How to run a C program in Visual Studio Code
Prerequisites for running a C program in Visual Studio Code
- We should have a basic knowledge of C programming.
- The Visual Studio Code Editor must be installed in the system.
- Download the C/C++ Extension. It is an extension provided by Microsoft that support
visual studio code. It helps in IntelliSence, debugging and code browsing of the
programming code in the visual studio.
- Download the C/C++ compilers. There are some popular compilers are:
+ GCC on Linux
+ GCC via Mingw-w64 on Windows
+ Microsoft C++ compiler on windows
+ Clang for XCode on MacOS
1. We should have a basic knowledge of C
programming:
down load in this link: https://code.visualstudio.com/download
2. Download & Install the C/C++ Extension
- We need to click on the extension button that displays a sidebar for
downloading and installing the C/C++ extension in the visual studio
code. In the sidebar, type C Extension.
- After that, click on the C/C++
In this image, click on the Install button to install the C/C++ extension.
- After clicking the Install button, it shows the below image.
3. Download MinGW-w64 Compiler
3.1. Go to the https://sourceforge.net/projects/mingw/ We land on
the following page.
3.2. After that, click on the Download button, then it starts the
downloading of the MinGW GCC compiler, as we can see in the
below image.
3.3. MinGW software has been successfully downloaded into the
system.
3.4. Now we double-click on the MinGW set up to install the compiler.
As we can see, it shows that it is a harmful file click on the Run
button to proceed with installing the setup.
3.5. Click on the Install
3.6. Set it defaults, or we can change the storage location of the
setup. After that, click on the Continue
3.7. After clicking the continue button, it shows step 2 of MinGW
Installation Manager.
3.8. As we click on the Continue, it shows the below image. In the
MinGW Installation Manager, we need to check the Mingw32-
base package and Ming32-gcc-g++ package to run and compile
the C/ C++ program in the visual studio code editor.
3.9. After selecting the checkbox, click on the Installation tab (at the
top left corner of the dialog box).
Here we click on Apply Changes to set the package's installation in MinGW, as
given below.
3.10. After click on the Apply button, it shows the below image.
3.11. After downloading the packages, it shows the installation
process of the package, as shown below.
4. Set the Environment Path for the MinGW
Set Up
After downloading and installing the MinGW compiler, we now set the
environment path to include the C/C++ compiler directory.
4.1. Go to the installation directory of the MinGW Set Up. Here we
installed the setup at the C drive, as shown below.
4.2. Double click on the MinGW folder. It shows the below image.
4.3. After that, click on the bin folder and then copy the directory path,
as shown below.
Here is the path of the MinGW folder path: C:\MinGW\bin
4.4. After copying the directory path, go to This PC -> Right Click on
This PC -> Select/ Click on the Properties. It shows the below
image.
4.5. After that, click on the Advanced system settings to display a
popup box of System Properties, as shown below.
4.6. Click on the Environment Variables to set the directory path, as
shown below.
First, we have to click on the System Variables Path and then click on the Edit
button, as shown in the above image.
4.7. As we click on the Edit button, it shows a popup window to set a
new path, as shown below.
In the above image, first, we click on the New button and then paste the C:\
MinGW\bin path; after that, click the OK button.
4.8. Similarly, click the OK button to the Environment Variables and
System Properties.
4.9. If we want to check that the MinGW has been successfully
installed in the system: go to the Command Prompt or cmd, write
the gcc -version, and press the Enter
