How to download, Install and Configure CodeBlocks IDE?

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In this entire series of C programming tutorial. You will create, edit, compile and execute many C programs. Before we begin to learn about C programs, you must configure your computer with C compiler.

Quick links:

• Text Editor and Compilier
• Downloading and Installing CodeBlocks IDE
• Configuring CodeBlocks and GCC C compiler
• Verifying GCC C compiler installation and configuration

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To create and execute a C program you require minimum two softwares.

1. A text editor (such as Notepad, Notepad++, Gedit, TextEdit, Sublime etc.)
2. A C compiler (Optionally CodeBlocks IDE).

Text editor: is a software program that enable you to write and edit your programs.

A compiler: translate your program into a series of binary number (0s and 1s) which coputer understands. So whenever you compile a program, the compiler creates a new binary file called executable file which computer can execute.

Read more about-

• What is compiler and why we need it?
• C compilation process.

There are many C compilers available such as GCC C, Borland Turbo C, Visual C, Quick C etc. In this entire series of C tutorial, I will work with GCC C compiler.

GCC C compiler is reliable, efficient and popular C/C++ compiler among developers. It is open source and available to download for all most all operating systems. It is pre-installed C compiler in all UNIX based operating systems.

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Why use a CodeBlocks IDE?

CodeBlocks is an IDE (Integrated Development Environment) used to create, edit, compile, debug and execute C/C++ programs in single place. It is very powerful IDE for developing C projects. CodeBlocks comes with a compiler called GCC to compile C and C++ programs.

In this entire series of C tutorial, I will use CodeBlocks IDE to create, compile, debug and execute C programs. However, there are many other IDE's for developing C projects such as Netbeans, Eclipse, DevC++, Microsoft Visual Studio Code etc.

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Installing CodeBlocks in Windows:

CodeBlocks is available in two variant - with and without compiler. For Windows it comes with MinGW C compiler suite. MinGW C compiler is a windows variant of GCC C compiler.

Download the latest build of CodeBlocks with C compiler from its official website.

Note: You must download the CodeBlocks with MinGW setup executable file.

The download size is about 80MB, which hardly takes 1-2 minutes on good internet connection.

After downloading, run the installer. Installation is simple next...next stuff. The installation wizard will guide you throughout the installation processes.

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Configuring CodeBlocks and GCC C compiler:

On first run CodeBlocks requires few things to gear up. So let us first configure CodeBlocks.

1) Associate CodeBlocks with C compiler. CodeBlocks automatically detects our installed C compiler. Set the detected compiler as default and click OK button.

2) Associate C/C++ files with CodeBlocks IDE. Make sure all C/C++ files opens in CodeBlocks by default.

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3) Set an idle perspective to use CodeBlocks for beginner.

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However, if you want to compile programs from command line with various gcc options, then set environment variables for C compiler in Windows (in Linux no need).

1) Hit Win + R to open run command window. Type systempropertiesadvanced or c:\windows\system32\systempropertiesadvanced. Click OK or hit enter to open advanced system settings dialog.

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2) Inside advanced system properties, click Environment Variables. Alternatively, hit n to open Environment Variables settings.

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3) In the Environment Variables window, move down to System variables. Inside the system variables list, find path variable. Select the Path variable and click on Edit, alternatively hit Alt + I to open Environment Variable editor window.

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4) Inside the environment variables editor window. We need to add a new entry to the Path environment variable. To add a new environment variable entry, click New then click Browse. This will open a file browser.

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5) Go to your CodeBlocks installation folder, inside that browse for MinGW\bin folder. In my case CodeBlocks bin folder is located under C:\Program Files (x86)\CodeBlocks\MinGW\bin. Select bin folder and click OK.

Remaining is just OK...OK process. Click OK on every window you opened to save all configurations.

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Verifying GCC C compiler installation and configuration:

To verify the above steps. Open command prompt on windows via any of these methods.

• Open run command window by pressing Win + R. Inside run type cmd and hit enter.
• Alternatively, hit Win + S to search, type cmd and hit enter.
• The easiest one, press Win + X (on win 8 and later versions), then hit C to open command prompt.

In command prompt window type gcc --version and hit enter. This will show the version information of GCC compiler. On my machine, it shows following output.

gcc (tdm-1) 4.9.2
Copyright (C) 2014 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO
warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

If gcc --version results in any error, then go back to the configuration step and configure it properly.

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