Compiling C++ in Visual Studio Code on Windows: A Step-by-Step Guide

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a popular code editor that supports a wide range of programming languages, including C++. Compiling C++ code in VS Code on Windows requires some setup and configuration. In this article, we will walk you through the process of compiling C++ code in VS Code on Windows.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have the following installed on your system:

* Visual Studio Code (VS Code)

* C++ compiler (GCC or Clang) installed

* Windows 10 or later operating system

Step 1: Install the C/C++ Extension for VS Code

The first step is to install the C/C++ extension for VS Code. This extension provides syntax highlighting, code completion, and debugging support for C++ programming language.

To install the extension, follow these steps:

* Open VS Code

* Click on the Extensions icon in the left sidebar or press Ctrl + Shift + X (Windows/Linux) or Command + Shift + X (macOS)

* Search for 'C/C++' in the Extensions Marketplace

* Click on the 'Install' button to install the extension

Step 2: Configure the C++ Compiler

After installing the C/C++ extension, you need to configure the compiler settings. VS Code supports GCC and Clang compilers. You can choose either of these compilers based on your preference.

To configure the compiler, follow these steps:

* Open the Command Palette in VS Code by pressing Ctrl + Shift + P (Windows/Linux) or Command + Shift + P (macOS)

* Type 'C/C++: Edit Configurations' and select the command from the dropdown list

* In the C/C++ configurations file, set the compiler path to your GCC or Clang compiler installation directory

* Save the changes

Step 3: Create a New C++ Project in VS Code

After configuring the compiler settings, you can create a new C++ project in VS Code. To do this:

* Open a folder in VS Code where you want to create your C++ project

* Click on the 'File' menu and select 'New Folder' or press Ctrl + Shift + N (Windows/Linux) or Command + Shift + N (macOS)

* Name your project folder and click 'OK'

* In the terminal, navigate to your project folder by typing `cd` followed by the name of your project folder

* Create a new file called `main.cpp` in your project folder

Step 4: Write Your C++ Code

Now you can write your C++ code in the `main.cpp` file. You can use any C++ compiler to compile and run your code.

Here's an example C++ program:

```cpp

#include

int main() {

std::cout << 'Hello, World!' << std::endl;

return 0;

}

```

Step 5: Compile and Run Your C++ Code

To compile and run your C++ code in VS Code, follow these steps:

* Open the Command Palette in VS Code by pressing Ctrl + Shift + P (Windows/Linux) or Command + Shift + P (macOS)

* Type 'C/C++: Build and Run' and select the command from the dropdown list

* The compiler will build your C++ code and run it

Congratulations! You have successfully compiled and run a C++ program in VS Code on Windows.

Compile c++ visual studio code windows