GCC stands for GNU Compiler Collection. It is a powerful compiler system that transforms source code written in high-level programming languages into executable machine code. GCC supports multiple languages including C, C plus plus, Fortran, and others. The compilation process converts human-readable code into instructions that your computer's processor can understand and execute.
GCC compilation happens in four distinct stages. First is preprocessing, where the preprocessor handles directives like include and define, expands macros, and removes comments. Second is compilation, where the compiler translates C code into assembly code specific to the target architecture. Third is assembly, where the assembler converts assembly code into machine code, creating object files. Finally, linking combines object files with libraries to create the final executable program.
Here are the most common GCC commands you will use. The basic compilation command is gcc followed by the source file name and the output flag. You can add the dash g flag for debug information, dash O2 for optimization, or dash Wall to enable all warnings. These flags help you create better, more efficient, and debuggable programs.
Let's walk through a complete example of compiling a Hello World program with GCC. First, we create a source file called hello dot c containing a simple C program that includes the standard input output library and prints Hello World. Next, we compile it using gcc hello dot c dash o hello. Then we run the executable by typing dot slash hello. Finally, we see the output Hello World printed to the terminal.
To summarize what we've learned about GCC: GCC is the GNU Compiler Collection that transforms source code into executable programs through four distinct stages. The compilation process includes preprocessing, compilation to assembly, assembly to object code, and linking. Common compiler flags help optimize and debug your programs. The basic syntax is straightforward, and GCC remains an essential tool for C and C plus plus development.