Tooling for C/C++ Development

GCC

C

gcc -c x.c # compile c source file into x.o object file
gcc -c x.c y.c # compile c source files into x.o and y.o object files
gcc -o executable x.o y.o # link object files x.o and y.o into a single executable file

# compile and link source files x.c and y.c into a single executable file
gcc -o executable x.c y.c # intermediate object files are discarded

# compile and link source files x.c and y.c into a single executable file
# looks up any undefined symbols during linking in library named **libsomething**.
gcc -o executable x.c y.c -lsomething # -lABC -> search in libABC

# use the gcc preprocessor only
gcc -E in.c -o in.i

# see header file content
gcc -include stddef.h -E -dM - </dev/null | less

# check for memory leaks with valgring
valgrind --leak-check=yes ./program_name # if not in PATH and in working dir

C++

g++ -c x.cpp # compile cpp source file into x.o object file
g++ -c x.cpp y.cpp # compile cpp source files into x.o and y.o object files
g++ -o executable x.o y.o # link object files x.o and y.o into a single executable file
# compile and link source files x.cpp and y.cpp into a single executable file
g++ -o executable x.cpp y.cpp # intermediate object files are discarded

# compile and link source files x.cpp and y.cpp into a single executable file
# looks up any undefined symbols during linking in library named **libsomething**
g++ -o executable x.cpp y.cpp -lsomething # -lABC -> search in libABC

# specify C++ standard -> use -std=bruh flag
g++ -o prog main.cpp -std=c++2a # use c++ 20 with gcc, not fully implemented yet

debugging tip: undefined reference to smthg \(\rightarrow\) -o ALL.o files

How to define a template class in a .h file and implement it in a .cpp file 🔮.

CMake

mkdir build
touch CMakeLists.txt
# write the build system: nvim CMakeLists.txt
cmake . -B build && cmake --build build

# cmake starter (https://cliutils.gitlab.io/modern-cmake/modern-cmake.pdf)
cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.7...3.29)
if(${CMAKE_VERSION} VERSION_LESS 3.12)
    cmake_policy(VERSION ${CMAKE_MAJOR_VERSION}.${CMAKE_MINOR_VERSION})
endif()
project(name 
    VERSION 0.1
    LANGUAGES CXX
    DESCRIPTION "epic project idea"
)

add_executable()

Gdb

Valgrind