https://www.alemasone.com/en/tags/compilers/Recent content in Compilers on AlemasoneHugoenSat, 19 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0200https://www.alemasone.com/en/install-c-cpp-compilers-windows-linux-macos/Sat, 20 Jul 2024 11:22:37 +0000https://www.alemasone.com/en/install-c-cpp-compilers-windows-linux-macos/<div class="lead !mb-9 text-xl"> On Linux and macOS, the compiler is installed with a single command. On Windows, the right way to do it today is <strong>MSYS2</strong>, which provides GCC via MinGW-w64 and handles updates automatically. The old SourceForge MinGW—the one with the Installation Manager you’ll see in many guides (including the first version of this one)—has been stagnant for years, only produces 32-bit programs, and should no longer be used. </div> <p>A compiler transforms source code into an executable program. For C and C++, there are two main ones: <strong>GCC</strong>, around since 1987 and available everywhere, and <strong><a href="https://clang.llvm.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Clang</a></strong>, which is younger, provides clearer error messages, and is the default on macOS. The latest version of GCC is 16, released in April 2026, which uses the C++20 standard by default for C++.</p>