You must first set up the environment to run any C code on your machine. Software tools are required to set up the computer environment. The first tool is the Text Editor, and the second tool is the C compiler.
Text Editors include Notepad, Notepad++(Windows), vim or vi (Windows, LINUX, or UNIX), and XCode (Mac OS) to write C code. A compiler (GCC) is required to convert the C code into a language that the computer will understand.
To install GCC on Windows, you require to install MinGW through www.mingw.org. To install GCC on LINUX or UNIX, use https://gcc.gnu.org/install/ with explicit instructions. However, many IDEs (Integrated Development Environment) are also available that edit and compile the code, for instance, Code: Blocks, Eclipse, Visual Studio, etc.
I will use Eclipse, a popular IDE for compiling and debugging C programs, in this lesson.
Let’s get started by installing Eclipse on a Windows machine. However, you can use an online compiler if you don’t want to install an IDE on your computer.
I wrote an article on how to install Eclipse on a Windows OS. you can find it here.
Use an Online Compiler
You can, however, use an online compiler throughout this course. However, I recommend having the IDE installed to get yourself familiarized with using the tool and explore the features which you can use late to develop real software.
Some of the famous Online compilers for C:
In the next lesson, you will learn your first C programming and its syntax and characteristics.