Setup Checklist

Week 0 · tick every box · ← Orientation hub · companion to the Getting Started lesson

Work top to bottom; each box has a check command — a setup step isn’t done until its check passes. Expected times: Windows 20–30 min, Linux 5–10 min, macOS 10–15 min.

1. Compiler installed

Windows — follow compiler-setup/windows.md: MSYS2 → pacman -S --needed mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-toolchain → PATH includes C:\msys64\ucrt64\bin.

Linux — compiler-setup/linux.md: sudo apt install build-essential (Debian/Ubuntu) · sudo dnf install gcc-c++ (Fedora) · sudo pacman -S base-devel (Arch).

macOS — compiler-setup/macos.md: xcode-select --install.

No install possible? Online compilers carry you through Unit 11 — but plan a local install before Unit 12 (files).

[ ] Compiler installed (guide above)

2. Compiler verified

Open a new terminal and check (new window = PATH changes applied):

[ ] Version prints (not "command not found")

3. Toolchain verified end-to-end

Save the course’s sanity-check.cpp into a new folder, then compile and run it:

g++ -std=c++17 -Wall -Wextra sanity-check.cpp -o sanity-check
./sanity-check            # Windows: .\sanity-check.exe

Expected:

My C++ toolchain works!
Compiler standard: C++17
Ready for Lesson 1.

[ ] sanity-check compiles with ZERO warnings
[ ] sanity-check runs and prints the three lines

4. Editor ready

[ ] Editor installed (VS Code recommended — any editor is fine)
[ ] C/C++ extension added (VS Code users) — see toolchain/vs-code-tips.md

5. Course folder created

[ ] cpp-course/ folder created in a plain local location
[ ] Inside it: unit-00/  (this week's work lives here)
[ ] notes/bug-diary.md created (one line per bug, from day one)

6. Study plan chosen

[ ] 16-week plan or self-paced — chosen and written down
[ ] How to Study read (the read→run→modify→solve→debug→revise method)

7. First program compiled and run

Do the first-program exercise — it is the final proof of setup:

[ ] hello.cpp typed by hand (not pasted)
[ ] compiled warning-free
[ ] ran, and the greeting appeared
[ ] first bug diary entry made (the first typo counts!)

Definition of done

All boxes in sections 1–7 ticked. That is the whole of Week 0 — you are officially ready for Unit 01 · Lesson 1.

Something refuses to work? Work through Troubleshooting — every common Week-0 failure has a named scenario there.

← Orientation hub · Getting Started lesson · Troubleshooting