The GNU Compiler Collection is a full-featured ANSI C compiler with support for K&R C, as well as C++, Objective C, Java, Objective C++, Ada and Fortran.
GCC provides many levels of source code error checking traditionally provided by other tools (such as lint), produces debugging information, and can perform many different optimizations to the resulting object code.
It is a portable compiler; it runs on most platforms available today, and can produce output for many types of processors. In addition to the processors used in personal computers, it also supports microcontrollers, DSPs and 64-bit CPUs.
GCC is the most widely used compiler in Open Source development.
GCC used to stand for the GNU C Compiler, but since the compiler supports several other languages aside from C, it now is an acronym for the GNU Compiler Collection.
Key features include:
- Native compiler.
- Can also cross-compile any program, producing executable files for a different system from the one used by GCC itself.
- Declared and synthesized properties.
- Dot syntax.
- Fast enumeration.
- Optional protocol methods.
- Method/protocol/class attributes.
- Class extensions.
- GNU Objective-C runtime API.
- Multiple language frontends, for parsing different languages including:
- C (gcc).
- C++ (g++).
- Java (gcj).
- Ada (GNAT).
- Objective-C (gobjc).
- Objective-C++ (gobjc++).
- Fortran (gfortran).
- Modula-2.
- Modula-3.
- Pascal (gpc).
- PL/I.
- D (gdc).
- Mercury.
- VHDL (ghdl).
- A modular design, allowing support for new languages and architectures to be added.
- Uses C++ as its implementation language.
Website: gcc.gnu.org
Support: FAQ
Developer: GNU Project
License: GNU General Public License v3.0 with GCC Runtime Library Exception
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