GCC (GNU Compiler Collection) is a vital tool for developers who need to compile code written in languages such as C, C++, and Fortran. While macOS comes with its own compiler, clang, GCC is still widely used and sometimes preferred for its extensive features and compatibility with various open-source projects. This article will guide you through installing and using GCC on macOS.

Examples:

1. Installing GCC via Homebrew: Homebrew is a popular package manager for macOS that simplifies the installation of software. To install GCC using Homebrew, follow these steps:

   • First, ensure you have Homebrew installed. If not, you can install it by running:

     /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

   • Once Homebrew is installed, you can install GCC by running:

     brew install gcc

   • After the installation is complete, you can verify the installation by checking the version of GCC:

     gcc-11 --version

     Note: Replace gcc-11 with the version number installed.

2. Compiling a Simple C Program: Once GCC is installed, you can use it to compile C programs. Here’s a simple example:

   • Create a C source file named hello.c:

     #include <stdio.h>
     
     int main() {
      printf("Hello, World!\n");
      return 0;
     }

   • To compile the program, navigate to the directory containing hello.c and run:

     gcc-11 hello.c -o hello

     Again, replace gcc-11 with the appropriate version number.

   • Run the compiled program:

     ./hello

3. Compiling a C++ Program: GCC also supports C++. Here’s how you can compile a simple C++ program:

   • Create a C++ source file named hello.cpp:

     #include <iostream>
     
     int main() {
      std::cout << "Hello, World!" << std::endl;
      return 0;
     }

   • To compile the program, navigate to the directory containing hello.cpp and run:

     g++-11 hello.cpp -o hello

   • Run the compiled program:

     ./hello