C/C++ Development Setup Guide for Windows using VS Code & TDM-GCC

This guide helps you set up your Windows system to compile and run C and C++ programs using Visual Studio Code and the TDM-GCC compiler. TDM-GCC is a lightweight option, particularly suitable for systems with limited storage.

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✅ Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

• A Windows computer (preferably 64-bit).
• Basic knowledge of C or C++.
• Visual Studio Code installed.
  • 👉 Download VS Code

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1️⃣ Install the TDM-GCC Compiler

📦 Step 1: Download TDM-GCC

1. Go to the official TDM-GCC download page: 👉 https://jmeubank.github.io/tdm-gcc/
2. Download the recommended 64-bit installer: tdm64-gcc-10.3.0-2.exe

This package includes:

• gcc (GNU C Compiler)
• g++ (GNU C++ Compiler)
• gdb (GNU Debugger)
• mingw32-make (optional, useful for building larger projects)
• Required runtime libraries

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🧰 Step 2: Install TDM-GCC

1. Run the downloaded .exe installer file.
2. When prompted for the edition, choose TDM-GCC 64-bit (Recommended).
3. Follow the installer prompts to complete the installation. By default, it might install to a path like: C:\TDM-GCC-64\

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🔍 Step 3: Verify GCC Installation

1. Open Command Prompt (search for cmd in the Start menu).
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

   gcc --version

3. ✅ Success: You should see output displaying the GCC version (e.g., tdm64-gcc (tdm64-1) 10.3.0).
4. ❌ Failure: If you get an error like "'gcc' is not recognized...", try restarting your PC. If it still fails, you likely need to manually add the compiler's bin directory to your system's PATH environment variable:
   • Search for "Environment Variables" in the Start menu and open "Edit the system environment variables".
   • Click the "Environment Variables..." button.
   • Under "System variables", find the Path variable, select it, and click "Edit...".
   • Click "New" and add the path to your TDM-GCC installation's bin folder. Default:

     C:\TDM-GCC-64\bin
     

   • Click OK on all windows to save the changes.
   • Close and reopen Command Prompt and try gcc --version again.

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2️⃣ Setup VS Code for C/C++

📦 Step 1: Install Essential VS Code Extensions

1. Open Visual Studio Code.
2. Go to the Extensions view (click the square icon on the left sidebar or press Ctrl+Shift+X).
3. Search for and install the following extension:
   • C/C++ (by Microsoft) - Provides IntelliSense (code completion), debugging support, and code Browse.
4. (Optional but Recommended) Install:
   • Code Runner (by Jun Han) - Allows quickly running code snippets or files with a simple command/shortcut (though we will set up a build task below).

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🛠️ Step 2: Create Your Project Folder and File

1. Create a new folder for your C/C++ projects, for example, MyCProject.

2. Inside MyCProject, create your source file (e.g., main.c) and optionally a .vscode folder for configuration:

   MyCProject/
   │
   ├── main.c           # Your C source code
   ├── build/           # Folder where compiled executables will go (created automatically)
   └── .vscode/
       └── tasks.json   # Build task configuration
   

3. Create a simple C program in main.c:

   #include <stdio.h>
   
   int main() {
       printf("Hello, World!\n");
       return 0;
   }

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⚙️ Step 3: Configure the Build Task (tasks.json)

This task automates compiling and running your code directly from VS Code.

1. Create a file named tasks.json inside the .vscode folder within your project directory (MyCProject/.vscode/tasks.json).

2. Paste the following JSON configuration into tasks.json:

   {
     "version": "2.0.0",
     "tasks": [
       {
         "label": "Compile & Run C (TDM-GCC)",
         "type": "shell",
         "command": "powershell", // Using PowerShell for multi-command sequence
         "args": [
           "-Command",
           // 1. Create 'build' directory if it doesn't exist (-Force suppresses errors if it already exists)
           "New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path build;",
           // 2. Compile the current file using gcc, place output in 'build' folder
           "gcc '${file}' -o build\\${fileBasenameNoExtension}.exe;",
           // 3. If compilation ($?) was successful (exit code 0), run the compiled executable
           "if ($?) { .\\build\\${fileBasenameNoExtension}.exe }"
         ],
         "group": {
           "kind": "build",
           "isDefault": true // Makes this the default build task (Ctrl+Shift+B)
         },
         "presentation": {
           "echo": true,
           "reveal": "always", // Show the terminal panel
           "focus": false,
           "panel": "shared", // Use a shared terminal
           "showReuseMessage": false,
           "clear": false // Don't clear terminal on each run
         },
         "problemMatcher": [
           "$gcc" // Use VS Code's built-in GCC problem matcher to detect errors/warnings
         ]
       }
     ]
   }

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🚀 Run Your C/C++ Code

1. Open your C or C++ source file (e.g., main.c) in VS Code.
2. Press Ctrl + Shift + B (the shortcut for the default build task).
3. The integrated terminal panel will open, showing the compilation commands and then the output of your program.

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🧠 Tips & Notes

• Use the .c file extension for C programs and .cpp for C++ programs.
• For C++: Modify the tasks.json command to use g++ instead of gcc:

  "g++ '${file}' -o build\\${fileBasenameNoExtension}.exe;"

• The ${file} and ${fileBasenameNoExtension} variables in tasks.json automatically refer to the file currently active in the editor.
• Compiled executable files (.exe) are placed in the build folder within your project directory.
• Debugging setup requires additional configuration (creating a launch.json file). The C/C++ extension can often help generate a basic configuration.

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🧪 Example Output

After running the main.c example using Ctrl + Shift + B, you should see the following in the VS Code terminal:

Hello, World!