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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.
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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.
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You will need to install these tools or use those already installed on your computer.
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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.
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