Getting started with C++

Download and install JetBrains Toolbox

• Download and install JetBrains Toolbox.

  For macOS, you can also download the installer that matches your processor type: Apple Silicon or Intel. Ensure you select the correct option based on your system's processor.

Download and install JetBrains Fleet

• In JetBrains Toolbox, click Install next to the JetBrains Fleet icon.

  

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 that contains structured data about every compilation unit in the project.

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

Open a project

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

2. Select your project root folder and click Open.

   

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

   

Spot syntax errors

• Syntax errors in your code are highlighted in red:

  

Complete code automatically

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

  

• Some suggestions are templates for common code constructs. Select one from the list and press Tab to move the caret between editable fields:

  

  Available code snippets include:

  • 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 without moving the caret, type a dot at the end. Postfix completion options will appear in the list of suggestions:

  

  For example, if you select if, the initial expression will be wrapped in an if statement:

  

View parameter information

• Press ⌘ 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 the item you want to rename, press ⌃ R, and enter the new name:

  

Navigate the codebase

• Navigate to a symbol’s declaration by pressing ⌘ B.

• Find usages of a symbol by pressing ⌘ U:

  

• Navigate between errors using ⌘ E and ⌘ ⇧ E.

Build and run your program

JetBrains Fleet does not provide built-in automation for building and running C/C++ applications.

However, you can use language-agnostic run configurations to define custom build and run steps. Below is an example using CMake:

LSP can't start

The following message indicates that JetBrains Fleet might not have been able to download Clangd due to a firewall restriction.

Follow these steps to manually install Clangd as a workaround:

1. Download Clangd from the Maven repository.

2. Copy the downloaded files to the corresponding JetBrains Fleet directory:

   • For JetBrains Clangd:

     /home/user/.cache/JetBrains/Fleet/language_server/jbclangd/*

   • For Upstream Clangd:

     /home/user/.cache/JetBrains/Fleet/language_server/clangd/*

3. Restart JetBrains Fleet.