All software listed here is free unless explicitly stated otherwise:
The GNU g++ compiler comes in various packages. It’s pretty much the same compiler. What varies are the supporting libraries.
An IDE (Integrated Development Environment) is a package that helps you work with an editor, compiler, and debugger and generally provide some support for organizing your code into projects.
Some IDE’s come with a compiler suite included. All can be used with compilers that you have downloaded separately, though not every IDE can work with every compiler. Downloading the compiler separately may make it a bit trickier to get started with the IDE (you may need to tell it where you have put the downloaded compiler) but may make it easier to update the compiler when new releases are available.
Recommended: Code::Blocks for Windows, Linux machines, or OS/X. This is the IDE practiced in the labs for this course.
Equally Recommended: Eclipse for Windows, Linux or OS/X machines. A more professional-level environment than Code::Blocks, Eclipse is probably the most widely used IDE in the open source community. You will find lessons on using Eclipse in CS252.
Installing A C++ IDE on Your PC walks you through the process of installing either of these.