VS Code is a powerful code editor that supports several programming languages, including C++. Here are the steps to set up VS Code for C++ development:
- Install Visual Studio Code if you haven’t already done so. You can download it from the official website at https://code.visualstudio.com/.
- Install the C/C++ extension for VS Code. Open VS Code, then click on the Extensions icon in the sidebar. Search for “C/C++” in the search box, and click on the C/C++ extension developed by Microsoft. Click on the “Install” button to install the extension.
- Create a new C++ file. Open VS Code, and then create a new file by clicking on File > New File or by using the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl+N” (Windows) or “Cmd+N” (Mac). Save the file with a .cpp extension, such as “hello.cpp”.
- Write your C++ code. Start writing your C++ code in the editor pane.
- Build and run your C++ code. Use the integrated terminal in VS Code to build and run your code. To do this, open the terminal by clicking on Terminal > New Terminal or by using the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl+Shift+
" (Windows) or "Cmd+Shift+” (Mac). Use the following command to build and run your code:
bashCopy codeg++ hello.cpp -o hello
./hello
This command compiles your code with the g++ compiler, and then runs the resulting executable file.
- Debug your C++ code. VS Code also has a powerful debugging feature that can help you find and fix bugs in your code. To start debugging, set a breakpoint in your code by clicking on the left margin of the editor pane, then click on the Run icon in the sidebar to start debugging.
These are the basic steps to set up VS Code for C++ development. As you become more familiar with the editor and its features, you can customize it to suit your needs and preferences.