GCC compiler

The original author of the GNU C Compiler (GCC) is Richard Stallman, the founder of the GNU Project.

The GNU Project was started in 1984 to create a complete Unix-like operating system as free software, in order to promote freedom and cooperation among computer users and programmers. Every Unix-like operating system needs a C compiler, and as there were no free compilers in existence at that time, the GNU Project had to develop one from scratch. The work was funded by donations from individuals and companies to the Free Software Foundation, a non-profit organization set up to support the work of the GNU Project.

The first release of GCC was made in 1987. This was a significant breakthrough, being the first portable ANSI C optimizing compiler released as free software. Since that time GCC has become one of the most important tools in the development of free software.

A major revision of the compiler came with the 2.0 series in 1992, which added the ability to compile C++. In 1997 an experimental branch of the compiler (EGCS) was created, to improve optimization and C++ support. Following this work, EGCS was adopted as the new main-line of GCC development, and these features became widely available in the 3.0 release of GCC in 2001.

First of all, GCC is a portable compiler--it runs on most platforms available today, and can produce output for many types of processors. In addition to the processors used in personal computers, it also supports microcontrollers, DSPs and 64-bit CPUs.

GCC is not only a native compiler--it can also cross-compile any program, producing executable files for a different system from the one used by GCC itself. This allows software to be compiled for embedded systems which are not capable of running a compiler. GCC is written in C with a strong focus on portability, and can compile itself, so it can be adapted to new systems easily.

GCC has multiple language frontends, for parsing different languages. Programs in each language can be compiled, or cross-compiled, for any architecture. For example, an ADA program can be compiled for a microcontroller, or a C program for a supercomputer.

GCC has a modular design, allowing support for new languages and architectures to be added. Adding a new language front-end to GCC enables the use of that language on any architecture, provided that the necessary run-time facilities (such as libraries) are available. Similarly, adding support for a new architecture makes it available to all languages.

Finally, and most importantly, GCC is free software, distributed under the GNU General Public License (GNU GPL).(1) This means you have the freedom to use and to modify GCC, as with all GNU software. If you need support for a new type of CPU, a new language, or a new feature you can add it yourself, or hire someone to enhance GCC for you. You can hire someone to fix a bug if it is important for your work.