How to Check GCC Version on Ubuntu

When working with C and C++ programming languages, it is essential to use a compatible compiler that supports the desired language features and optimizes the code accordingly. GCC, the GNU Compiler Collection, is a popular choice for compiling C, C++, Objective-C, Fortran, Ada, and other languages. It is crucial to know the version of GCC installed on your Ubuntu system to ensure that it supports the code you are working with, especially when dealing with recent language features or libraries.

In this guide, we will walk you through the process of checking the GCC version on an Ubuntu system. By following these steps, you will be able to determine if your system has the appropriate version of GCC installed and if an upgrade or downgrade is necessary to meet your development needs.

Let’s get started!

Open the Terminal

To begin, open the terminal application on your Ubuntu system. You can either search for “Terminal” in the applications menu or press Ctrl + Alt + T to open a new terminal window.

Option 1: “gcc –version”

Once the terminal is open, enter the following command to check the installed GCC version:

gcc --version

This command will display the current GCC version installed on your system, along with additional information about the compiler.

ehowstuff@ubuntu14:~$ gcc --version
gcc (Ubuntu 4.8.2-19ubuntu1) 4.8.2
Copyright (C) 2013 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO
warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Option 2: “gcc -v”

Alternatively, you can type “gcc -v” command:

ehowstuff@ubuntu14:~$ gcc -v
Using built-in specs.
COLLECT_GCC=gcc
COLLECT_LTO_WRAPPER=/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/4.8/lto-wrapper
Target: x86_64-linux-gnu
Configured with: ../src/configure -v --with-pkgversion='Ubuntu 4.8.2-19ubuntu1' --with-bugurl=file:///usr/share/doc/gcc-4.8/README.Bugs --enable-languages=c,c++,java,go,d,fortran,objc,obj-c++ --prefix=/usr --program-suffix=-4.8 --enable-shared --enable-linker-build-id --libexecdir=/usr/lib --without-included-gettext --enable-threads=posix --with-gxx-include-dir=/usr/include/c++/4.8 --libdir=/usr/lib --enable-nls --with-sysroot=/ --enable-clocale=gnu --enable-libstdcxx-debug --enable-libstdcxx-time=yes --enable-gnu-unique-object --disable-libmudflap --enable-plugin --with-system-zlib --disable-browser-plugin --enable-java-awt=gtk --enable-gtk-cairo --with-java-home=/usr/lib/jvm/java-1.5.0-gcj-4.8-amd64/jre --enable-java-home --with-jvm-root-dir=/usr/lib/jvm/java-1.5.0-gcj-4.8-amd64 --with-jvm-jar-dir=/usr/lib/jvm-exports/java-1.5.0-gcj-4.8-amd64 --with-arch-directory=amd64 --with-ecj-jar=/usr/share/java/eclipse-ecj.jar --enable-objc-gc --enable-multiarch --disable-werror --with-arch-32=i686 --with-abi=m64 --with-multilib-list=m32,m64,mx32 --with-tune=generic --enable-checking=release --build=x86_64-linux-gnu --host=x86_64-linux-gnu --target=x86_64-linux-gnu
Thread model: posix
gcc version 4.8.2 (Ubuntu 4.8.2-19ubuntu1)

The “gcc -v” command provides more detailed information about your GCC installation compared to “gcc –version”. When you execute this command, it displays information about the compiler’s configuration, including the target system, supported languages, and the options used during the compilation process. This information can be helpful if you need to know the specifics of your GCC installation, such as the target architecture or enabled features.

Option 3: “aptitude show gcc”

Another alternative is to execute “aptitude show gcc” command:

ehowstuff@ubuntu14:~$ aptitude show gcc
Package: gcc
State: installed
Automatically installed: yes
Version: 4:4.8.2-1ubuntu6
Priority: optional
Section: devel
Maintainer: Ubuntu Developers 
Architecture: amd64
Uncompressed Size: 42.0 k
Depends: cpp (>= 4:4.8.2-1ubuntu6), gcc-4.8 (>= 4.8.2-5~)
Recommends: libc6-dev | libc-dev
Suggests: gcc-multilib, make, manpages-dev, autoconf, automake1.9, libtool, flex, bison, gdb,
          gcc-doc
Conflicts: gcc-doc (< 1:2.95.3), gcc-doc (< 1:2.95.3), gcc
Provides: c-compiler
Description: GNU C compiler
This is the GNU C compiler, a fairly portable optimizing compiler for C.
This is a dependency package providing the default GNU C compiler.

The "aptitude show gcc" command gives you information about the GCC package from the package manager's perspective. Aptitude is a package manager used in Debian and Ubuntu systems, and the command provides details such as the package version, dependencies, a description of the package, and its file size. This information can be useful when managing software packages on your system, especially when dealing with dependencies or determining which version of GCC is available through the package manager.

Commands and Functions:

• gcc - The GNU Compiler Collection command
• --version - An option that displays the version information of the installed GCC
• gcc -v - This command displays verbose information about the installed GCC version, including the configuration options used during the compilation process, supported languages, and the target architecture.
• aptitude show gcc - This command provides detailed package information for the installed GCC compiler, including package version, dependencies, description, and file size. Aptitude is a package manager for Debian and Ubuntu systems that simplifies the management of software packages.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you have successfully checked the GCC version on your Ubuntu system. With this information, you can now determine whether your current GCC installation meets the requirements for your development projects. If necessary, you can upgrade or downgrade your GCC installation to a version that supports the desired language features and optimizations.

We hope this guide has been helpful in learning how to check the GCC version on your Ubuntu server.

Need a reliable host for your Ubuntu project? Head over to our 'Best Ubuntu Hosting 2023' guide to ensure your sites run on the best platforms available.

If you have any suggestions or improvements, please feel free to leave a comment below.

FAQ

1. What is GCC and why is it important?

   GCC, the GNU Compiler Collection, is a popular compiler for programming languages like C and C++. It's essential for supporting desired language features and optimizing code. Knowing the GCC version on your Ubuntu system ensures compatibility with the code you're working with, especially when dealing with recent language features or libraries.

2. How can I check the GCC version on my Ubuntu system?

   You can check the GCC version on your Ubuntu system by opening the terminal and entering the command 'gcc --version'. This command will display the current GCC version installed on your system, along with additional information about the compiler.

3. What is the difference between 'gcc --version' and 'gcc -v'?

   While both 'gcc --version' and 'gcc -v' provide information about the installed GCC version, 'gcc -v' provides more detailed information about your GCC installation, including the compiler’s configuration, target system, supported languages, and the options used during the compilation process.

4. What does the 'aptitude show gcc' command do?

   'aptitude show gcc' provides detailed package information for the installed GCC compiler, including package version, dependencies, description, and file size. Aptitude is a package manager for Debian and Ubuntu systems that simplifies the management of software packages.

5. Why is it important to know the GCC version on my Ubuntu system?

   Knowing the GCC version on your Ubuntu system is crucial for ensuring compatibility with the code you're working with. It allows you to determine whether your current GCC installation meets the requirements for your development projects, and if necessary, you can upgrade or downgrade your GCC installation to a version that supports the desired language features and optimizations.