Linux is the natural home for C programming — and installing GCC takes just one command. On most Linux distributions GCC is either already installed or a single package away. This guide covers Ubuntu/Debian, Fedora/RHEL, and Arch, then shows you how to compile and run your first program.
On a shared machine where you cannot install packages? You can still write and run C in your browser — see our guide to online C compilers. No installation needed.
Step 1 — Check If GCC Is Already Installed
Many Linux systems ship with GCC. Open a terminal and check:
gcc --versionIf you see a version number like gcc (Ubuntu 14.x) 14.x.x, you already have it — skip to compiling your first program below. If you see command not found, install it using the steps for your distribution.
Step 2 — Install GCC for Your Distribution
Ubuntu / Debian / Linux Mint / Pop!_OS
Install the build-essential package, which includes GCC, make, and other tools you will need:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essentialFedora / RHEL / CentOS / Rocky Linux
sudo dnf install gccOr, to install the full development tool group:
sudo dnf groupinstall "Development Tools"Arch Linux / Manjaro
sudo pacman -S base-developenSUSE
sudo zypper install gccStep 3 — Verify the Installation
gcc --versionYou should now see the installed version, for example:
gcc (Ubuntu 14.2.0) 14.2.0 Copyright (C) 2024 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
Step 4 — Compile and Run Your First Program
Create a file called hello.c using any text editor (or nano hello.c in the terminal):
#include <stdio.h>
int main(void) {
printf("Hello from Linux!\n");
return 0;
}
Compile and run it:
gcc hello.c -o hello
./helloOutput:
Hello from Linux!
The ./ before hello is required — it tells the shell to run the program from the current directory. For learning, always compile with warnings enabled:
gcc -Wall -Wextra -std=c17 hello.c -o helloNo Linux Machine? Practise on a Cloud Server
If you are on Windows or macOS but want to learn C in a real Linux environment — the same environment used on most servers — you do not need to dual-boot or wipe your machine. You can spin up a small Linux server (a “droplet”) in the cloud in about a minute.
DigitalOcean gives new users $200 in free credit for 60 days — more than enough to practise C on a real Ubuntu server at no cost. Create a droplet, connect over SSH, run the apt install build-essential command above, and you have a clean Linux C development environment to experiment with. It is also a great way to learn the command-line skills that professional C development relies on.
The DigitalOcean link is a referral link — signing up through it supports this site, and you still get the full $200 credit.
Common Issues
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
gcc: command not found after install |
Open a new terminal, or run hash -r to refresh the shell’s command cache |
E: Unable to locate package build-essential |
Run sudo apt update first, then install again |
Permission denied running ./hello |
Make it executable: chmod +x hello |
sudo: command not found |
You are likely root already — drop the sudo prefix |
| Want a newer GCC than your distro ships | On Ubuntu, add the ubuntu-toolchain-r/test PPA, or build from source |
What’s Next
GCC is installed. For a full editor with code completion and a visual debugger, set up VS Code for C programming — it works great on Linux. To understand which compiler you are actually using and how GCC compares to Clang, see our guide to the best C compilers.
Then start writing real programs — browse our full list of C programs with examples.
The DigitalOcean link above is a referral link. As an Amazon Associate we also earn from qualifying book purchases.
Recommended Book
The best book to learn C once your environment is ready — The C Programming Language by Kernighan and Ritchie (K&R). For more options, see our guide to the best C programming books.