Installing C++

Before you can start programming in C++, you will need to have a compiler installed on your system. A compiler is a program that converts the C++ code you write into an executable file that your computer can run. There are several popular C++ compilers to choose from, depending on your operating system and preference.

Windows

For Windows, one popular option is to install the Microsoft Visual Studio IDE, which includes the Microsoft Visual C++ compiler.

Alternatively, you can also install the MinGW-w64 compiler, which is a Windows port of the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC). To install MinGW-w64, follow these steps:

• Download the installer from here.
• Run the installer and select your desired architecture, version, and install location.
• Add the bin folder inside the installation directory to your system’s PATH environment variable.

macOS

For macOS, you can install the Apple LLVM clang compiler which is part of the Xcode Command Line Tools. To do this, open a terminal and enter:

xcode-select --install

This will prompt a dialog to install the Command Line Tools, which includes the clang compiler.

Linux

On Linux, you can install the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) through your distribution’s package manager. Here are some examples for popular Linux distributions:

• Ubuntu, Debian, and derivatives:

sudo apt-get install g++ build-essential

• Fedora, CentOS, RHEL, and derivatives:

sudo dnf install gcc-c++ make

• Arch Linux and derivatives:

sudo pacman -S gcc make

Checking the Installation

To confirm that the compiler is installed and available on your system, open a terminal/command prompt, and enter the following command:

g++ --version

You should see output displaying the version of your installed C++ compiler.

Now you’re ready to start writing and compiling your C++ code!

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