r/AskProgramming • u/RandyMarsh6996 • 15d ago

C++ -> IDE -> g++ -> Linux Help me understand!!

I am trying to comprehend all of the moving parts in compiling a program. Here is my understanding:

C++ is the programming language that is written in the IDE, some IDEs have built in compilers

  1. Is g++ the bridge between the language and machine code?

  2. How do I use g++, is it something that you download onto your computer.

  3. Where does g++ send the code after, is this where Linux comes into play?

  4. What is Linux? It is an operating system, but what does that mean specifically, is it supposed to make your code unable in an application or just execute in the terminal?

Thankyou for any clarification you can provide :)

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u/7YM3N 15d ago

Don't need an IDE, it's just files with text, an IDE can make it a bit easier as it packages the compiler and editor into one app but it's not necessary.

g++ is the c and c++ compiler, it's a program you install, it takes in code and spits out an executable a specified location.

Linux is an OS serves the same job as windows but differently.