**Course Title:** Mastering C: From Fundamentals to Advanced Programming **Section Title:** Introduction to C and Development Environment **Topic:** Install the development environment and create a simple C program.(Lab topic) **Objective:** In this lab, you will learn how to install a development environment and create a simple C program. By the end of this topic, you will be able to: * Install a C compiler (gcc) and a code editor (Code::Blocks or Visual Studio) * Write, compile, and run a simple C program * Understand the basic structure of a C program * Debug common errors in a C program **Installing the Development Environment:** To start programming in C, you need to install a C compiler and a code editor. We will cover two popular options: Code::Blocks and Visual Studio. ### Installing Code::Blocks: 1. Go to the Code::Blocks website ([www.codeblocks.org](http://www.codeblocks.org)) and download the latest version for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux). 2. Follow the installation instructions to install Code::Blocks. 3. Once installed, launch Code::Blocks and set the C compiler to gcc. ### Installing Visual Studio: 1. Go to the Visual Studio website ([visualstudio.microsoft.com](http://visualstudio.microsoft.com)) and download the Community version. 2. Follow the installation instructions to install Visual Studio. 3. Once installed, launch Visual Studio and create a new project (File > New > Project...). 4. In the "New Project" dialog box, select "Visual C" and then "Empty Project." 5. Set the C compiler to gcc. ### Installing gcc: If you prefer to use a different code editor or IDE, you can install gcc separately. 1. Go to the GCC website ([gcc.gnu.org](http://gcc.gnu.org)) and download the latest version for your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux). 2. Follow the installation instructions to install gcc. **Creating a Simple C Program:** Now that you have installed the development environment, let's create a simple C program. We will write a program that prints "Hello, World!" to the console. ```c #include <stdio.h> int main() { printf("Hello, World!"); return 0; } ``` This program consists of two lines: * The `#include` directive includes the `stdio.h` header file, which provides input/output functions. * The `main()` function is the entry point of the program. It prints "Hello, World!" to the console using the `printf()` function. **Writing, Compiling, and Running the Program:** 1. Create a new file in your code editor or IDE (File > New > File...) and copy the above program into it. 2. Save the file with a `.c` extension (e.g., `hello.c`). 3. Compile the program using the C compiler (gcc). You can do this from the command line or from within your IDE. * Command line: `gcc hello.c -o hello` * Code::Blocks: click on the "Build and run" button or press F9. * Visual Studio: click on the "Build" menu and select "Build Solution" or press F5. 4. Run the program by executing the resulting executable file (e.g., `hello.exe` on Windows or `./hello` on macOS and Linux). **Debugging Common Errors:** * Syntax errors: Check for mismatched brackets, semicolons, and quotes. * Compiler errors: Check the error message to see if the compiler is unable to find a header file or library. * Runtime errors: Use a debugger to step through the program and see where it crashes. **Conclusion:** In this lab, you installed a development environment and created a simple C program. You learned how to write, compile, and run a C program, and how to debug common errors. You are now ready to move on to the next topic, "Conditional statements: if, else, switch." **What to Do Next:** * Practice writing and compiling C programs to become more familiar with the development environment. * Experiment with different C compilers and IDEs to see which one you prefer. * If you have any questions or issues with installing the development environment or creating a simple C program, leave a comment or ask for help. **External Links:** * Code::Blocks: [www.codeblocks.org](http://www.codeblocks.org) * Visual Studio: [visualstudio.microsoft.com](http://visualstudio.microsoft.com) * GCC: [gcc.gnu.org](http://gcc.gnu.org) **Next Topic:** Conditional statements: if, else, switch. (Control Structures and Functions)