Getting Started
In order to make usable programs in C or C++, you will need a compiler. A compiler converts source code - the actual instructions typed by the programmer - into an executable file. Numerous compilers are available for C and C++.
The very first thing you need to do, before starting out in C, is to make sure that you have a compiler. What is a compiler, you ask? A compiler turns the program that you write into an executable that your computer can actually understand and run. If you're taking a course, you probably have one provided through your school. If you're starting out on your own, your best bet is to use Code::Blocks with MinGW. If you're on Linux, you can use gcc, and if you're on Mac OS X, you can use XCode. If you haven't yet done so, go ahead and get a compiler set up--you'll need it for the rest of the tutorial.
