Graphics.h Compiler for VS Code

Run graphics.h programs with one click - no setup hassle

Try it online: graphics.h Online Compiler - No installation required!

Features

• Two Compilation Modes — Choose between Turbo C (DOSBox) for authentic DOS graphics or WinBGI for native Windows execution
• Turbo C in a Webview — Compile and run graphics.h programs inside a DOSBox emulator rendered directly in a VS Code tab — no external window needed
• Fresh DOS Environment Every Run — A clean, patched ZIP is created in memory for every execution, guaranteeing no stale state
• One-Click Compilation — Press Ctrl+Alt+N or click the Run button in the status bar
• Windows and Ubuntu Support — Automatic toolchain installation on Windows, guided setup on Linux
• Wine Integration — Seamless execution of Windows executables on Linux
• Real-time Error Detection — Compilation errors appear in the VS Code Problems panel (WinBGI) or in an inline error panel below the DOS canvas (Turbo C)
• Cancellable Builds — Cancel a running compilation at any time from the progress notification
• Zero Manual Setup — Everything is automated after your confirmation

Quick Start

1. Install the extension from the VS Code Marketplace
2. Open any .cpp or .c++ file that uses #include <graphics.h>
3. Right-click the editor title bar or open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P)
4. Choose Run Graphics (Turbo C) to run inside DOSBox, or Run Graphics (WinBGI) for native execution
5. For WinBGI, follow the one-time toolchain setup prompts

Available Commands

All commands are also accessible via the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) under the Graphics.h category.

Compilation Modes

Turbo C (DOSBox) Mode

Runs your graphics.h code inside an emulated Turbo C 3.0 environment via DOSBox, rendered directly inside a VS Code Webview tab.

• No external toolchain required — the Turbo C compiler, js-dos runtime, and DOSBox WASM binary are bundled with the extension
• Fresh ZIP per run — every execution creates a new in-memory copy of the Turbo C bundle with your source code injected, ensuring a clean DOS environment
• DOS canvas output — only the DOSBox canvas is shown; if compilation fails, an error panel appears below the canvas
• Secure and Performant — Uses strict Content Security Policy (CSP) and dynamic nonces for safe execution, while transferring the in-memory compiler ZIP seamlessly as a Base64 payload.
• Works on all platforms (Windows, Linux, macOS) since it runs entirely in the browser engine

WinBGI (Native) Mode

Compiles your code with MinGW + WinBGI and runs the resulting .exe natively (or via Wine on Linux).

• Requires MinGW32 toolchain (auto-downloaded on first use on Windows)
• Produces a native Windows executable
• Errors are parsed and shown as VS Code diagnostics in the Problems panel

Supported Platforms

Installation Details

Windows

On first use, the extension will ask permission to download the toolchain:

• MinGW32 toolchain (~220 MB download, ~950 MB disk space)
• graphics.h library files (bundled with the extension, copied automatically)

The download includes a progress indicator showing download percentage, extraction progress, and each installation step so you always know what is happening.

Ubuntu / Linux

The extension will prompt you to run an installation script that installs:

• MinGW cross-compiler (i686-w64-mingw32-g++)
• Wine (for running the compiled Windows executable on Linux)
• graphics.h library files (installed to /usr/local)

The extension provides a Copy and Open Terminal button that copies the command to your clipboard and opens a terminal. Paste with Ctrl+Shift+V and press Enter.

View the Ubuntu installation script

Configuration

Open settings with Ctrl+, and search for graphics-h-compiler:

Links

• Try Online Compiler — No installation required
• GitHub Repository — Source code and documentation
• Report Issues — Bug reports and feature requests
• Ubuntu Install Script — View what gets installed on Linux

Made for students learning computer graphics

If you find it useful, star the project on GitHub.