diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 4fe844ebb5..d45c05ab91 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -21,6 +21,19 @@ project(nxt C CXX)
 
 option(NXT_USE_WERROR "Treat warnings as error (useful for CI)" 0)
 
+# Default values for the backend-enabling options
+if (WIN32)
+    set(NXT_ENABLE_D3D12 ON)
+elseif(APPLE)
+    set(NXT_ENABLE_METAL ON)
+endif()
+
+option(NXT_ENABLE_D3D12 "Enable compilation of the D3D12 backend" OFF)
+option(NXT_ENABLE_METAL "Enable compilation of the Metal backend" OFF)
+option(NXT_ENABLE_NULL "Enable compilation of the Null backend" ON)
+option(NXT_ENABLE_OPENGL "Enable compilation of the OpenGL backend" ON)
+option(NXT_ENABLE_VULKAN "Enable compilation of the Vulkan backend" OFF)
+
 ################################################################################
 # Precompute compile flags and defines, functions to set them
 ################################################################################
@@ -35,6 +48,22 @@ if(CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "Debug" OR CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE STREQUAL "RelWithDebInf
     list(APPEND NXT_DEFS "NXT_ENABLE_ASSERTS")
 endif()
 
+if (NXT_ENABLE_D3D12)
+    list(APPEND NXT_INTERNAL_DEFS "NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_D3D12")
+endif()
+if (NXT_ENABLE_METAL)
+    list(APPEND NXT_INTERNAL_DEFS "NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_METAL")
+endif()
+if (NXT_ENABLE_NULL)
+    list(APPEND NXT_INTERNAL_DEFS "NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_NULL")
+endif()
+if (NXT_ENABLE_OPENGL)
+    list(APPEND NXT_INTERNAL_DEFS "NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_OPENGL")
+endif()
+if (NXT_ENABLE_VULKAN)
+    list(APPEND NXT_INTERNAL_DEFS "NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_VULKAN")
+endif()
+
 if (WIN32)
     # Define NOMINMAX to prevent conflicts between std::min/max and the min/max macros in WinDef.h
     list(APPEND NXT_DEFS "NOMINMAX")
diff --git a/examples/SampleUtils.cpp b/examples/SampleUtils.cpp
index 6a8ce80154..d89472817b 100644
--- a/examples/SampleUtils.cpp
+++ b/examples/SampleUtils.cpp
@@ -39,12 +39,18 @@ enum class CmdBufType {
     //TODO(cwallez@chromium.org) double terrible cmdbuf
 };
 
-#if defined(__APPLE__)
-static utils::BackendType backendType = utils::BackendType::Metal;
-#elif defined(_WIN32)
-static utils::BackendType backendType = utils::BackendType::D3D12;
+// Default to D3D12, Metal, Vulkan, OpenGL in that order as D3D12 and Metal are the preferred on
+// their respective platforms, and Vulkan is preferred to OpenGL
+#if defined(NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_D3D12)
+    static utils::BackendType backendType = utils::BackendType::D3D12;
+#elif defined(NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_METAL)
+    static utils::BackendType backendType = utils::BackendType::Metal;
+#elif defined(NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_VULKAN)
+    static utils::BackendType backendType = utils::BackendType::OpenGL;
+#elif defined(NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_OPENGL)
+    static utils::BackendType backendType = utils::BackendType::Vulkan;
 #else
-static utils::BackendType backendType = utils::BackendType::OpenGL;
+    #error
 #endif
 
 static CmdBufType cmdBufType = CmdBufType::Terrible;
diff --git a/src/backend/CMakeLists.txt b/src/backend/CMakeLists.txt
index b7e0dc93d8..19aeacd673 100644
--- a/src/backend/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/backend/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -19,109 +19,75 @@ set(OPENGL_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/opengl)
 set(D3D12_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/d3d12)
 set(TESTS_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/tests)
 
-list(APPEND BACKEND_SOURCES
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/BindGroup.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/BindGroup.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/BindGroupLayout.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/BindGroupLayout.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Builder.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Builder.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Buffer.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Buffer.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/CommandAllocator.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/CommandAllocator.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/CommandBuffer.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/CommandBuffer.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/DepthStencilState.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/DepthStencilState.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/CommandBufferStateTracker.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/CommandBufferStateTracker.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Device.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Device.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Forward.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Framebuffer.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Framebuffer.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/InputState.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/InputState.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/PerStage.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/PerStage.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Pipeline.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Pipeline.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/PipelineLayout.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/PipelineLayout.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Queue.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Queue.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/RenderPass.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/RenderPass.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/RefCounted.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/RefCounted.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Sampler.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Sampler.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/ShaderModule.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/ShaderModule.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Texture.cpp
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Texture.h
-    ${BACKEND_DIR}/ToBackend.h
-)
-
+################################################################################
 # OpenGL Backend
+################################################################################
 
-Generate(
-    LIB_NAME opengl_autogen
-    LIB_TYPE STATIC
-    FOLDER "backend"
-    PRINT_NAME "OpenGL backend autogenerated files"
-    COMMAND_LINE_ARGS
-        ${GENERATOR_COMMON_ARGS}
-        -T opengl
-)
-target_link_libraries(opengl_autogen glfw glad nxtcpp)
-target_include_directories(opengl_autogen PRIVATE ${SRC_DIR})
-target_include_directories(opengl_autogen PUBLIC ${GENERATED_DIR})
+if (NXT_ENABLE_OPENGL)
+    Generate(
+        LIB_NAME opengl_autogen
+        LIB_TYPE STATIC
+        FOLDER "backend"
+        PRINT_NAME "OpenGL backend autogenerated files"
+        COMMAND_LINE_ARGS
+            ${GENERATOR_COMMON_ARGS}
+            -T opengl
+    )
+    target_link_libraries(opengl_autogen glfw glad nxtcpp)
+    target_include_directories(opengl_autogen PRIVATE ${SRC_DIR})
+    target_include_directories(opengl_autogen PUBLIC ${GENERATED_DIR})
 
-list(APPEND BACKEND_SOURCES
-    ${OPENGL_DIR}/CommandBufferGL.cpp
-    ${OPENGL_DIR}/CommandBufferGL.h
-    ${OPENGL_DIR}/DepthStencilStateGL.cpp
-    ${OPENGL_DIR}/DepthStencilStateGL.h
-    ${OPENGL_DIR}/OpenGLBackend.cpp
-    ${OPENGL_DIR}/OpenGLBackend.h
-    ${OPENGL_DIR}/PersistentPipelineStateGL.cpp
-    ${OPENGL_DIR}/PersistentPipelineStateGL.h
-    ${OPENGL_DIR}/PipelineGL.cpp
-    ${OPENGL_DIR}/PipelineGL.h
-    ${OPENGL_DIR}/PipelineLayoutGL.cpp
-    ${OPENGL_DIR}/PipelineLayoutGL.h
-    ${OPENGL_DIR}/SamplerGL.cpp
-    ${OPENGL_DIR}/SamplerGL.h
-    ${OPENGL_DIR}/ShaderModuleGL.cpp
-    ${OPENGL_DIR}/ShaderModuleGL.h
-    ${OPENGL_DIR}/TextureGL.cpp
-    ${OPENGL_DIR}/TextureGL.h
-)
+    list(APPEND BACKEND_SOURCES
+        ${OPENGL_DIR}/CommandBufferGL.cpp
+        ${OPENGL_DIR}/CommandBufferGL.h
+        ${OPENGL_DIR}/DepthStencilStateGL.cpp
+        ${OPENGL_DIR}/DepthStencilStateGL.h
+        ${OPENGL_DIR}/OpenGLBackend.cpp
+        ${OPENGL_DIR}/OpenGLBackend.h
+        ${OPENGL_DIR}/PersistentPipelineStateGL.cpp
+        ${OPENGL_DIR}/PersistentPipelineStateGL.h
+        ${OPENGL_DIR}/PipelineGL.cpp
+        ${OPENGL_DIR}/PipelineGL.h
+        ${OPENGL_DIR}/PipelineLayoutGL.cpp
+        ${OPENGL_DIR}/PipelineLayoutGL.h
+        ${OPENGL_DIR}/SamplerGL.cpp
+        ${OPENGL_DIR}/SamplerGL.h
+        ${OPENGL_DIR}/ShaderModuleGL.cpp
+        ${OPENGL_DIR}/ShaderModuleGL.h
+        ${OPENGL_DIR}/TextureGL.cpp
+        ${OPENGL_DIR}/TextureGL.h
+    )
+endif()
 
-# Null backend
-Generate(
-    LIB_NAME null_autogen
-    LIB_TYPE STATIC
-    FOLDER "backend"
-    PRINT_NAME "Null backend autogenerated files"
-    COMMAND_LINE_ARGS
-        ${GENERATOR_COMMON_ARGS}
-        -T null
-)
-target_link_libraries(null_autogen nxtcpp)
-target_include_directories(null_autogen PRIVATE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
-target_include_directories(null_autogen PUBLIC ${SRC_DIR})
+################################################################################
+# Null Backend
+################################################################################
 
-list(APPEND BACKEND_SOURCES
-    ${NULL_DIR}/NullBackend.cpp
-    ${NULL_DIR}/NullBackend.h
-)
+if (NXT_ENABLE_NULL)
+    Generate(
+        LIB_NAME null_autogen
+        LIB_TYPE STATIC
+        FOLDER "backend"
+        PRINT_NAME "Null backend autogenerated files"
+        COMMAND_LINE_ARGS
+            ${GENERATOR_COMMON_ARGS}
+            -T null
+    )
+    target_link_libraries(null_autogen nxtcpp)
+    target_include_directories(null_autogen PRIVATE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
+    target_include_directories(null_autogen PUBLIC ${SRC_DIR})
 
+    list(APPEND BACKEND_SOURCES
+        ${NULL_DIR}/NullBackend.cpp
+        ${NULL_DIR}/NullBackend.h
+    )
+endif()
+
+################################################################################
 # Metal Backend
+################################################################################
 
-if (APPLE)
+if (NXT_ENABLE_METAL)
     Generate(
         LIB_NAME metal_autogen
         LIB_TYPE STATIC
@@ -161,9 +127,11 @@ if (APPLE)
     )
 endif()
 
+################################################################################
 # D3D12 Backend
+################################################################################
 
-if (WIN32)
+if (NXT_ENABLE_D3D12)
     Generate(
         LIB_NAME d3d12_autogen
         LIB_TYPE STATIC
@@ -266,13 +234,68 @@ if (WIN32)
     )
 endif()
 
+################################################################################
+# Common sources definition of the library
+################################################################################
+
+list(APPEND BACKEND_SOURCES
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/BindGroup.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/BindGroup.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/BindGroupLayout.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/BindGroupLayout.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Builder.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Builder.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Buffer.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Buffer.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/CommandAllocator.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/CommandAllocator.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/CommandBuffer.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/CommandBuffer.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/DepthStencilState.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/DepthStencilState.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/CommandBufferStateTracker.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/CommandBufferStateTracker.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Device.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Device.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Forward.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Framebuffer.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Framebuffer.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/InputState.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/InputState.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/PerStage.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/PerStage.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Pipeline.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Pipeline.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/PipelineLayout.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/PipelineLayout.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Queue.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Queue.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/RenderPass.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/RenderPass.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/RefCounted.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/RefCounted.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Sampler.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Sampler.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/ShaderModule.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/ShaderModule.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Texture.cpp
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/Texture.h
+    ${BACKEND_DIR}/ToBackend.h
+)
+
 add_library(nxt_backend STATIC ${BACKEND_SOURCES})
 NXTInternalTarget("backend" nxt_backend)
+target_link_libraries(nxt_backend nxt_common glfw glad spirv_cross)
 
-target_link_libraries(nxt_backend nxt_common opengl_autogen null_autogen glfw glad spirv_cross)
-if (APPLE)
-    target_link_libraries(nxt_backend metal_autogen)
-endif()
-if (WIN32)
+if (NXT_ENABLE_D3D12)
     target_link_libraries(nxt_backend d3d12_autogen)
 endif()
+if (NXT_ENABLE_METAL)
+    target_link_libraries(nxt_backend metal_autogen)
+endif()
+if (NXT_ENABLE_NULL)
+    target_link_libraries(nxt_backend null_autogen)
+endif()
+if (NXT_ENABLE_OPENGL)
+    target_link_libraries(nxt_backend opengl_autogen)
+endif()
diff --git a/src/tests/NXTTest.cpp b/src/tests/NXTTest.cpp
index c59ebaaa81..de0c6161f7 100644
--- a/src/tests/NXTTest.cpp
+++ b/src/tests/NXTTest.cpp
@@ -276,17 +276,24 @@ std::ostream& operator<< (std::ostream& stream, const RGBA8& color) {
 
 namespace detail {
     bool IsBackendAvailable(BackendType type) {
-        #if defined(__APPLE__)
-            return type == MetalBackend;
-        #elif defined(_WIN32)
-            return type == D3D12Backend;
-        #elif __linux__
-            // Temporarily silence a warning while Linux doesn't have a backend that can be tested.
-            (void) type;
-            return false;
-        #else
-            return false;
-        #endif
+        switch (type) {
+            #if defined(NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_D3D12)
+                case D3D12Backend:
+            #endif
+            #if defined(NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_METAL)
+                case MetalBackend:
+            #endif
+            #if defined(NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_OPENGL)
+                case OpenGLBackend:
+            #endif
+            #if defined(NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_VULKAN)
+                case VulkanBackend:
+            #endif
+                return true;
+
+            default:
+                return false;
+        }
     }
 
     std::vector<BackendType> FilterBackends(const BackendType* types, size_t numParams) {
diff --git a/src/utils/BackendBinding.cpp b/src/utils/BackendBinding.cpp
index db19eb35f4..d3e65742c9 100644
--- a/src/utils/BackendBinding.cpp
+++ b/src/utils/BackendBinding.cpp
@@ -18,11 +18,21 @@
 
 namespace utils {
 
-    BackendBinding* CreateD3D12Binding();
-    BackendBinding* CreateMetalBinding();
-    BackendBinding* CreateOpenGLBinding();
-    BackendBinding* CreateNullBinding();
-    BackendBinding* CreateVulkanBinding();
+    #if defined(NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_D3D12)
+        BackendBinding* CreateD3D12Binding();
+    #endif
+    #if defined(NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_METAL)
+        BackendBinding* CreateMetalBinding();
+    #endif
+    #if defined(NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_NULL)
+        BackendBinding* CreateNullBinding();
+    #endif
+    #if defined(NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_OPENGL)
+        BackendBinding* CreateOpenGLBinding();
+    #endif
+    #if defined(NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_VULKAN)
+        BackendBinding* CreateVulkanBinding();
+    #endif
 
     void BackendBinding::SetWindow(GLFWwindow* window) {
         this->window = window;
@@ -30,31 +40,33 @@ namespace utils {
 
     BackendBinding* CreateBinding(BackendType type) {
         switch (type) {
-            case BackendType::D3D12:
-                #if defined(_WIN32)
+            #if defined(NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_D3D12)
+                case BackendType::D3D12:
                     return CreateD3D12Binding();
-                #else
-                    return nullptr;
-                #endif
+            #endif
 
-            case BackendType::OpenGL:
-                return CreateOpenGLBinding();
-
-            case BackendType::Metal:
-                #if defined(__APPLE__)
+            #if defined(NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_METAL)
+                case BackendType::Metal:
                     return CreateMetalBinding();
-                #else
-                    return nullptr;
-                #endif
+            #endif
 
-            case BackendType::Null:
-                return CreateNullBinding();
+            #if defined(NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_NULL)
+                case BackendType::Null:
+                    return CreateNullBinding();
+            #endif
 
-            case BackendType::Vulkan:
-                return nullptr; // TODO(cwallez@chromium.org) change it to CreateVulkanBinding();
+            #if defined(NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_OPENGL)
+                case BackendType::OpenGL:
+                    return CreateOpenGLBinding();
+            #endif
+
+            #if defined(NXT_ENABLE_BACKEND_VULKAN)
+                case BackendType::Vulkan:
+                    return CreateVulkanBinding();
+            #endif
 
             default:
-                UNREACHABLE();
+                return nullptr;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/utils/CMakeLists.txt b/src/utils/CMakeLists.txt
index 1202d0e523..2bc4782bab 100644
--- a/src/utils/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/utils/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -17,21 +17,31 @@ set(UTILS_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR})
 list(APPEND UTILS_SOURCES
     ${UTILS_DIR}/BackendBinding.cpp
     ${UTILS_DIR}/BackendBinding.h
-    ${UTILS_DIR}/NullBinding.cpp
-    ${UTILS_DIR}/OpenGLBinding.cpp
     ${UTILS_DIR}/NXTHelpers.cpp
     ${UTILS_DIR}/NXTHelpers.h
 )
 
-if (APPLE)
+if (NXT_ENABLE_D3D12)
+    list(APPEND UTILS_SOURCES
+        ${UTILS_DIR}/D3D12Binding.cpp
+    )
+endif()
+
+if (NXT_ENABLE_METAL)
     list(APPEND UTILS_SOURCES
         ${UTILS_DIR}/MetalBinding.mm
     )
 endif()
 
-if (WIN32)
+if (NXT_ENABLE_NULL)
     list(APPEND UTILS_SOURCES
-        ${UTILS_DIR}/D3D12Binding.cpp
+        ${UTILS_DIR}/NullBinding.cpp
+    )
+endif()
+
+if (NXT_ENABLE_OPENGL)
+    list(APPEND UTILS_SOURCES
+        ${UTILS_DIR}/OpenGLBinding.cpp
     )
 endif()