Setify C++
Install this one extension and C++ just works.
No terminal commands, no manual MinGW downloads, no PATH editing, no hunting for the right IDE settings. setify-cpp detects or installs a C++ compiler for you the moment it activates, wires up VS Code globally, and gives you a Run button — that's the whole setup experience.
✨ Features
Zero-step compiler setup
On first activation, setify-cpp checks your system for a C++ compiler (PATH, plus common spots like MSYS2, TDM-GCC, Chocolatey, and Scoop). If nothing is found, it downloads and installs MinGW-w64 automatically — no commands to run, no files to pick. Progress shows in a notification and in the setify-cpp Output panel.
Global, not per-project
The compiler is installed once, system-wide (C:\mingw64), and wired into VS Code's global settings — not a .vscode folder tied to one workspace. Open any folder, any project, on this machine, and it's already ready.
The official C/C++ extension comes with it
setify-cpp declares Microsoft's C/C++ extension (ms-vscode.cpptools) as a dependency, so VS Code installs it automatically alongside setify-cpp. IntelliSense and debugging are ready out of the box.
▶ Run C++ button
Open any .cpp, .cc, or .cxx file and a Run button appears in the status bar (and in the right-click menu). One click compiles and runs the file in an integrated terminal.
📋 Requirements
- Windows 10 or later
- VS Code 1.85 or later
That's it — no Node.js, no npm, no pre-installed compiler. setify-cpp handles all of it.
⚙️ Commands
Available from the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P):
| Command |
Description |
setify-cpp: Setup C++ Compiler (runs automatically on install) |
Re-run compiler detection/installation manually if you ever need to |
setify-cpp: Run Active C++ File |
Compile and run the currently open C++ file |
❓ Known Limitations
- Compiler auto-install is Windows-only (the Run button still works anywhere a compiler is already on PATH — Linux/macOS ship g++ via their own package managers).
- The first-time install downloads ~260MB, so it needs an internet connection.
📝 Release Notes
1.0.2
Initial release — automatic compiler detection/install, global VS Code wiring, Run button, bundled C/C++ extension dependency.
Credits
Built by Muhammad Mustafa Amir
License
MIT
