What follows is a description of the steps required to install a compiler for use in Code::Blocks.

Unix platforms
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Code::Blocks comes with pre-configured settings for the GNU GCC compiler & GDB debugger. Just make sure they are installed. This depends on your distribution, but virtually all wide-spread distributions today include them by default.

Windows platform
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Code::Blocks does not come with a compiler nor a debugger. It is left up to you to decide which compiler you want to use.
At this moment, Code::Blocks natively supports the following compilers:

	* GNU GCC compiler & GDB debugger
	* Microsoft Visual C++ Free Toolkit 2003
	* Borland C++ Compiler 5.5

When you launch Code::Blocks for the first time, it will scan the system for the above compilers (it takes virtually no time). After this scan completes, Code::Blocks will have been configured for the found compiler(s). Code::Blocks will also be configured even for compilers that were not found (default installation settings will be used for each of those compilers).

For more info on how to download and install each of the above compilers, please read on.


Downloading the GNU GCC compiler & GDB debugger
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Go to "http://www.mingw.org/download.shtml" and download the file named MinGW-x.y.z.exe, where x, y and z are version numbers. At the time of this writing, this file is MinGW-3.1.0-1.exe.
This setup file contains everything needed to compile and debug windows programs.


Downloading the Microsoft Visual C++ Free Toolkit 2003
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Go to "http://msdn.microsoft.com/visualc/vctoolkit2003" and click on the link labeled "Download the Visual C++ Toolkit 2003". This will download the setup file.


Downloading the Borland C++ Compiler 5.5
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NOTE: At some point, by following the steps described below, you will be asked to register with Borland and fill out a survey. Registration is free.

Go to "http://www.borland.com/products/downloads/download_cbuilder.html#" and click on the link labeled "Compiler". After you accept the license agreement, you will be provided with download links to the setup file.


Compiler-neutral setup steps
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Now that you have downloaded the setup file, launch the installation by double-clicking on the setup file. The actual installation process is really simple. Just press "Next" all the way and you 're done.

If you installed the compiler on a directory other than its default, launch Code::Blocks. If it is the first time you launch it, the compiler will be auto-detected. If not, go to "Settings/Configure plugins/Compiler", select the compiler you installed, switch to the "Programs" tab and press "Auto-detect". If you get a message saying that the compiler was auto-detected, congratulations! If not, then press the button with the three dots next to the "Auto-detect" button and select the installation directory of your compiler manually.