Looking for a good C++ compiler

[Confector de Caeli]

Much as Java is great, I like C++ much better as a programming language and have been writing some simple programs in it. However, I keep running into issues with compiling consistently. I have tried various compilers and have not really found one I like. Does anyone know of an easy-to-use, reliable, and preferably free C++ compiler that they would recommend? Also, if you could, please provide instructions for dealing with that compiler's nuances and quirks in setup because I somehow always find a way to screw up setting up a compiler. Thank you in advance!

[warmist]

Wow you must be doing something strange to screw up a compiler. Usually you don't change anything there. Also there is almost 0 use from C++ compiler alone. As a suggestion i would give either Microsoft c++ compiler (included in MSVC++ studio or stand alone) or MinGW suite (this includes a lot of stuff that is required to be able to program on windows). If you are using linux than there should be a version of "GCC" in the package manager. Either way I suggest searching for an IDE too. Some people don't use them but IMHO the code-completion, syntax highlighting, integrated documentation are all there to help you.

So some links:

• Microsoft visual studio- included compiler and ide
• MinGW installer suite - no ide here
• QT - an ide with optional compiler included. Also a GUI cross-platform framework
• CodeBlocks - ide with optional compiler included (MinGW). I suggest getting a nightly

[0player]

For MinGW, there is also glorious wxDev-C++. I would recommend Clang but I'm not sure if there is Windows version, maybe it is Mac/Linux only.

[weldaSB]

Gnu c++ compiler
also called gpp

Main compiler used by Linux and was many optimizations for specific hardware and completely free. Since it is open source and used extensively throughout Linux, it is very well developed. If you are running Linux it is probably already installed. If you are on windows, there are all in one packages to install it, but as I don't use windows you'll have to find them yourself.

edit - I would also suggest eclipse ide. It is the most fully featured ide I have found for almost any language. There IA a download on eclipse.org for a version with the cpp plug in installed.

edit2 - cygwin is the all in one package I referred and although I haven't used it, these look like good Instructions.

http://www.horstmann.com/ccc/help/cygwin/install.html

[Confector de Caeli]

Thanks guys. I was already using CodeBlocks IDE, I just always screw up on the matter of compilers, but I will have a look at all the stuff you suggested. It definitely looks interesting. I probably should have mentioned in the OP that I run Windows.

[Gears]

I've always been a fan of MinGW for CodeBlocks, namely due to me being able to just install it on an external hard drive and work wherever.

[PatriotBob]

Thanks guys. I was already using CodeBlocks IDE, I just always screw up on the matter of compilers, but I will have a look at all the stuff you suggested. It definitely looks interesting. I probably should have mentioned in the OP that I run Windows.

I would say just try out Visual C++ Express out. As much as I like to run to open source alternatives, Visual Studio is the best IDE found. In my experience I don't have consistency issues with compilers or linkers. What I have troubles with is writing code that compiles and links properly. :)
Don't take it personally compared with Java, .NET, and pretty much everything else, C++ is a big-boy language. I mean that in it's doesn't hold your hand, figure things out, or do things for you. Oh and don't expect error message to be intelligible half the time either.

For the record, C++ is my favorite language.