Installing a C++ compiler

As a senior engineer coming from a web development background, you are assuredly familiar with the importance of a good development environment. The good news is that setting up a C++ environment is simpler than erecting a daunting tech stack on the web development side.

C++ programs are typically compiled using g++ or clang, part of the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) or the LLVM project, respectively. For Windows users, the MinGW-w64 project provides a suitable compiler. Let's go through a step-by-step guide on how to set up a C++ compiler.

1. Windows:

• Download MinGW-w64 from here. Follow the setup instructions, ensuring to add the compiler's bin directory to your PATH.
• Verify by opening a command prompt and running g++ --version. You should see output indicating the installed version of g++.

2. Linux:

• Most Linux distributions include GCC by default. However, if not installed, use the package manager for your distribution to install GCC. For example, on Ubuntu, use sudo apt-get install build-essential.
• Verify the installation by running g++ --version in a terminal.

3. Mac:

• Apple's macOS comes with the clang compiler by default which is sufficient. However, if you prefer g++, it can be installed using the Homebrew package manager with brew install gcc.
• Verification is similar to the previous platforms by running g++ --version in a terminal.

With the compiler installed, we're ready to dive into creating a simple C++ program in the next module!