C++ Project - Debug & Build (VSCode) 🐛

How to set up C++ Compiler with Visual Studio Code. - Setup Visual Studio Code for Multi-File C++ Projects

see also

Toolings

clangd

This is an opensource alternatives to microscoft extension which are not supported by VSCodium or Code-server. Provides C/C++ language IDE features for VS Code

  • code completion
  • compile errors and warnings
  • go-to-definition and cross references
  • include management
  • code formatting
  • simple refactorings

cf setup clangd

C/C++ Extension Pack

This is the microsoft extension that work only with VSCode. It is also quite ressources hungry.

Notes

In ~/.cache/vscode-cpptools you will find that VSCode store a huge amount of file info, that you can safely clean to regain some disk spaces.

Quick start

Install Code runner extension.

Customize it inside your project to have includes path, eg:

// Edit Executor map
"code-runner.executorMap": {
        "cpp": "cd $dir && g++ -std=c++20 -I ~/DEV/cpp -g $fileName -o $fileNameWithoutExt && $dir$fileNameWithoutExt",

For one file program, it’s good enough => It will compile them with debug info, in an executable of same name (use )

To debug this single files, use the C/C++ microsoft extension and invoke directly the gdb config (using current file as target).

// in .vscode/launch.json
{
  "configurations": [
    {
      "name": "(gdb) Launch",
      "type": "cppdbg",
      "request": "launch",
      "program": "${fileDirname}/${fileBasenameNoExtension}",
      "args": [],
      "stopAtEntry": false,
      "cwd": "${fileDirname}",
      "environment": [],
      "externalConsole": false,
      "MIMode": "gdb",
      "setupCommands": [
        {
          "description": "Enable pretty-printing for gdb",
          "text": "-enable-pretty-printing",
          "ignoreFailures": true
        },
        {
          "description": "Set Disassembly Flavor to Intel",
          "text": "-gdb-set disassembly-flavor intel",
          "ignoreFailures": true
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "version": "2.0.0"
}

Build task - ctrl+shift+b

VSCode’s build in keyboard shortcut to task by making it of type build. The easiest way to set up tasks is to press ctrl+shift+b.

In fiel .vscode/tasks.json

{
    // See https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=733558
    // for the documentation about the tasks.json format
    "version": "2.0.0",
    "tasks": [
        {
            "label": "build",
            "type": "shell",
            "command": "make",	// your shell command here
            "group": {
                "kind": "build",
                "isDefault": true,
            },
            
            "problemMatcher": "$gcc"
        }
    ]
}

Debug Task / LLDB / GDB

Ctrl+F5 => Run / F5 => Debug

launch.json

"preLaunchTask": "build"

C/C++ configurations

Written on September 19, 2020, Last update on March 25, 2026
debug-c++ vscode gdb c++ build-system