MinGW is a popular, free toolset for Windows. If you don't have a compiler installed, in the example below, we describe how to install the Minimalist GNU for Windows (MinGW) C++ tools (compiler and debugger). Note: If you would prefer a full Integrated Development Environment (IDE), with built-in compilation, debugging, and project templates (File > New Project), there are many options available, such as the Visual Studio Community edition. You can check availability of your C++ tools by opening the Integrated Terminal ( ⌃` (Windows, Linux Ctrl+`)) in VS Code and trying to directly run the compiler.Ĭhecking for the GCC compiler g++: g++ -versionĬhecking for the Clang compiler clang: clang -version Make sure your compiler executable is in your platform path ( %PATH on Windows, $PATH on Linux and macOS) so that the C/C++ extension can find it. Most Linux distributions have the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) installed and macOS users can get the Clang tools with Xcode. Some platforms, such as Linux or macOS, have a C++ compiler already installed.

Check with your instructors or colleagues for guidance on installing the recommended C++ toolset (compiler, debugger, project system, linter). There may already be a C++ compiler and debugger provided by your academic or work development environment. You will need to install these tools or use those already installed on your computer. The C/C++ extension does not include a C++ compiler or debugger. VS Code is first and foremost an editor, and relies on command-line tools to do much of the development workflow. Select the Extensions view icon on the Activity bar or use the keyboard shortcut ( ⇧⌘X (Windows, Linux Ctrl+Shift+X)).Īfter you install the extension, when you open or create a *.cpp file, you will have syntax highlighting (colorization), smart completions and hovers (IntelliSense), and error checking.Ĭ++ is a compiled language meaning your program's source code must be translated (compiled) before it can be run on your computer.Configure IntelliSense for cross-compilingĬ/C++ support for Visual Studio Code is provided by a Microsoft C/C++ extension to enable cross-platform C and C++ development on Windows, Linux, and macOS.

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