",
+    triplet .. "-toolchain.cmake",
+    "toolchain-" .. triplet .. ".cmake",
+  }
+end
+
+local function find_toolchain_file(prefix)
+  local candidates = toolchain_candidates(prefix)
+  if #candidates == 0 then
+    return nil
+  end
+
+  for _, search_dir in ipairs(TOOLCHAIN_SEARCH_PATHS) do
+    for _, filename in ipairs(candidates) do
+      local full_path = search_dir .. "/" .. filename
+      if vim.fn.filereadable(full_path) == 1 then
+        return full_path
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  return nil
+end
+local function match_c_compiler(exe)
+  for _, compiler_name in ipairs(C_COMPILERS) do
+    local prefix = exe:match("^(.+%-)" .. compiler_name .. "$")
+    if prefix then
+      return prefix, compiler_name
+    end
+    if exe == compiler_name then
+      return "", compiler_name
+    end
+  end
+  return nil, nil
+end
+local function derive_toolchain(prefix, c_name)
+  local map = {
+    gcc = { cxx = "g++", linker = "ld" },
+    clang = { cxx = "clang++", linker = "lld" },
+  }
+  local companions = map[c_name]
+  if not companions then
+    return nil
+  end
+
+  return {
+    c = (prefix or "") .. c_name,
+    cxx = (prefix or "") .. companions.cxx,
+    linker = (prefix or "") .. companions.linker,
+    prefix = prefix or "",
+  }
+end
+
+local function get_path_executables()
+  local separator = vim.uv.os_uname().sysname == "Windows_NT" and ";" or ":"
+  local path_dirs = vim.split(vim.env.PATH or "", separator, { plain = true })
+  local executables = {}
+  for _, dir in ipairs(path_dirs) do
+    local entries = vim.fn.readdir(dir)
+    for _, entry in ipairs(entries) do
+      local full = dir .. "/" .. entry
+      if vim.fn.executable(full) == 1 then
+        executables[entry] = true
+      end
+    end
+  end
+  return executables
+end
+local function discover_toolchains(executables)
+  local seen = {}
+  local chains = {}
+
+  for exe in pairs(executables) do
+    local prefix, c_name = match_c_compiler(exe)
+    if c_name then
+      local key = prefix .. c_name
+      if not seen[key] then
+        seen[key] = true
+        local chain = derive_toolchain(prefix, c_name)
+        if chain then
+          table.insert(chains, chain)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+  return chains
+end
+
+local function check_executable_exists(compiler)
+  if not compiler or compiler == "" then
+    return false
+  end
+  local exists = vim.fn.executable(compiler) == 1
+  return exists
+end
+
+local function get_executable_path(compiler)
+  if not compiler or compiler == "" then
+    return nil
+  end
+  local path = vim.fn.exepath(compiler)
+  return path
+end
+
+local function get_compiler_version(compiler)
+  if not compiler or compiler == "" then
+    return nil
+  end
+  local version_output = vim.fn.system({ compiler, "--version" })
+  local version = version_output:match("%d+%.%d+%.%d+")
+  return version
+end
+
+local executables = get_path_executables()
+
+function scanner.scan_for_kits()
+  local toolchains = discover_toolchains(executables)
+  local kits = {}
+
+  for _, tc in ipairs(toolchains) do
+    local has_c = check_executable_exists(tc.c)
+    local has_cxx = check_executable_exists(tc.cxx)
+
+    local kit = { compilers = {} }
+
+    local version = get_compiler_version(tc.c)
+    local prefix_label = tc.prefix ~= "" and (tc.prefix:gsub("%-$", "") .. " ") or ""
+    kit.name = prefix_label .. tc.c .. " " .. (version or "Unknown")
+
+    kit.compilers.C = get_executable_path(tc.c)
+
+    kit.compilers.CXX = get_executable_path(tc.cxx)
+
+    if check_executable_exists(tc.linker) then
+      kit.linker = get_executable_path(tc.linker)
+    end
+    local toolchain_file = find_toolchain_file(tc.prefix)
+    if toolchain_file then
+      kit.toolchainFile = toolchain_file
+    end
+    table.insert(kits, kit)
+  end
+  if vim.fn.isdirectory(constants.cmake_config_path) == 0 then
+    vim.fn.mkdir(constants.cmake_config_path, "p")
+  end
+  local json_kits = vim.fn.json_encode(kits)
+  if json_kits then
+    vim.fn.writefile({ json_kits }, constants.cmake_kits_path)
+  end
+  return kits
+end
+
+return scanner
diff --git a/lua/cmake-tools/types.lua b/lua/cmake-tools/types.lua
index 41e748ce..e748a7ab 100644
--- a/lua/cmake-tools/types.lua
+++ b/lua/cmake-tools/types.lua
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ local Types = {
   "ANOTHER_JOB_RUNNING",
   "CMAKE_RUN_FAILED",
   "SETTINGS_ALREADY_OPENED",
+  "CANNOT_FIND_CMAKE_KITS",
 }
 
 Types[0] = "SUCCESS"
diff --git a/plugin/cmake-tools.lua b/plugin/cmake-tools.lua
index ccc74651..5a1a26b2 100644
--- a/plugin/cmake-tools.lua
+++ b/plugin/cmake-tools.lua
@@ -186,6 +186,15 @@ vim.api.nvim_create_user_command(
     desc = "CMake select cmake kit",
   }
 )
+--- CMake scan for kits
+vim.api.nvim_create_user_command(
+  "CMakeScanForKits", -- name
+  cmake_tools.scan_for_kits, -- command
+  { -- opts
+    nargs = 0,
+    desc = "CMake scan for cmake kits",
+  }
+)
 
 --- CMake select configure preset
 vim.api.nvim_create_user_command(
diff --git a/tests/scanner_spec.lua b/tests/scanner_spec.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e0b1ac42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/scanner_spec.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+-- tests/scanner_spec.lua
+describe("scanner", function()
+  local scanner
+
+  before_each(function()
+    require("plenary.reload").reload_module("cmake-tools.scanner")
+    scanner = require("cmake-tools.scanner")
+  end)
+
+  it("returns a table", function()
+    local kits = scanner.scan_for_kits()
+    assert.is_table(kits)
+  end)
+
+  it("finds a kit when gcc is installed", function()
+    if vim.fn.executable("gcc") ~= 1 then
+      pending("gcc not available on this system")
+      return
+    end
+    local kits = scanner.scan_for_kits()
+    assert.is_true(#kits > 0)
+
+    local gcc_kit
+    for _, kit in ipairs(kits) do
+      if kit.compilers and kit.compilers.C and kit.compilers.C:find("gcc") then
+        gcc_kit = kit
+        break
+      end
+    end
+    assert.is_not_nil(gcc_kit, "expected a kit with a gcc C compiler")
+  end)
+
+  it("kit has a name field", function()
+    local kits = scanner.scan_for_kits()
+    for _, kit in ipairs(kits) do
+      assert.is_string(kit.name)
+      assert.is_true(#kit.name > 0)
+    end
+  end)
+
+  it("kit compilers.C is a non-empty path", function()
+    local kits = scanner.scan_for_kits()
+    for _, kit in ipairs(kits) do
+      assert.is_string(kit.compilers.C)
+      assert.is_true(#kit.compilers.C > 0)
+    end
+  end)
+
+  it("kit compilers.CXX is set when the cxx companion exists", function()
+    local kits = scanner.scan_for_kits()
+    for _, kit in ipairs(kits) do
+      if kit.compilers.CXX then
+        assert.is_string(kit.compilers.CXX)
+        assert.is_true(#kit.compilers.CXX > 0)
+      end
+    end
+  end)
+
+  it("kit linker is a path string when set", function()
+    local kits = scanner.scan_for_kits()
+    for _, kit in ipairs(kits) do
+      if kit.linker then
+        assert.is_string(kit.linker)
+        assert.is_true(#kit.linker > 0)
+      end
+    end
+  end)
+
+  it("finds a clang kit when clang is installed", function()
+    if vim.fn.executable("clang") ~= 1 then
+      pending("clang not available on this system")
+      return
+    end
+    local kits = scanner.scan_for_kits()
+    local clang_kit
+    for _, kit in ipairs(kits) do
+      if kit.compilers and kit.compilers.C and kit.compilers.C:find("clang") then
+        clang_kit = kit
+        break
+      end
+    end
+    assert.is_not_nil(clang_kit, "expected a kit with a clang C compiler")
+    if clang_kit.compilers.CXX then
+      assert.is_true(clang_kit.compilers.CXX:find("clang++") ~= nil)
+    end
+  end)
+
+  it("toolchainFile is a string path when set", function()
+    local kits = scanner.scan_for_kits()
+    for _, kit in ipairs(kits) do
+      if kit.toolchainFile then
+        assert.is_string(kit.toolchainFile)
+        assert.is_true(vim.fn.filereadable(kit.toolchainFile) == 1)
+      end
+    end
+  end)
+end)
+
+describe("kits", function()
+  it("parse from global file", function()
+    local kit = require("cmake-tools.kits")
+    local const = require("cmake-tools.const")
+    local kits = kit.get(const.cmake_kits_path, vim.loop.cwd())
+    assert(#kits > 0)
+  end)
+end)