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Setting Up Your Environment

Learn how to set up your development environment for the Linux C++ Backend Development Playground project.

Prerequisites​

Before starting, ensure you have the following tools installed on your system:

  • Git (>= 2.0)
  • Docker (>= 20.0) and Docker Compose
  • Node.js (>= 18.0) - only needed for documentation development
  • Basic command-line familiarity

The project uses Docker to provide a consistent development environment across platforms:

  1. Clone the repository:

    git clone https://github.com/Kingson4Wu/cpp-linux-playground.git
    cd cpp-linux-playground

  2. Build the development Docker image:

    ./scripts/docker-dev.sh build

  3. Start the development container:

    ./scripts/docker-dev.sh run

  4. Enter the development container:

    ./scripts/docker-dev.sh exec

Inside the container, you'll have access to all necessary tools including g++, CMake, Ninja, and debugging utilities.

Alternative: Local Installation (Advanced)​

If you prefer to work directly on your host system (Linux/macOS):

  1. Install build essentials:

    # Ubuntu/Debian
    sudo apt update && sudo apt install build-essential

    # CentOS/RHEL
    sudo yum groupinstall "Development Tools"

    # macOS
    xcode-select --install

  2. Install C++ compiler and CMake:

    # Ubuntu/Debian
    sudo apt install g++ cmake

    # CentOS/RHEL
    sudo yum install gcc gcc-c++ cmake

    # macOS
    brew install cmake

  3. Install additional dependencies:

    # Ubuntu/Debian
    sudo apt install libboost-all-dev libssl-dev gdb lldb clang-format valgrind

Verify Installation​

After setting up your environment, verify everything works by:

  1. Creating a build directory:

    mkdir build && cd build

  2. Configuring the project:

    cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug

  3. Building the project:

    make -j$(nproc)

If the build completes without errors, your environment is properly set up!

Next Steps​

Now that your environment is ready, continue to the Project Overview to understand the structure and progression of the learning materials.