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

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

# 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

Fill more snappy and less ressource hungry than microsoft native solution.

Notes
cf setup clangd
Additional setup is needed for local header

For global includes the best way to expose them is to have .clangd file:

CompileFlags:
  Add: [
    "-I/home/yves/DEV/cpp/"
  ]

For local includes that are spread out in project workspace (my CodingGame style)…

Here the workaround is to have script to generate a compile_flags.txt (since there is no matching compilatino), to expose them to clangd (it can be replayed anytime you need).

clangd_init.rb

#!/usr/bin/env ruby
require 'set'
require 'pathname'

root = (ARGV[0] || Dir.pwd)
root_path = Pathname.new(root).realpath

header_dirs = Set.new

# Collect directories containing .hh files
Dir.glob(File.join(root_path, "**/*.hh")).each do |file|
  header_dirs << File.dirname(Pathname.new(file).realpath.to_s)
end

# Always include project root
header_dirs << root_path.to_s

flags = []
flags << "-std=c++20"
flags << "-x"
flags << "c++"

header_dirs.each do |dir|
  flags << "-I#{dir}"
end

File.write(File.join(root_path, "compile_flags.txt"), flags.join("\n") + "\n")

puts "Generated compile_flags.txt with #{header_dirs.size} include paths"

It would output something very concise like:

-std=c++20
-x
c++
-I/home/yves/DEV/Codingame/CG-Winter-Challenge-2026-SnakeByte
-I/home/yves/DEV/Codingame/CG-Winter-Challenge-2026-SnakeByte/smitsimax

# C/C++ Extension Pack

Is the dark side stronger? No… no… no. Quicker, easier, more seductive. - Yoda

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

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.

# Others

C++ TestMate - run unit Test inside VSCode
Disassembly Explorer - an alternative to Compiler explorer

# Quick start

# Code runner ⮺

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 )

# Debug w/MS

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

.vscode/launch.json

// 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.

.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"
        }
    ]
}