If you want or need a more up to date version, that is available at High Performance Computing for Mac OS X. This will give you a working version of gcc, but it is an older version. All of the install methods involve first getting Xcode, then making the gcc compiler available outside of Xcode, and then installing a newer version of gcc.įor OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, download Xcode 3 from the Apple Developer Site. Xcode can act as an IDE for C programming. An IDE allows you to write, compile, and debug a program from one central interface. Xcode is an Integrated Development Environment, or IDE. Get a solid foundation on the Mac command line with this course.įor all of the versions of OS X, you will be downloading Xcode.

In order to do these installs, you will be using Terminal to work at the command line. You will have to register as an apple developer to get access to these tools. We’ll go through the recent versions here. The details vary for each version of OS X. This uses gcc, the popular open source C compiler. The most recommended way to get a C compiler for your Mac is to use Xcode. A disadvantage of compilers is that the compiling step adds time to the development process because the whole program must be compiled each time a change is made. The executable program can be distributed without the source code, which makes it harder for anyone to steal the programming ideas that went into the program. The compiler, on the other hand, has to be specific for the operating system where the program will run.Ĭompilers usually produce code that will run faster than the alternative, interpreters. It is meant for humans and is the same on any operating system. Source code can be written on any platform. You feed your source code in to the compiler and it will either give you an executable program or a long list of error codes telling you why it couldn’t make the program. It has to be converted to code that the computer can run. Source code cannot be understood and run by a computer in this state. You learn the C language to write source code. The compiler is the last step in turning your code into a program that runs on your computer. If you are relatively new to the Mac, you can develop your skills with a course on getting started with a Mac. What the heck is that? We’ll explain this and help you to get a C compiler for Mac up and running on your computer. This is exciting! You think you are all set, and then it hits: they want you to have a compiler. You’ve registered for a course, you have your texts and manuals, and you’ve fired up your trusty Mac. You have finally made the move to become a programmer.

Programming c on mac