Debian Linux Install GNU GCC Compiler and Development Environment

by nixCraft on February 26, 2009 · 14 comments· LAST UPDATED July 14, 2009

in Debian / Ubuntu, Linux, Package management

How do I install GNU/GCC compiler tools collection under Debian Linux system using command line options?

You need to install package called build-essential package.

This package contains an informational list of packages which are considered essential for building Debian packages including gcc compiler, make and other required tools. This package also depends on the packages on that list, to make it easy to have the build-essential packages installed.

Simply type the following command as root user:
# apt-get update && apt-get upgrade # apt-get install build-essential # gcc -v # make -v
Now, you should able to compile software, create Debian packages or simply write a code using C / C++ compilers.

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{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Asanga Udugama September 27, 2009 at 5:33 pm

To get the basic development related man pages type;
# apt-get install manpages-dev

2 Rikard December 5, 2009 at 1:11 am

Worked Perfectly!! Thanks.

3 daniel February 4, 2010 at 3:45 pm

thx for the info.
this site is my main linux source.
cheers

4 Jaime Montoya May 3, 2010 at 5:46 pm

Thank you so much! It works perfectly.

5 master June 17, 2010 at 9:38 am

hello. i can`t use apt-get, becouse he cannot do the updates. i think the update server for apt-get its old. how i fix this problem ?

0% [Conectando a mirrors.ubv.edu.ve (167.134.102.17)]

6 prosys August 4, 2010 at 10:29 am

master
if you are using linux debian you must go terminal administrator.
you have my seem problem.

7 andrew April 14, 2011 at 3:22 pm

so apt-get doesn’t know about “groups” like yum does ?

8 Kay Marill November 15, 2011 at 8:35 pm

When i try to do apt-get install build-essential i get the following message:

Media change: please insert the disc labeled
‘Debian GNU/Linux 5.0.5 _Lenny_ – Official i386 CD Binary-1 20100626-17:37′
in the drive ‘/cdrom/’ and press enter

I never had a disc.. so i can’t insert it now.. not sure what to do. can anyone help, please (i am very new to this so a little slow)

Thanks!

9 indra najwa November 18, 2011 at 2:11 pm

Hi Kay,
Just edit your apt source list, located at /etc/apt, by typing this :
(as root) gedit /etc/apt/sources.list
Then put a # in the beginning line that says deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 6.0.0 _Squeeze_ - Official i386 CD Binary-1 20110205-17:27]/ squeeze main==>example from my sources.list

Save the file. Still as root type apt-get update. Then you can try install/upgrade again.

10 Dani Voi March 19, 2012 at 2:09 pm: Thanks! works great
Reply

11 Aaron B September 1, 2012 at 10:45 pm

So many things I try to install have errors and complications at every turn on this new debian system. A real pain in the butt. Well I guess I wanted to learn linux so this is what it’s all about
Here is what I get when i try to run your apt-get install build-essential
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
initscripts : Breaks: console-setup (< 1.74) but 1.68+squeeze2 is to be installed
Breaks: nfs-common (< 1:1.2.5-3) but 1:1.2.2-4squeeze2 is to be installed
libglib2.0-0 : Breaks: eog (< 3.2.2-3) but 2.30.2-1 is to be installed
network-manager : Recommends: crda but it is not going to be installed
Breaks: network-manager-gnome (< 0.9) but 0.8.1-2 is to be installed
E: Broken packages
root@AaronsPC:/home/aaron/cmake-2.8.9/cmake-build#

12 Aaron September 1, 2012 at 10:47 pm

This is what i get when trying build-essential

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
initscripts : Breaks: console-setup (< 1.74) but 1.68+squeeze2 is to be installed
Breaks: nfs-common (< 1:1.2.5-3) but 1:1.2.2-4squeeze2 is to be installed
libglib2.0-0 : Breaks: eog (< 3.2.2-3) but 2.30.2-1 is to be installed
network-manager : Recommends: crda but it is not going to be installed
Breaks: network-manager-gnome (< 0.9) but 0.8.1-2 is to be installed
E: Broken packages

13 k4 September 11, 2012 at 8:32 am

To make update work You have to update file:
/etc/apt/sources.list

Mine looks like that:

deb http://ftp.pl.debian.org/debian/ squeeze main
deb-src http://ftp.pl.debian.org/debian/ squeeze main

deb http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ squeeze/updates main

14 Benno November 3, 2012 at 9:47 pm

Is nice, installation was successful on my KDE debian using the above instructions. The Debian Linux which was installed on my nx9105 hp laptop using Debian iso taken from the debian site: http://www.debian.org/

Debian Linux Install GNU GCC Compiler and Development Environment

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