4.2 C as a Language

4.3 C++ IDE

Programming in C++ requires a text editor and a compiler. A text editor is something to write code in, and a compiler is a program to assemble code into a form that can be executed. A compiler examines source code and checks for errors, such as misspellings. If the source code is correct, the compiler assembles it into what is known as object code , which is something a computer can understand.

Nowadays, programmers don't need to write their code in a basic text editor and compile the application separately. Most versions of C++ are available as an integrated suite of tools, complete with text editor and compiler together. And this means source code, once it's written, can be compiled at the touch of a button. In short, a modern-day C++ suite includes everything required to produce programs that run out of the box. These developmental suites are often called integrated development environments (IDEs). Just as a word processor like Microsoft Word or OpenOffice Writer is used to produce documents, so a C++ IDE is used to produce programs with C++.

There are a large number of IDEs available, manufactured by different companies for different platforms and different standards, such as Windows, GNU/Linux, Mac, etc. One of the most well-known IDEs is Microsoft Visual Studio .NET, aimed primarily at the Windows platform. In general, most PC games are developed for the Windows platform because statistics show most home users likely to play games have at least a Microsoft Windows operating system. Even so, other platforms have a growing games market. The following subsections examine some of the available IDEs.