How do I find out what compilers are installed on a Debian / Ubuntu / Red hat Enterprise / CentOS Linux operating systems? How do I list all available compiler packages under a Linux operating system using the CLI?

GCC is an Acronym for “GNU Compiler Collection”. It is a collection of compilers for C, C++, Fortran and other tools. GCC compiler is also used for building the Linux kernel and the same one is ships as standard on most GNU/Linux based systems.

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You can query your package database for installed compiler set under Linux operating systems.

Command for Debian / Ubuntu Linux users

Type the following dpkg command to see installed compilers and version:
$ dpkg --list | grep compiler
Sample outputs:

ii  g++                                      4:4.4.5-1                          The GNU C++ compiler
ii  g++-4.4                                  4.4.5-8                            The GNU C++ compiler
ii  gcc                                      4:4.4.5-1                          The GNU C compiler
ii  gcc-4.3                                  4.3.5-4                            The GNU C compiler
ii  gcc-4.4                                  4.4.5-8                            The GNU C compiler

To list all available compilers that can be installed, enter apt-cache command:
$ apt-cache search Compiler
$ apt-cache search Compiler | grep -i --color java
$ apt-cache search Compiler | grep -i --color fortran

Sample outputs:

libsidl-1.4.0 - Scientific Interface Definition Language (SIDL) C(++)/FORTRAN runtime
libsidl-dev - Scientific Interface Definition Language (SIDL) C(++)/FORTRAN runtime devel
libetsf-io-dev - Static libraries and Fortran module files of ETSF_IO
f2c - A FORTRAN 77 to C/C++ translator
ftnchek - A semantic checker for Fortran 77 programs
fweb - A literate-programming tool for C/C++/Fortran/Ratfor
gfortran-4.3-multilib - The GNU Fortran 95 compiler (multilib files)
gfortran-4.3 - The GNU Fortran 95 compiler
gfortran-4.4-multilib - The GNU Fortran 95 compiler (multilib files)
gfortran-4.4 - The GNU Fortran 95 compiler
gfortran-multilib - The GNU Fortran 95 compiler (multilib files)
gfortran - The GNU Fortran 95 compiler
gfortran-doc - documentation for the GNU Fortran Compiler (gfortran)
gfortran-4.1-doc - documentation for the GNU Fortran Compiler (gfortran)
gfortran-4.2-doc - documentation for the GNU Fortran Compiler (gfortran)
gfortran-4.3-doc - documentation for the GNU Fortran Compiler (gfortran)
gfortran-4.4-doc - documentation for the GNU Fortran Compiler (gfortran)

Use the apt-get command to install compiler under Debian / Ubuntu Linux:
$ sudo apt-get install gfortran

Command for Red Hat / RHEL / CentOS / Fedora Linux users

Type the following yum command to list all installed compiler:
$ yum list installed | grep -i --color compiler
$ yum list installed | grep -i --color gcc
$ yum list installed | grep -i --color java
$ yum list installed gcc
$ yum list installed 'gcc*'

Sample outputs:

Loaded plugins: auto-update-debuginfo, product-id, protectbase, rhnplugin, subscription-manager
Updating certificate-based repositories.
0 packages excluded due to repository protections
Installed Packages
gcc.x86_64                                                          4.4.6-4.el6                                                          @rhel-x86_64-server-6

To search all available compiler, run:
$ yum search all compiler
However, I recommend the following command to list all development tools under RHEL and friends:
$ yum groupinfo "Development tools"
Sample outputs:

Loaded plugins: auto-update-debuginfo, product-id, protectbase, rhnplugin, subscription-manager
Updating certificate-based repositories.
Setting up Group Process

Group: Development tools
 Description: A basic development environment.
 Mandatory Packages:
   autoconf
   automake
   binutils
   bison
   flex
   gcc
   gcc-c++
   gettext
   libtool
   make
   patch
   pkgconfig
   redhat-rpm-config
   rpm-build
 Default Packages:
   byacc
   cscope
   ctags
   cvs
   diffstat
   doxygen
   elfutils
   gcc-gfortran
   git
   indent
   intltool
   patchutils
   rcs
   subversion
   swig
   systemtap
 Optional Packages:
   ElectricFence
   ant
   babel
   bzr
   ccache
   chrpath
   clips
   clips-devel
   clips-doc
   clips-emacs
   clips-xclips
   clipsmm-devel
   clipsmm-doc
   cmake
   cmucl
   colordiff
   compat-gcc-34
   compat-gcc-34-c++
   compat-gcc-34-g77
   cvsps
   darcs
   dejagnu
   email2trac
   expect
   ftnchek
   gcc-gnat
   gcc-java
   gcc-objc
   gcc-objc++
   ghc
   git
   haskell-platform
   imake
   jpackage-utils
   kdewebdev
   libstdc++-docs
   lua
   mercurial
   mock
   mod_dav_svn
   nasm
   nqc
   nqc-doc
   ocaml
   perltidy
   python-docs
   qgit
   rpmdevtools
   rpmlint
   sbcl
   systemtap-sdt-devel
   systemtap-server
   trac
   trac-git-plugin
   trac-mercurial-plugin
   trac-webadmin
   translate-toolkit

Use the yum command to install compiler under RHEL / CentOS:
# yum install gcc
OR for the latest version of a CentOS/RHEL 7 try the following command to install compiler collection:
# yum group install "Development Tools"