Getting Started with C on Ubuntu

It can feel a bit overwhelming at first, but don’t worry! Let’s break this process down step-by-step. You’ll be compiling and executing your “Hello, World!” program in no time.

1. Installing GCC

First off, GCC is indeed what you need to compile your C programs. To check if it’s already installed, open your terminal (you can find it in your applications or by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T) and type:

gcc --version

If it’s installed, you’ll see version info. If not, you can install it with this command:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install gcc

You may need to enter your password. After that, it should install GCC.

2. Writing Your C Program

Next, make sure you have your C program ready. You can write your “Hello, World!” program using any text editor (like gedit, nano, or any IDE). Here’s a simple example:

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    printf("Hello, World!\n");
    return 0;
}

Save this file as hello.c in your home directory or any directory you prefer.

3. Compiling Your Program

Now, let’s compile your program. In the terminal, navigate to the directory where you saved your hello.c file. Use the cd command:

cd path/to/your/directory

Then, compile your C file with this command:

gcc -o hello hello.c

Here, -o hello tells GCC to create an executable named hello. If there are no errors, it’ll just take you back to the command prompt without any messages.

4. Executing Your Program

To run your program, type:

./hello

You should see “Hello, World!” printed in the terminal!

5. Troubleshooting

If there are errors in your code, GCC will display them in the terminal. They might look a bit cryptic at first, but they usually tell you the line number and type of error. Just take your time to read them and try to fix the issues in your code.

6. Compiling vs Executing

Compiling is the process where your C code gets translated into machine code, creating an executable file. Executing is when you run that compiled program. So, they are separate steps!

Once you get the hang of it, it’s not nearly as scary as it first seems. Good luck, and enjoy your journey into C programming!