The first step in C++ programming is setting up your development environment. Install a C++ compiler like GCC or Clang. Choose an editor that you feel comfortable with, such as Code::Blocks or Visual Studio Code. For Windows, you might prefer to use MinGW as your compiler. Make sure your compiler is accessible from your command line by testing it with the command g++ --version in your terminal.

Open your editor and create a new file with a .cpp extension. Write the following C++ code to print "Hello, World!" to the console. Note the use of <iostream> instead of <stdio.h> and using namespace std;, which are common in C++ for handling input and output operations:

        #include <iostream>
        using namespace std;

        int main() {
            cout << "Hello, World!" << endl;
            return 0;
        }
    

Save your file. You might name it HelloWorld.cpp.

Compile your program through the terminal. This process is very similar to C but uses the C++ compiler. Follow these steps:

1. Open your command line or terminal.
2. Change directory to where your HelloWorld.cpp file is located.
3. Type g++ HelloWorld.cpp -o HelloWorld to compile your program. This command tells the compiler to take the HelloWorld.cpp file, compile it, and output an executable named HelloWorld.
4. Run your program by typing ./HelloWorld on Unix/Linux or HelloWorld.exe on Windows in the command line. You should see Hello, World! printed to the terminal.

We can see why using a built-in compiler from an IDE can be simpler; however, understanding the command line compilation process is crucial for deeper learning and troubleshooting in software development.