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CS253 How I Compile

How I Compile C++ Programs

I don’t use an IDE, like Eclipse. I work from the command line. I use vim to edit, and cmake/make/g++ to compile.

If you can only use an IDE, then you can only use an IDE. This makes you much less flexible/valuable as an employee. Imagine trying to get a job as a driver, when all that you can drive are Ford trucks with automatic transmissions. You’re not worth the bother. I’m going to hire someone who can drive a much wider range of vehicles.

Flags

g++ -std=c++17 -Wall -Wextra -Wpedantic -Werror -Wfatal-errors foo.cc

• -std=c++17: Compile strict C++ version 2017, no GNU extensions.
  • Without this, the current g++ compiler defaults to C++14 with GNU extensions.
• -Wall: Produce all warnings.
• -Wextra: Produce more warnings.
• -Wpedantic: Produce ultra-fussy warnings.
• -Werror: Treat warnings as errors.
• -Wfatal-errors: Give up after the first error.

Too Hard

“But that’s too hard to type every time!” 🎻

You don’t have to type it every time. Type it once, and use shell history (!g) to do it again. Or, you could write a two-line bash script. I use Makefiles.

“But I’ll never remember all that!”

You want to be a professional computer programmer, and you’re still relying on meat-based memory? Write it down. Get Dropbox, Evernote, Google Drive, or some kind of permanent storage. Use a notebook and a pen if you’re old-school. You’re going accumulate data for the rest of your life. Start doing it right.

More Flags

However, when I get really serious, as in a Makefile or CMakeLists.txt:

    g++ -g -std=c++17 -O3 -Wall -Wextra -Wpedantic -Werror
        -fmessage-length=80 -fno-diagnostics-show-option
        -fstack-protector-all -Walloc-zero -Walloca -Wctor-dtor-privacy
        -Wduplicated-cond -Wduplicated-branches -Werror -Wextra-semi
        -Wfatal-errors -Winit-self -Wlogical-op -Wold-style-cast
        -Wshadow -Wunused-const-variable=1
        -Wzero-as-null-pointer-constant

Too Too Hard

“But that’s ridiculous! I shouldn’t have to type all that.”

Yeah, you shouldn’t—it’s terribly unfair. If life were fair, then the compiler would do all that by default, and ice cream would be good for you. Get over it. I don’t type it all every time—I copy it.

Also, I compile an important program with more than one compiler. Different compilers generate different warnings. clang++ works well on Linux.

Do you want fries with that?

“More warnings? Why on earth would I want more warnings!?”

I wish you the best of luck with your career in the fast-food industry.