Build An Linux Executable Using GCC

Question

Hello,

I'm using Linux Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex and compiling C++ files with GCC, but when i compile, gcc makes a *.out file, that is the executable, but how i can make Linux executables? Thanks!

Answer 1

That is the executable. If you don't like a.out, you can pass an -o flag to the compiler. If the executable isn't marked with an executable bit, you need to do so youself:

chmod u+x ./a.out
./a.out

HTH.

Answer 2

To create a executable called myprog you can call gcc like this:

gcc -c -o myprog something.c

You could also just rename the *.out file gcc generates to the desired name.

Answer 3

That executable is a "Linux executable" - that is, it's executable on any recent Linux system. You can rename the file to what you want using

rename a.out your-executable-name

or better yet, tell GCC where to put its output file using

gcc -o your-executable-name your-source-file.c

Keep in mind that before Linux systems will let you run the file, you may need to set its "executable bit":

chmod +x your-executable-name

Also remember that on Linux, the extension of the file has very little to do with what it actually is - your executable can be named something, something.out, or even something.exe, and as long as it's produced by GCC and you do chmod +x on the file, you can run it as a Linux executable.