Getting started with C++

Prepare a compilation database for your project

JetBrains Fleet supports C++ projects with compilation databases.

A compilation database is a JSON file named compile_commands.json, which contains structured data about every compilation unit in the project.

• Follow this instruction to generate a compilation database for your project.

Open a project

1. Press Command O or select File | Open from the menu.

2. Select your project root folder and click Open:

   

3. The opened directory becomes the root of your workspace:

   

Enable Smart mode

Smart Mode turns on code insight features for your C++ code.

• Click the Smart Mode Status icon in the top-right corner. In the popup that appears, click Enable.

  

Troubleshooting Smart mode: LSP can't start

This message indicates that Fleet might not have been able to download Clangd because of a firewall. Follow the steps below for a workaround.

1. Download Clangd using the following links:

   • Linux - https://cache-redirector.jetbrains.com/intellij-dependencies/org/jetbrains/intellij/deps/clangd/clangd/16.0.0-3/clangd-16.0.0-3-linux.tar.gz

   • macOS - https://cache-redirector.jetbrains.com/intellij-dependencies/org/jetbrains/intellij/deps/clangd/clangd/16.0.0-3/clangd-16.0.0-3-mac.tar.gz

   • Windows - https://cache-redirector.jetbrains.com/intellij-dependencies/org/jetbrains/intellij/deps/clangd/clangd/16.0.0-3/clangd-16.0.0-3-win.tar.gz

2. Put the downloaded file into the ~/.fleet/ directory.

3. Restart Fleet.

Spot syntax errors

• All the errors in your code are highlighted red:

  

Complete code automatically

• Context-aware completion gives a list of suggestions for names, types, and keywords:

  

• Among the completion suggestions, you can find templates for common code constructs. Select one from the list, and then use Tab to move the caret between stubs:

  

  Available code snippets:

  • typedef [type] [name];

  • using [name] [type];

  • namespace [name] = [namespace];

  • using namespace [identifier];

  • using [qualifier]::[name];

  • using typename [qualifier]::[name];

  • template<class [name]>

  • template<typename [name]>

  • switch ([condition]) { [cases] }

  • case [expression]:

  • goto [label];

  • dynamic_cast<[type]>([expression])

  • static_cast<[type]>([expression])

  • reinterpret_cast<[type]>([expression])

  • const_cast<[type]>([expression])

  • catch ([declaration]) { [statements] }

  • concept [name] = [constraint];

  • #define [macro]([args])

Reduce caret jumps

• To transform an already typed expression into a different one without moving the caret, add a dot at the end. You will see postfix completion options among the list of suggestions:

  

  For example, you can choose if, and the initial expression will get wrapped into an if statement:

  

View parameter information

• Press Command I to get the list of parameter names in a function call:

  

  Click Show all to view all the usages.

Check documentation in a popup

• Hover over a class, function, field, or another element to see where and how it is defined:

  

Rename code items

• Select an item to be renamed, press Control R, and enter the new name:

  

Navigate the codebase

• Navigate to the declaration of a symbol with Command B.

• Find usages of a symbol with Command U:

  

• Skim over the errors with Command E and Command Shift E.

Build and run your program

You can build and run your C/C++ code using run configurations. Find below an example for the case of CMake: