Setting Up Your Development Environment

Before you can start programming, you need to set up your development environment. In other words, you need to download the necessary programs that will help you on your journey to becoming a programmer.

What is a Development Environment?

A development environment consists of all the tools and software you need to write, test, and run your programs. Think of it as your digital workspace.

Essential Tools

1. Code Editor or IDE

You'll need a place to write your code. Popular options include:

• Visual Studio Code - Free, lightweight, and versatile
• Code::Blocks - Great for C++ beginners
• Dev-C++ - Simple and easy to use for C++
• CLion - Professional IDE (paid)

2. Compiler

A compiler translates your human-readable code into machine language that the computer can execute.

For C++:

• GCC (GNU Compiler Collection) - Free and open-source
• MinGW - GCC for Windows
• MSVC - Microsoft Visual C++ Compiler

3. Terminal or Command Prompt

You'll use this to run your compiled programs and execute commands.

Installation Steps

For Windows:

1. Download and install a code editor (e.g., Visual Studio Code)
2. Install MinGW for C++ compilation
3. Set up the PATH environment variable
4. Test your installation by opening Command Prompt and typing g++ --version

For macOS:

1. Install Xcode Command Line Tools
2. Download a code editor
3. Verify installation with g++ --version in Terminal

For Linux:

1. GCC is usually pre-installed
2. Install a code editor
3. Update packages if needed: sudo apt-get update

Your First Test

Once everything is installed, create a simple test file to ensure your environment works:

Save this as test.cpp, compile it with g++ test.cpp -o test, and run it!

Note

During your classes with the instructor, you'll review how to set up the development environment and prepare everything in detail.