diff --git a/.github/workflows/format.yml b/.github/workflows/format.yml
index cc323f9..37f3857 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/format.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/format.yml
@@ -11,9 +11,13 @@ jobs:
         # find all examples in build/examples and run them
         run: |
           pwd
-          find -name "*.cpp" -not -path "./build/*" | xargs -I {} -n 1 -P 10 clang-format  {}  -Werror --dry-run -style='file:.clang-format'
+          mkdir build
+          cd build
+          cmake ..
+          cmake --build . --target=check-format
 
           
 
 
 
+
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 5c1c349..d330d16 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -164,3 +164,22 @@ add_subdirectory(examples)
 if(AARE_PYTHON_BINDINGS)
     add_subdirectory(python)
 endif()
+
+
+# custom target to run check formatting with clang-format
+add_custom_target(
+    check-format
+    COMMAND find \( -name "*.cpp" -o -name "*.hpp" \) -not -path "./build/*" | xargs -I {} -n 1 -P 10 bash -c  "clang-format -Werror -style=\"file:.clang-format\" {} | diff {} -"
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
+    COMMENT "Checking code formatting with clang-format"
+    VERBATIM
+    
+)
+
+add_custom_target(
+    format-files
+    COMMAND find \( -name "*.cpp" -o -name "*.hpp" \) -not -path "./build/*" | xargs -I {} -n 1 -P 10 bash -c "clang-format -i -style=\"file:.clang-format\" {}"
+    WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}
+    COMMENT "Formatting with clang-format"
+    VERBATIM
+)
\ No newline at end of file