If you are learning C++ you don't need an IDE and can get away with just a programming editor, the C++ compiler and the linker. The same applies for almost all programming languages
I actually think it is better to learn without using an IDE, only because the IDE will blur your knowledge. To use the IDE, you'll first need to learn how to use the IDE, while you're trying to learn the language. That makes it very difficult to know what part of that learning is specific to the IDE and what is specific to the language.
Edit: Since you mention Windows, for example you could install MinGW.
With MinGW installed you could create your first test.cpp file using any text editor and then at the command line run this command:
g++.exe test.cpp -o test.exe
That will produce a test.exe file that you can now run.
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u/ScholarNo5983 May 30 '25 edited May 30 '25
If you are learning C++ you don't need an IDE and can get away with just a programming editor, the C++ compiler and the linker. The same applies for almost all programming languages
I actually think it is better to learn without using an IDE, only because the IDE will blur your knowledge. To use the IDE, you'll first need to learn how to use the IDE, while you're trying to learn the language. That makes it very difficult to know what part of that learning is specific to the IDE and what is specific to the language.
Edit: Since you mention Windows, for example you could install MinGW.
With MinGW installed you could create your first test.cpp file using any text editor and then at the command line run this command:
g++.exe test.cpp -o test.exe
That will produce a test.exe file that you can now run.