Difference Between gcc and g++

Last Updated : 17 Sep, 2024

The GNU Compiler Collection, abbreviated as GCC provides multiple compilers to compile source codes of different programming languages, mainly C and C++. In its command line interface, it provides two commands "gcc" and "g++" which are used to invoke the compiler to compile the given source code to executable file.

In this article, we will learn what are the main differences between the "gcc" and "g++" commands provided by GNU Compiler Collection.

What "gcc" Command Do?

The command "gcc" is used to invoke the corresponding compiler for multiple programming languages like C, C++, objective C, etc. It recognizes the complier that is to be used from the extension of the provided source file.

For example,

C language compiler can be called using:

gcc src.c -o sic

and C++ compiler can be called using:

gcc src.cpp -o src

Just like that, we can call other compilers included in the GCC. But there is a little problem with compiling C++ code with "gcc" command. It does not link the standard library of C++ by default, so the code that contains standard library features will not be able to compile. That is why it is mainly used to compile C code.

What "g++" Command Do?

Just like "gcc", the "g++" command calls the compiler but only for C++ programming language. It is specifically designed to work with C++ source codes and links all the standard libraries with the compiled program.

For example,

g++ src.cpp - src