How to Set Up C++ in Linux

Linux is a great C++ coding environment. Most Linux distros already have the essential components preinstalled, such as a compiler and the text editors are excellent for entering code into, including colour coding; there’s also tons of extra software available to help you out.

LINUX++

We’re going to be using a fresh installation of Linux Mint for this particular tutorial. More on Linux Mint can be found in the next section of the book.

Step 1

The first step with ensuring Linux is ready for your C++ code is check the system and software are

up to date. Open a Terminal and enter: sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade. Press Return and enter your password. These commands updates the entire system and any installed software.

Install C++ in Linux

Step 2

Most Linux distros come preinstalled with all the necessary components to start coding in C++.

However, it’s always worth checking to see if everything is present, so still within the Terminal, enter: sudo apt-get install build-essential and press Return. If you have the right components, nothing is installed but if you’re missing some then they are installed by the command.

Install C++ in Linux

Step 3

Amazingly, that’s it. Everything is all ready for you to start coding. Here’s how to get your first C++

program up and running. In Linux Mint the main text editor is Xed can be launched by clicking on the Menu and typing Xed into the search bar. Click on the Text Editor button in the right-hand pane to

open Xed.

Install C++ in Linux

Step 4

In Xed, or any other text editor you may be using, enter the lines of code that make up your C++ Hello World program. To remind you, its: 

1. #include <iostream> 
2. 
   
3. int main()
5. {
7. //My first C++ program
9. std::cout << “Hello World!\n”;
11. }

Install C++ in Linux

Step 5

When you’ve entered your code, click File > Save As and choose a folder where you want to save your program. Name the file as helloworld.cpp, or any other name just as long as it has .cpp as the extension. Click Save to continue.

Install C++ in Linux

Step 6

The first thing you can see is that Xed has automatically recognised this as a C++ file, since the

file extension is now set to .cpp. The colour coding is present in the code and if you open up the file manager you can also see that the file’s icon has C++ stamped on it.

Install C++ in Linux

Step 7

With your code now saved, drop into the Terminal again. You need to navigate to the location of the C++ file you’ve just saved. Our example is in the Documents folder, so we can navigate to it by entering: cd Documents. Remember, the Linux Terminal is case sensitive, so any capitals must

be entered correctly.

Install C++ in Linux

Step 8

Before you can execute the C++ file you need to compile it. In Linux it’s common to use g++, an open source C++ compiler and as you’re now in the same folder as the C++ file, go to the Terminal, enter: g++ helloworld.cpp and press return.

Install C++ in Linux

Step 9

There will be a brief pause as the code is compiled by g++ and providing there are no mistakes or

errors in the code you are returned to the command prompt. The compiling of the code has created a new file. If you enter ls into the Terminal you can see that alongside your C++ file is a.out.

Install C++ in Linux

Step 10

The a.out file is the compiled C++ code. To run the code enter: ./a.out and press Return. The words ‘Hello World!’ appears on the screen. However, a.out isn’t very friendly.

To name it something else post-compiling, you can recompile with:

g++ helloworld.cpp -o helloworld. This creates an output

file called helloworld which can be run with: ./helloworld.

Install C++ in Linux

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